Amplified Breath - (Dis)Embodied Habitat: Exploring Sonic Interfaces of Performance, Electronics, Space and Flautist Identity

The electronic spatialization of flute sound represents an intersection of acoustic resonance and technology, ancient sonic imagining and present day cultural imprints. The performative impacts of technological interventions and the new responses thus stimulated in performance practice, invite rigorous exploration and reflection. In this paper I aim to articulate my personal responses to spatialization technologies and live interactive electronics, to explore the expanded capacities provided for the flautist, and the new performative elements introduced by this genre. Focusing on breath tone and gesture, transformations of sonority, performer identity, space, physicality and interactivity are investigated from the flautist's point of view. Much of the material of this paper is extracted from my doctoral thesis, 'The Extended Flautist: techniques, technologies and perceptions in the performance of music for flute and electronics', due for submission in early 2009.