P O L Y T O P I A

Polytopia (2004) for Violin, Interactive Computer System, and Surround Sound

Created and performed by Mari Kimura
Interactive graphics by Liubo Borissov

Polytopia is an interactive audio-visual composition for violin and interactive computer, controlled by MaxMSP-JItter. The work utilizes the Surround 5.1 system not only as a multi-channel diffusion system, but also as means to approach each speaker as an individual player, creating a virtual violin sextet that includes the live violin. The work starts out with a single pizzicato by the solo violin, which gets processed as a strumming drone while the violinist goes on to start the opening melody. Throughout the piece, each of the "virtual players" is pitch-shifted, delayed and panned, creating an illusion of them all freely playing around in the virtual sound space. However, at all times the solo violin sound is the only real-time sound source; there is no pre-recorded material in this work.

Similarly, an algorithmic compositional approach is applied to the real-time interactive graphics. There are six human figures animated according to parameters and events in the musical composition such as pitch, dynamics and the spatial relationship between the sounds. A complex visual language is developed, which is not intent on illustrating the music, but on establishing a communication between the performer and the computer in order to deliver the narrative of the piece. The graphics create geometric and textural counterpoint and an architectural environment in which the sound can exist.

Polytopia was commissioned by Harvestworks with funds provided by the New York State Council on the Arts.

© 2004 Mari Kimura

mkimura .at. juilliard.edu