Aural Spaces 2024 - The Concertgebouw
The second
edition of Aural Spaces was another extraordinary journey into the realm of
spatial sound at the historic Recital Hall in The Concertgebouw. Over several
unforgettable days, from the 12 to 15 December, the venue was transformed by the
immersive 4DSOUND system, featuring fourty-one omnidirectional speakers.
4DSOUND collaborated with Concertvrienden, Entrée and FIBER Festival to present an exciting programme. The festival featured a diverse and ambitious lineup of international artists, world premiers of spatial performances, immersive listening sessions, and an educational programme. Each performance brought its own unique character, resonating through the space, lifting us from our seats, an inviting us to engage with it. Dutch artist Nick Verstand provided stunning site-specific lighting design, adding a visual dimension to the performances.
World Premiers
Aural Spaces presented a series of captivating live spatial performances. Electronic producer Loraine James debuted a newly commissioned piece, blending her signature glitchy soundscapes with the multidimensional capabilities of the 4DS system. Danish cellist Caecilie Trier Muziek (CTM) premiered a spatial composition together with Jakob Littauer that filled the Recital Hall with emotive melodies and improvisation. Both Loraine James and CTM developed these compositions during residencies at MONOM Studios in Berlin.
Other highlights included performances by percussionist Dominique Vleeshouwer (DOMNIQ) with a Morning Sound Bath, the Alma Quartet’s interpretation of Beethoven together with live spatialization by Poul Holleman, and Marijn Cinjee alongside soprano Julia Sinclair in a spatial rendition of Hildegard van Bingen’s works. Each artist offered a distinctive interpretation of spatial sound.
Listening Sessions
The programme also included specially curated listening sessions. Featured works include James Allister Sprang's evocative blend of poetry, experimental jazz, and orchestral elements, "Rest Within the Wake", as well as the Dutch premier of Evita Manji’s Echo(location) Chamber which explores the landscapes where echoes trace the outlines of space in darkness. In addition, sessions like ‘Low Stimuli’ with Ruby Singh and ‘Seeing With Your Ears’ with Leroy de Böck and Sarah van Lamsweerde, explored inclusive approaches to sensory engagement, offering sessions are tailored to people with sensory, auditory, visual, or physical impairments and sensitivities.
Educational Programme
The educational programme allowed for personal connection and knowledge sharing between sound enthusiasts, artists, and technicians while exploring spatial sound's artistic and technical potential. During the workshop Space as a Collective Sonic Instrument, led by sound artists Robin Koek, Fani Konstantinidou and Mint Park, fifteen participants explored collective and interdisciplinary approaches to listening and sonic design. The group gathered sounds and created spatial experiments using the 4DSOUND system. The spatial pieces created were presented during the Aural Spaces festival.
In addition, co-hosted by 4DSOUND co-founder Poul Holleman and multidisciplinary artist James Allister Sprang, the Play the Space as an Instrument Masterclass combined technical insights into the 4DSOUND system with creative perspectives on spatial sound as an artistic discipline.
Aural Spaces is an initiative of Concert Vrienden and Entrée in collaboration with 4DSOUND and FIBER Festival.
Credits
Light design: Nick Verstand, Emilio Arias, Wes Broersen
Photos: Sabine van Nistelrooij , Alex Heuvink Spatialization: Poul Holleman, Marijn Cinjee, Joris Takken, Roman Willems, Lars Hogenboom
Thank you to the 4DSOUND team: Poul Holleman, Stijn van Beek, Casimir Geelhoed, Salvador Breed, Richard, Aimée Theriot, Giulia Nicolai, Marijn Cinjee, Joris Takken, Roman Willems, Lars Hogenboom
Artists
Alma Noor, Alma Quartet, Bea Alvarez, Caecilie Trier Muziek (CTM), Chagall van den Berg, Christian Johannes, Daniel Maalman, Dominique Vleeshouwer (DOMNIQ), Donia Jourabchi, Evita Manji, Fani Konstantinidou, Jakob Littauer, James Allister Sprang, Jason Clark, Julia Sinclair, Katre Helen, Leroy de Böck, Loraine James, Lukasz Moroz, Marijn Cinjee, Martin Kosorín, Mint Park, Mischa Daams, Omar Medina, Poul Holleman, Ruby Singh, Sarah van Lamsweerde, Sofia Fernandez Blanco, William Russell, Xico Ribas, Yunji Song, Robin Koek
Partners
Het Concertgebouw Fonds, Concertvrienden, Entrée, FIBER Festival, 4DSOUND, Fonds 21, Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, Cultuurloket DigitALL, MONOM Studios, Bloomline Acoustics, Stichting Onbeperkt Genieten, De Prikkelarme Cultuuragenda, De Hersenstichting, Richard Thomas Foundation, Da Capo Orchestral Audio
4DSOUND collaborated with Concertvrienden, Entrée and FIBER Festival to present an exciting programme. The festival featured a diverse and ambitious lineup of international artists, world premiers of spatial performances, immersive listening sessions, and an educational programme. Each performance brought its own unique character, resonating through the space, lifting us from our seats, an inviting us to engage with it. Dutch artist Nick Verstand provided stunning site-specific lighting design, adding a visual dimension to the performances.
