Performance and Lecture at the 30th Anniversary IRCAM Forum 2024 in Paris

In March 2024, my work “Glacier” was honored to be selected through an international call, enabling a presentation at IRCAM (Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique) in Paris, France. Although originally reported as a 16-channel performance, the piece was ultimately presented using a 24-channel ambisonic system in IRCAM Studio 1 from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM on March 20, 2024. Post-event coverage was published by the Central News Agency (CNA) and Air-Force Culture & Art Center: https://www.cna.com.tw/postwrite/chi/366061、https://clab.org.tw/news/ircam-forum-workshops-30/ 

Thank you all for joining me in this demonstration showcasing my musical composition centered around environmental protection. The music will be played through 25 speakers in immersive ambisonic systems.

Before we delve into the music, I'd like to share the reasoning behind choosing the ambisonic system for my composition and elaborate on how I consider it a crucial tool in shaping my musical creations.

Since obtaining my DMA degree, my primary goal has been to bridge the gap between contemporary music compositions and wider audiences while pushing the boundaries of traditional musical forms. In 2015, I embarked on a journey of self-learning and experimentation with electronic music composition. By 2016, I had developed my first multimedia VR project using Google Cardboard, which featured a 30-minute composition spanning six movements. During this period, VR technology was still in its early stages of commercialization, and the quality of 3D objects was relatively basic.

After releasing the project on the App Store and showcasing it at various international conferences, I received feedback indicating that the music was remarkably "accessible" and comprehensible, even to individuals without a musical background, including children. This experience highlighted for me the transformative potential of music technology, particularly when presented in multimedia formats, in bridging the gap between academic contemporary music and the broader public.

However, my exploration of electronic music in recent years has revealed that the integration of new technologies into contemporary music also presents several challenges, as outlined below:

1. VR's initial promise was hindered by high device costs, complex coding, and limited audience access.

2. About Consumer PC Constraints. For example, in 2021, Web XR for the Metaverse gained attention, but most consumer PCs lacked the processing power and internet connectivity for effective 3D rendering, resulting in subpar WebXR experiences.

3. Audio Equipment Hurdles: Immersive music demands professional headphones with varying response frequencies. Smartphone usage for music amplification often compromises audio quality.

4. Leisure Preferences: Immersive music tends to require a quiet setting for full enjoyment. However, busy schedules make finding time difficult, even with remote access. In essence, if not easily accessible, the artistic work risks being forgotten amongst the demands of daily life.

To address the challenges outlined above, I have developed a solution, which is composing immersive music that draws from the imagery of the mind's eye, rather than relying on pre-constructed visual elements, all facilitated through the utilization of ambisonic technologies.

My affinity for painting, cultivated since childhood, has played a pivotal role in this approach. It has enabled me to craft vivid mental images as I compose music. Over the past three years, as I have worked to develop my expertise in electroacoustic composition, sound synthesis, and immersive ambisonic techniques, I have also discovered an ability to "see" specific colors in response to auditory stimuli. Furthermore, I am also able to create music that seamlessly corresponds to the colors and spatial dimensions of the mental images I conjure.

Presenting these compositions to diverse audiences, I have found that the imagery I envisage resonates with listeners of all ages, even those without formal musical training. This confirmation led me to shift away from multimedia musical works and toward a new dimension of music that evokes vivid mental imagery for the audience.

In the past, my VR compositions breathed life into the visual landscapes of my inner world. Now, these mental images are conveyed aurally, with the aim of eliciting similar imagery in the listener's mind.

By presenting music in this innovative manner, the marriage of music and visual effects is liberated from the confines of playback devices. This opens up a boundless realm of creative possibilities and flexibility for both composers and audiences.

Now, let's talk about the music piece titled "Glacier."

Since the early 20th century, glaciers worldwide have been steadily shrinking, affecting regions like the Alps, Himalayas, and Greenland. Antarctica, Earth's largest glacier store, is facing thinning ice and shelf collapses.

Every year, glaciers release a huge amount of ice, about 46 cubic kilometers, making loud noises. When glaciers near the sea break, massive ice parts fall into the ocean with strong shaking, creating big waves like tsunamis. Even people on faraway ships need to be careful.

This composition utilizes 3D immersive soundscapes, creating synesthetic experiences. It vividly depicts glacier texture, height, floating ice flow, and their disintegration. Beyond the mesmerizing imagery, it symbolizes human violence and destruction toward our planet.

This narrative extends to the 21st-century realm of warfare, expressing an apocalyptic sentiment. Although primarily electronic, it integrates choir-like elements symbolizing the human and God connections, delving into themes of apocalypse, redemption, and, in the final elegy, forgiveness.

Throughout its creation, I blurred the lines between painting and composing, sculpting sounds guided by my inner artistic vision. Close your eyes to sense the glacier's texture, temperature, weight, and the waves enveloping its consumed essence.