The Musical Electronics Library (MEL) is once again happy to present “Office Ambience” where an artist will perform and talk in the Audio Foundation’s office space about their practice, sometimes using pieces from the MEL catalogue (https://mel.myturn.com/library/inventory/browse). Come down for a look and a listen, perhaps ask a few questions, and browse the M.E.L collection.
For this sevententh performance we are lucky to be hosting Simon O’Rorke presenting an introduction to Multidimensional Polyphonic Expression (MPE).
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From 1-3PM in the Musical Electronics Library. Koha
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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. Simon’s openness to collaboration and his singular approach to spontaneous music making influenced a generation of New Zealand improvisors, his playing sessions becoming somewhat a right of passage for younger musicians exploring free improviastion.
Since the improv scene took off in the 1990’s, 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.
O’Rorke has recently started to create software electronic works with a sequencing/composition application he is developing. Against the Tyranny of 4, the resulting work that has been published so far, can be found alongside collaborative improvisations at https://soundcloud.com/simonor.