Professional Practice Masterclass: Akiko Haruna

Monday 28th October
5.30-7pm, Performance Studio

We are extremely happy to have Akiko, one of our alumni, back to give a masteclass on her practice. Akiko has emerged into the sound world from a background in performance. Entering the dance industry at the age of 16, she has worked for mainstream pop artists such as John Newman and AlunaGeorge in videos that have received tens of millions of views. Throughout this time period, she has worked for the Universal Music group, Island Records, the BBC and Sky. Akiko has won a prestigious Nagoya Award of Excellence for her degree show piece titled 記憶 (Memory).

About the masterclass
The masterclass will cover the delicate relationship between self value, creativity and ego. More specifically, the focus will be on the students and how they will approach professional work after DMSA. I will speak about my experiences working freelance in the sound industry and the mental and financial demands that come with it. We will explore options of how they can prepare now, to help them navigate through the transition from university into the industry in the future.

About Aki
Sound and Audiovisual artist Akiko Haruna constructs experimental sound and vision for the moving image. In her projects as a musician, Akiko dances along to a wandering beat. With cutting drums that tear through delicate sound design and flashes of extravagant melody, her dizzying sonic constructions are constantly evolving. Her musical works gained her a place at the 2018 Red Bull Music Academy in Berlin, after which she has been working on multiple projects including her release with Where To Now? Records earlier this year.
https://vimeo.com/akikoharuna

Professional Practice Masterclass: Louis Sterling

Monday 7th October, 5.30pm-7pm
Performance Studio

We are happy to have one of our recent alumni back to give a masterclass to our students. Louis Sterling was the founder of the student-led imprint IDS. During his studies with us he won an employability award for his enterprenerial projects, he went on tour with internationally acclaimed music producer David August.

About the masterclass
“Synesthesia to the Sound-system”

In this session, Sterling will be unveiling the process behind his experimental music and curation of his debut record ‘Adisceda’ on Rough Trade, with insight into the music industry from the perspective of business – from signing contracts, to networking with your favourite artists, promoting your work on social media and creating your own unique platforms.

About Louis

Louis Sterling, also known as Auxx, is a British recording artist currently signed to David August’s label 99Chants.

With experimental works making their way onto BBC Music, NTS Radio and URBNET Records, his debut record ‘Adisceda’ would become an ethereal project compared to the likes of Tim Hecker, The Dedekind Cut and Aphex Twin, making it’s way onto 12″ vinyl, courtesy of Rough Trade.

Louis on British Music Collection.

Professional Practice Masterclasses 2019/20

As the new academic year kicks in, we have prepared a series of masterclasses for our existing and new students both for our BA and MA courses. As with previous years we will focus to showcase various strands of professional practices and carreer pathways from within our BA, MA and PhD student & staff community and beyond. This year we are happy to have a wide range of topics ranging from Artist Identity Development, Sounds Queer? experimental music production, Heritage Sites and sound art, music and mental health, freelancing work, cross-dressing and sound arts, composing for film and video games as well as, radio plays and music production projects.

Professional Practice Masterclasses are supported by Creative Sound & Music, University of Brighton.

“If it sounds good, It is good” : Music Production Workshop with DMSA Alumnus Dominic Rae

27/09/2019 11am-4pm
DMSA Computer Labs
University of Brighton
Grand Parade

We are happy to have 2019 alumni Dominic Rae back to deliver a workshop on music production.
As his degree piece, Dominic has recorded, produced from scratch the fantastic album titled ‘Fits The Frame”. The album builds upon Rae’s learnings on the course on experimental sound design and production and references artists like Surfjan Stevens and Pinegrove. Dominic has also launched his own Audio Sea Studios that covers all levels of audio production to live sound engineering.

The workshop is open to students of all levels and it will take place in the Digital Music and Sound Art computer lab, from 11am to 4pm. Places are limited so please email m.e.papadomanolaki@brighton.ac.uk to reserve a place.

Workshop overview

Brief introductory lecture on the modern state and nature of music production, highlighting the role of the music producer and common issues encountered in the professional field as a ‘producer’ (11:00 – 11:30)

Outlining the process and common methodologies of music production, based around the central maxim of “if it sounds good, it is good” (11:30 – 12:40)

Break for lunch (12:40 – 13:00)

In-depth practical work on the Mac suite computers. I will provide audio stems for the whole class to use, the practical segment will be taught using Logic Pro X (13:00 – 15:40)

Final questions and answers about any music production topics/issues (15:40 – 16:00)

ID Spectral Live (003)

We are proud to announce the third event for ID Spectral – a record label and creative agency that promotes both up and coming and established artists as part of a new creative network.

