EXPLORACIÓN 111
As a music researcher, I study the compositional and creative processes mainly in contemporary jazz. Exploración 111 has been inspired by two aspects of my work as a researcher. On the one hand, I analyzed the relation between composition, improvisation and performance.
In jazz, these three features are closely related and influenced each other, in one piece it is possible to find elaborated written music, completely improvised parts and every performance the piece is presented in different ways. Also, because the musicians involved can change the written music adapting it to their playing style.
On the other hand, the regular practice of composing – even if it’s just short ideas that may not become in new pieces – is common in all successful composers that I interviewed. Therefore, I was developing a composition practice routine in which I explored digital and synthesized sounds instead of using the guitar as the main instrument for searching for new ideas.
Finally, I found it interesting to develop a series of pieces that could be performed in different ways and make the listener an active element in the final result.
The Exploración 111 series of interactive compositions are based on 4 short pieces made of a counterpoint of loops that have been created by improvising over different synthesized sounds.
Each piece has its original version but is opened to be different in every performance by alternating the order of the loops and changing the way the musical ideas combine. This is when the listener becomes performer-improviser: Exploración 111 is a proposition to the listener to take part of the piece by a multimedia application where the loops can be activated and stopped by himself at any time. This allows the listener to create a different version of the piece every time.