Garden of the Dragon (2003)

for amplified cellophane, plastic corrugated tubes, and electronics

"Bugs," a documentary 3D-movie (2003, Sky Films) in which a small portion of the rain forest is visually amplified, inspired this piece.
A viewer is offered to perceive a fascinating ecosystem normally unavailable to our visual range. In Garden of the Dragon, a sonic world of
two objects that may be found in daily life (cellophane and corrugated tubes) was explored. Viewing these objects as music instruments
and amplifying them provided the base for designing a new acoustic ecosystem. Through an interactive communication between the real
instruments and their computer counterparts (i.e. the tube physical model and processed cellophane), this environment was transformed
into a virtual sound sculpture.

The composition presents fusion of pitch and noise in a similar manner they intertwine in natural environments. Pitch-less cellophane
"gives birth" to the voice of the dragon,-- a singing corrugated pipe, an Asian toy, and excellent resonator. Almost pure tones are produced
when the tube is whirled in the air. As the air flow propagates along the tube corrugations, it enlivens a number of tones derived from a
harmonic series. These pitches and their noise coloration are however restricted by the physical properties of the instrument. On the other
hand, the physical models of the tube also incorporated in the piece transcend these limitations and allow free alterations in pitch, vibrato,
and "airiness". Transformation of noise into tones is empowered by three cellophane/tube players, tube physical models and real-time
digital signal processing.

Click on the thumbs bellow to view the score examples and listen to the audio excerpts:

Audio Excerpt 1 (1.4 MB)

Audio Excerpt 2 (2.3 MB)

This piece was composed at Virginia Center for Computer Music (University of Virginia) in the spring of 2003. The computer portion of Garden of the Dragon was realized in MAX/MSP.

Many thanks belong to Stefania Serafin for her physical models of the singing corrugated tubes and numerous valuable insights. To learn about physical modeling of plastic corrugated tube click at: The voice of the dragon: A physical model of rotating corrugated tube (.pdf)

As presented in this score excerpts, the piece was premiered at the concert of SOFIA (Sonorities of Interactive Acoustics) Ensemble in Teatro
Fondamenta Nuove, Venice, Italy in May 2003.

Duration: ca. 9'

The following pictures were taken by Rolf Nordahl at the ICMC 2004 performance. Click to enlarge.