- Program Notes
- AI Phantasy (2020) electroacoustic sound composition for stereo or multichannel speaker array. Duration: 10 minutes.
AI Phantasy was composed across three distinct studio environments: the GRIS multichannel studio at the University of Montreal, the MEIT theater at the University of North Texas, and my personal studio. Central to its sound palette is an unconventional use of a vacuum cleaner, where airflow vibrates various membranes and probes at the suction tube’s end. These vibrations, manually modulated and processed, following the Fab Synthesis paradigm—a methodology I applied throughout the composition. Additionally, I designed a series of electromechanically rotating pan flute-like sound generators powered by an air pump compressor. Using a modified airbrush attachment, I controlled airflow and direction, creating a “hyper-pan flute” capable of producing unique and complex gestures and timbres. The piece also incorporates sound processing tools that leverage machine learning, including Accusonus Regroover, iZotope RX, Orchidea, and Sononym. These technologies allowed for intricate sound manipulations and innovative sonic textures. The title AI Phantasy references “phantasy” with a “Ph,” a concept rooted in psychoanalytic theory describing an infant’s mental state during early development. Phantasies arise from the interplay of internal and external realities, shaped by emotions and feelings, and projected onto real or imagined objects. By contrast, “fantasy” (with an “F”) signifies conscious daydreaming— imagined scenarios and unrealities crafted by the mind. This duality of conscious and unconscious processes serves as a guiding metaphor for the work. Sonic realities, soundscapes, ambiances, and studio-recorded or synthesized sounds intertwine seamlessly in AI Phantasy. These elements blur distinctions between imagination and reality, evoking a dreamlike state where perception and projection converge. This composition has been recognized internationally, receiving the 2nd Prize at the 22nd Via Nova Akusmatik Composition Competition in Weimar, Germany, and being selected as a finalist in the 2022 AKOUSMAtique Montreal Immersive Multitrack Music Composition Competition in Canada.
- Performer Credits
- Ensemble Holophony Project
- Publisher
- Panayiotis Kokoras