Musical Aesthetics
by Roxanne Turcotte |imed_0370-0002|
“A music of integration, pictures and stories” or new music made of styles
combined regardless of borders. That is the most significant qualifier of my
music, which remains ever-changing, following where my fancy takes me. Music
that calls for the collective use of the various musical expressions in which
electroacoustics, concept and rhythm are prime features. Inspiration comes
from a number of different sources. One can trace back the influence of jazz,
world fusion and minimalist music, in addition to insistent and often
repetitive rhythms with sounds taken from electronic music, where all
elements fall into place in a subtle, nuanced way. The music is the result of
a duality between the intellectual side of technology and musical logic, and
the emotional or poetic side of sound organization, spontaneous performance
and deep-rooted beats. Instrumental improvisation becomes a sound material.
Interactivity is retained through a number of choices and impressions…
Whether it conveys a message or not, music always remains tied to moods and
the tools used are meant to express and surpass feelings. This duality is
always there and it influences my music. Humor, dream and magic are also
among the key elements allowing to approach the inaccessible nature of
electroacoustic music. These childlike elements bring a breath of life,
eternal youth, a form of immortality and open-mindedness: a window to magic
and the make-believe. The cinema approach plays a key role in music
composition. It allows one to make different styles, effects and sound
manipulations fit together while keeping the music at the reach of a large
audience, thanks to the pictures and messages relayed by the synopsis. So my
musical aesthetics relies on the use of a script, a real or virtual picture
integrating multimedia dimensions or a story used as a guide for the work in
progress. The production of a piece for the big screen where the respective
roles of sound and picture have been swapped. Impressionism, the literature
of fantasy, Magritte, Maupassant, Umberto Eco, Hitchcock, the realm of dream and perfect illusion of
Walt Disney, tales and legends from around the world
are all part of my multi-faceted sound universe. Cybermusical travel and the
instruments of modern technology allow me to touch and transform sound matter
into a palpable sculpture or to magically make it travel through time.
Roxanne Turcotte [English
translation: François Couture, vi-03]
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