Stalwart Wellington improvisor, electronic musician, computer programmer and Marxist theorist Simon O’Rorke will present a P-LAB artist workshop about his work and processes.
Probable topics for discussion:
~Analogue vs digital synthesis
~Hardware vs software synthesis
~Virtual acoustic instruments: sample-based vs physically modelled
~Expression pedals as digital controllers
~Making music with code
Simon O'Rorke discovered improvised music while a student in London. After emigrating to New Zealand, from 1992 he formed free improv ensembles in Wellington, at a time when activity in the genre appeared to be otherwise non-existent in the city. Since the improv scene took off in late 1990s, O'Rorke has collaborated with many of New Zealand’s leading improvisors. Originally a bass guitarist, he has specialised in percussion since 1997 and then, from 2010, synthesizers and software instruments. In addition, O’Rorke has very recently started to create software electronic works with a sequencing/composition application he is developing. Against the Tyranny of 4, the one resulting work that has been published so far, can be found alongside collaborative improvisations at https://soundcloud.com/simonor.
Special thanks to Creative New Zealand for supporting Pyramid Club's programme.
