During her research Anna Godzina intends to look into objects that surround us in order to transform them into sound bodies. Simultaneously she will decompose existing music instruments and readjust their function, adding elements like engines, water pumps and amplifiers to their structure. She will create automatic music instruments: self-playing, sound generating sculptures which will produce rhythms and tensions that could remind of a live concert. She will also realize sound bodies: sculptures that do not contain a kinetic device will be physically activated by touching their strings, contact microphones or edge-blown aerophones.
When performing a live concert, the physical gestures required to produce sound with a traditional musical instrument, such as plucking, bowing or blowing, play a large role in determining the sonic characteristics of the instrument. This is partly due to the knowledge that the listeners have about the recognizable aspect of the instrument, comparable to how we recognize language.
In order to create a different sound-scape, Godzina is proposing a series of listening sessions, which define a unique space where sound can be distributed and/or held. The intent is to invite professional musicians in order to use their expertise (the musician becomes the engine) on newly designed vessels – for example, tempo to plucking, force to blowing and motion to bowing – that can then become what Godzina refers to as ‘sound bodies’.
