Expanded Listening and Aural Recording Workshop with Alan Courtis
Following last year’s successful workshop in Riga, Skaņu Mežs continues its collaboration with sound artist Alan Courtis. On January 24 and 25, Courtis will return to conduct an expanded listening and aural recording workshop for people with mental disabilities.
This participatory workshop is firstly based on the Deep Listening techniques developed by acclaimed American composer Pauline Oliveros. However, it is also based on Courtis’ own approach and experience with these subjects: in fact, for many years, he was a friend and active collaborator with Oliveros, as well as translator of several of her texts into Spanish. On this occasion the activities are also augmented by an introduction to the practice of something new: Aural Recording.
In addition to the workshop, Alan Courtis will present a live performance on January 24 at bar “Aleponija” (Ernesta Birznieka-Upīša street 22, Riga). The performance is organized by Skaņu Mežs’ concert series 1-2 cauri! and the sound art project tekhnē, co-funded by the EU and the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Latvia.
Alan Courtis (aka Anla Courtis) was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina in 1972. He has been working in the field of sound-art, electro-acoustic music, drone, noise, improvisation and composition. A founding member of the legendary band Reynols, he’s also part of the French group L’Autopsie a révélé que la mort était due à l’Autopsie. His written music has been played by ensembles from England, Thailand, Switzerland, Wales, Netherlands, Mexico, Canada, United States, Spain and South America. He was commissioned by Phoenix Basel Ensemble (Switzerland), Český Rozhlas (Czech Republic) and was artist in residence at EMS (Stockholm), GRM (Paris), Cafe Oto (London), USF (Bergen),etc.
His music always has strong experimental sense and usually based on high-skilled techniques of prepared sound, tape manipulations, processing of field recordings, live electronics, objects, cymbals, synthesizers, computer tools, playing traditional (both acoustic and electric) instruments as well as self-built, strange and unusual instruments (eg. unstringed guitar).
He has coordinated music workshops in numerous countries, including Iceland, Sweden, Norway, Switzerland, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, England and Japan.