World Premiers
Aural Spaces presented a series of captivating live spatial performances. Electronic producer Loraine James debuted a newly commissioned piece, blending her signature glitchy soundscapes with the multidimensional capabilities of the 4DS system. Danish cellist Caecilie Trier Muziek (CTM) premiered a spatial composition together with Jakob Littauer that filled the Recital Hall with emotive melodies and improvisation. Both Loraine James and CTM developed these compositions during residencies at MONOM Studios in Berlin.
Other highlights included performances by percussionist Dominique Vleeshouwer (DOMNIQ) with a Morning Sound Bath, the Alma Quartet’s interpretation of Beethoven together with live spatialization by Poul Holleman, and Marijn Cinjee alongside soprano Julia Sinclair in a spatial rendition of Hildegard van Bingen’s works. Each artist offered a distinctive interpretation of spatial sound.
Listening Sessions
The programme also included specially curated listening sessions. Featured works include James Allister Sprang's evocative blend of poetry, experimental jazz, and orchestral elements, "Rest Within the Wake", as well as the Dutch premier of Evita Manji’s Echo(location) Chamber which explores the landscapes where echoes trace the outlines of space in darkness. In addition, sessions like ‘Low Stimuli’ with Ruby Singh and ‘Seeing With Your Ears’ with Leroy de Böck and Sarah van Lamsweerde, explored inclusive approaches to sensory engagement, offering sessions are tailored to people with sensory, auditory, visual, or physical impairments and sensitivities.
Educational Programme
The educational programme allowed for personal connection and knowledge sharing between sound enthusiasts, artists, and technicians while exploring spatial sound's artistic and technical potential. During the workshop Space as a Collective Sonic Instrument, led by sound artists Robin Koek, Fani Konstantinidou and Mint Park, fifteen participants explored collective and interdisciplinary approaches to listening and sonic design. The group gathered sounds and created spatial experiments using the 4DSOUND system. The spatial pieces created were presented during the Aural Spaces festival.
In addition, co-hosted by 4DSOUND co-founder Poul Holleman and multidisciplinary artist James Allister Sprang, the Play the Space as an Instrument Masterclass combined technical insights into the 4DSOUND system with creative perspectives on spatial sound as an artistic discipline.
Aural Spaces is an initiative of Concert Vrienden and Entrée in collaboration with 4DSOUND and FIBER Festival.
Credits
Light design: Nick Verstand, Emilio Arias, Wes Broersen
Photos: Sabine van Nistelrooij , Alex Heuvink Spatialization: Poul Holleman, Marijn Cinjee, Joris Takken, Roman Willems, Lars Hogenboom
Thank you to the 4DSOUND team: Poul Holleman, Stijn van Beek, Casimir Geelhoed, Salvador Breed, Richard, Aimée Theriot, Giulia Nicolai, Marijn Cinjee, Joris Takken, Roman Willems, Lars Hogenboom
Artists
Alma Noor, Alma Quartet, Bea Alvarez, Caecilie Trier Muziek (CTM), Chagall van den Berg, Christian Johannes, Daniel Maalman, Dominique Vleeshouwer (DOMNIQ), Donia Jourabchi, Evita Manji, Fani Konstantinidou, Jakob Littauer, James Allister Sprang, Jason Clark, Julia Sinclair, Katre Helen, Leroy de Böck, Loraine James, Lukasz Moroz, Marijn Cinjee, Martin Kosorín, Mint Park, Mischa Daams, Omar Medina, Poul Holleman, Ruby Singh, Sarah van Lamsweerde, Sofia Fernandez Blanco, William Russell, Xico Ribas, Yunji Song, Robin Koek
Partners
Het Concertgebouw Fonds, Concertvrienden, Entrée, FIBER Festival, 4DSOUND, Fonds 21, Stimuleringsfonds Creatieve Industrie, Cultuurloket DigitALL, MONOM Studios, Bloomline Acoustics, Stichting Onbeperkt Genieten, De Prikkelarme Cultuuragenda, De Hersenstichting, Richard Thomas Foundation, Da Capo Orchestral Audio