The imprint, setup in June 2017, has since signed tracks from artists including Aphex-twin approved Ability II, Hyperdub’s Loraine James, Yaporigami, Anji Cheung and more.

At IDS Live, attendees will have the opportunity meet the staff behind the agency, learn more about the project; from its partners, the official distribution contract, IDS radio and future plans, as well as to experience three live performances from the label’s artists, including performances by current students and alumni.

Label presentation : 5:00-5:30pm

Live sets / [all visuals provided by https://www.jeddwinterburn.art/)]

RF WN (5:30 – 6:20pm)
Tarek El Goraicy (6:30 – 7:20pm)
Cyphon (7:20-8:30)

The event is scheduled for Wednesday 25th of September at 5.30pm at the University of Brighton Grand Parade campus (performance studio).

Entry : £3 online (tickets – https://bit.ly/2kq05S3)
£5 on the door
DMSA Students: Free (Proof of Student ID)

Facebook Event:https://www.facebook.com/events/636617820181545/

Immateriality – sonic arts tour

Immateriality is a travelling sonic arts exhibition that is touring the UK July 30th until 7th August 2019. It has been curated by DMSA staff/alumni Joshua Legallienne and features the work of DMSA graduates Ecka Mordecai and Jordan Edge, alongside newly-commissioned pieces by international artists Ingrid Plum (DK) and Robert Stokowy (DE) and UK artists Ben Jeans Houghton, Daniel W J Mackenzie, and David Leslie Stearn. More information about the tour can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/664673170668278/

Immateriality sonic arts tour

DMSA Feature: Amanda Brooks

Before the official launch of our Master’s programme and a much needed holiday break we talk to our recent graduate Amanda Brooks who presented a very ambitious experiment in immersive and 3D sound titled ‘SINKHOLE’. We hope to be able to present Amanda’s project again in the coming year! Stay Tuned and read below to learn more about her.

DMSA: Three important words that represent you as a creative person

AB:Progressive, Classical, Spooky

DMSA: When did you start working with sound and music?

AB: Live bands since 1984, sound phenomena since 2009 after my guitarist/sound guy had a stroke and there was no-one else who wanted to engineer the bands sound. I took the job on.

DMSA: In what ways has the DMSA course supported or helped you to develop into who you are today creatively and professionally?

AB: The DMSA course has inspired me to compose differently, it has helped me to develop technically which is one huge reason why I applied for the DMSA B.A and to understand the concept of sound art on a deeper level.

DMSA: Can you tell us a bit more about ‘SINKHOLE’, the piece you presented in our degree show this year?

AB: My final degree project ‘Sinkhole’ is about travelling sound lines, vertically, horizontally, and diagonally engulfing and surrounding the listener on a large scale (5 meters high sound cylinder) Inspired by Austrian architect and sound artist Bernhard Leitner. The concept derives from modern life as a human being where everything seems to be a race against time. ‘Sinkhole’ represents standing in a insurmountable sink under a giant tap where the listener hears pipes creaking and swelling, then the inevitable ‘water’ comes as sound, crashing vertically onto and around the listener. It is sonically big as well.

DMSA:You have been performing in quite a lot of bands. Any gigs coming up?

AB: I don’t have any gigs right now as I ‘walked’ from my two bands, ‘Undercover Agents’ and 20+ year old ‘Soul x Press’, I felt stuck and stagnated. Personally, from time to time, I do feel the need to maintain my place in the ‘un-comfort zone’ so I started a new project ‘Ditch the Demon’ where the music and band members are a little more ambitious.

DMSA: Other plans for the future? projects, events, visions?

AB: The future: I have applied for the DMSA M.A. which I am very excited about, I feel I need to continue my journey into all the aspects of sound phenomena in the field of sound art and design. I have a vision to gig, compose, freelance as a sound artist/designer and a session vocalist. I may even become an acoustician as well and sort out some live music venues !!

DMSA Alumni to participate at Koumaria Residency 2019

Jordan Edge and Joshua Legallienne (DMSA Team) will be among the invited artists to participate in this year’s Koumaria Residency.

Organised by intermedia collective Medea Electronique since 2009, the goal of the residency is the creation of an educational experience for the participants that will inspire and exalt their future work. The cross-cultural dialogues that the residency engenders both create new artistic speculations and smelt older assumptions. Past residents have formed lasting friendships and new artistic partnerships. Medea Electronique, being an eclectic art collective, is interested in people from diverse cultural and artistic backgrounds. For us the residency serves as a model for future creative endeavors.

More info: http://medeaelectronique.com/koumaria/#about