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Miha Ciglar (urodzony w 1980 w Maribor, Słowenia) jest kompozytorem i artystą dźwiękowym,
obecnie studiuje na Uniwersytecie Muzyki i Sztuki Dramatycznej w Grazu (Austria). Pochodzi ze Słowenii,
ale mieszka i pracuje w zachodniej Europie. Od 2001 roku wykonuje własne kompozycje na saksofon, gitarę, wibrafon,
gitarę basową oraz elektroakustyczne performance, interaktywne taneczne performance, muzykę komputerową
i instalacje audiowizualne na wielu festiwalach na całym świecie.
Jego prace mają mocne konceptualne podstawy i point away wartości ekpresyjnych powszechnie uznawanych
ideałów estetycznych. Przedmiotem jego zainteresowania i priorytetem jest problem całkowitej świadomości
dźwiękowej percepcji, która jest bezpośrednio powiązana z pytaniem o egzystencjalną słuszność sztuki dźwiękowej.
Kompozycyjne podejście Ciglara i postawa wobec rozwiązań technologicznych są bardzo podobne i mają swoje
korzenie w przewartościowaniu istniejącego "materiału", wynikła w nim wstępna dekompozycja, kolejno nasyca
jego oryginalną sugestywną postać gotową do zastosowania w przyszłym procesie kreacji.
Illusions to utwór skomponowany do wykonania na prymitywnym, ale niezwykłym interfejsie.
"Instrument" składa się z 8 kabli audio, jeden ich koniec łączy 8 niezależnych wejść do interfejsu audio.
Muzyk gra na instrumencie dotykając rękami drugich końców kabli, wzbudzając obieg elektroniczny,
który może być wykrywany przez envelope follower in the real-time software PD (Pure Data).
By quantizing the follower's spectrum into a "High" and a "Low" level, the gained data is
translated into 2 discrete values ("1" and "0"). This 8 bit information is controlling
all parameters of an FM synthesis based instrument employing 5 oscillators with the basic waveforms.
The composition itself is built up with pre-composed (not pre-recorded) parts implemented through
special parameter constellations as well as harmonic and melodic structures on one hand and free
improvisational parts on the other. Together with the musician's personal dramaturgic arrangement
of combining those two aspects and turning total chaos into virtual order, the performance gradually
yields an illusive character, making it difficult for the listener (viewer) to identify the functions
of single "keys" (cables) or even recognizing the misused 1/4 inch jacks as 0/1 data inputs.
Consequentially the "story-telling" relies strongly on the visualization of the composition
but nevertheless, it should not be considered as audiovisual art. Like the interface itself,
the whole concept of the composition is pointing away from fancy equipment and decorative
compositional values but is rather based on the idea of cutting down the amount of redundancy
and transmitting just the most crucial statements. Any kind of periodicity and predictability
is minimized. Even the stereo panorama configuration, usually used to simulate spatial models
and sound source movements was of great concern. Since there are 2 speakers in a common stereo
setup, there are also two characters in the piece. The panorama has been radically split into
left and right. Character 1: Left speaker, Left hand (mostly). Character 2: Right speaker,
Right hand (mostly), while changing hand positions result in changing locations of characters...
With the introduction of randomness to the improvisational parts, the player becomes the third
character and Character 1 and 2 appear unpredictable even to him. Key functions suddenly change
which results in an interactive (learning) process of cause and effect guiding the musician
on its way back to taking control of the situation and finishing the piece.
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Miha Ciglar (born in 1980 - Maribor, Slovenia) is a composer and sound artist currently studying
at the University of Music and Dramatic Arts in Graz, Austria. Originally from Maribor, Slovenia,
Ciglar now lives and works in Western Europe. Since 2001 he has performed his own compositions
for saxophone, guitar, vibraphone, double bass, electro-acoustical performances, interactive dance performances,
computer music and audiovisual installations at many art festivals all around the world.
His work has strong conceptual fundaments and points away from expressive values of common aesthetic ideals.
A subject of high concern and priority is the problem of absolute awareness of sonic perception which
is directly connected with the question of existential legitimacy of sound art. Ciglar's compositional
approach and attitude towards technological solutions are very similar and rooted in a revaluation
of existent "material", resulting in its preliminary decomposition, in order to absorb its originally
suggestive character for an employment in the further process of creation.
Resistance is a composition for computer, electrified guitar and human body .
The piece is built up on radically manipulated live guitar sounds. In first instance, the electronic current
generated by an electro-acoustic guitar runs through the player's body, which colours the original sound
in a very unique way. The dynamic gradations are directly connected with a physical sensation i.e. pain,
creating a natural balance of tension and resolution throughout the piece. The fundamental idea is partly
based on the concept of the my recent composition "Illusions",
where the musician is playing a simple "audio cable instrument", by touching the jacks with his fingers
and consequently generating binary data gained from the on/off current. In this case, 8 audio cables
are soldered to the frets of an electro-acoustic guitar and connected to separate audio inputs on a
computer audio interface. It is a further development of "Illusions" with a reorganisation of its
compositional elements and a reshaping of the source audio material (FM instrument).
On the other hand, this concept is extended with a revolutionary way of processing and manipulating live sound.
All conventional ways of processing sound in real-time are based on predefined algorithms, (effect processors)
where the composer defines the parameters according to his aesthetical ideals in order to project a subjective
expression. I decided to tell the truth, regardless of the aesthetical value of the result.
70% of the human body is made of water and other electrolytes, which make it conductive for electronic currents.
An electric guitar generates an active electronic current and with the unique "parameters" of my body
I can express a very personal artistic statement and change the sound of the guitar without any controversial
compositional elements lacking in specific background and clear message. An audio cable goes out of the guitar,
but then instead in a guitar amp or an effects processor, directly into my mouth. The electronic current
(=the music) then travels through my body, out of my fingers, through the guitar strings and when I press
a string onto the (metal) fret, It goes out through the cables soldered to the frets. At this point,
the sound already has my very personal note and goes into the computer for further processing. This sound is,
being manipulated and combined with completely synthesized sounds, without any additional interceding interfaces.
For the manipulation and control of parameters just the digitised, 8 bit "high" - "low" data from the 8 audio
cables is used.
"Resistance" also has a deeper motivation, because it is an abstraction of my personal attitude and reaction
to the suggestive influences of society. With my body I am absorbing and processing the impulses of society
which is abstracted through a traditional instrument - the guitar. The resulting sounds are very unconventional
and represent an abstraction of processed and reorganized "data" which I am confronted with in every day life
but on the other hand, it simply just sounds like "me".
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