TONEWHEELS by Derek Holzer
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http://www.umatic.nl/tonewheels.html
TONEWHEELS is an experiment in converting graphical imagery to sound, inspired by some of the pioneering 20th Century electronic music inventions. Transparent tonewheels with repeating patterns are spun over light-sensitive electronic circuitry to produce sound and light pulsations and textures, while projected graphical loops and textures add richness to the visual environment. This all-analog set is performed entirely live without the use of computers, using only overhead projectors as light source, performance interface and audience display. In this way, TONEWHEELS aims to open up the "black box" of electronic music and video by exposing the working processes of the performance for the audience to see.
The project was developed further for the Passengers International Festival of Public Art, which took place in Warsaw from 6-13 October 2007. There, the piece was premiered in it's fullest form--a duo using one projector for sound generation and another for visual manipulation.
Holzer continued to develop the sonic aspects of TONEWHEELS during a 3 month residency at Tesla in Berlin during the months of Oct-Dec 2007. A workshop on analog sound and light techniques is also under development (see TECHNICAL page on website), which was first conducted during the WAVES Festival at the Phoenix Halle in Dortmund during May 2008. A lecture on the history of "drawn sound" and optoelectronic synthesis is also possible, based on the timeline described on the HISTORY page.
Originally developed with Dutch graphic artist Sara Kolster, TONEWHEELS is now a solo performance by Derek Holzer.
