Call for Student Projects

We’re inviting Royal Holloway students (individually or in groups of 2-4 participants) to make and form a new musical work using innovative digital technologies as part of the Cyborg Soloists project. The selected works will be premiered at Royal Holloway’s New Sounds Festival 2024.

Cyborg Soloists

Cyborg Soloists is a UKRI-funded research project based at Royal Holloway, University of London that explores interdisciplinary interactions between music, the other arts, and new digital technologies. The project focuses on commissioning new works, fostering collaborative partnerships and analysing the creative processes undertaken.

The Brief

We are looking for students (individually or in groups of 2-4 participants) to propose new musical or sonic works. Groups might consist of composers, performers, sound artists, songwriters and/or software programmers. The new work must in some way incorporate either the ROLI LUMI Keys, the Vochlea Dubler 2, or ShowSync software. The proposed project should demonstrate the artistic or conceptual potential of your chosen technology.

The new work should be around 10 minutes in duration and should be performable by your group. It need not be fully scored and may incorporate improvisational elements. It will feature in a Cyborg Soloists concert in the Windsor Auditorium, Royal Holloway, in the week commencing 11 March 2024.

Two proposals will be selected to create their new work. Each group will be lent their chosen device or license for the duration of the project and will participate in an open rehearsal/workshop with the Cyborg Soloists team in the week commencing 4 March 2024 in order to troubleshoot any technical issues and undertake a dress rehearsal ahead of the concert. 

Vochlea Dubler 2

Vochlea’s Dubler 2 runs either in a DAW or as a standalone piece of software. It transforms your voice, or any audio input, into a real-time MIDI controller. Dubler 2 can generate beats and melodies as well as advanced chords. You can lock your notes to any scale you want, and the software can pitch bend to match your melodies. Dubler 2 works seamlessly with Logic, Ableton, MaxMSP and Qlab. Videos by the Cyborg Soloists team showing how to connect Dubler 2 to a DAW and Max/MSP are available here.

ROLI LUMI Keys

ROLI’s LUMI Keys is a programmable light-up MPE keyboard interface designed for both performance and music pedagogical scenarios. LUMI Keys works seamlessly with Logic, Ableton, and MaxMSP. The keyboard's light-up keys are pressure responsive, featuring polyphonic aftertouch and per-key pitchbend. Each keyboard has 2 octaves of keys, but multiple keyboards can be magnetically locked together to provide a wider range.

ShowSync

ShowSync software includes a variety of audiovisual performance tools, including Beam for Max (create audiovisual works with synchronized interaction between light, sound and visuals), Beam for Live (turn Live's interface into the perfect lighting controller), and Videosync (treat video as audio inside Ableton Live). ShowSync requires Ableton Live as well as a reasonable level of expertise and experience with Ableton to use.

Timeline

Eligibility

• Current undergraduate and postgraduate students (or a mix of the two) at Royal Holloway can apply.

• Applicants should apply as individuals or in groups of 2-4 of any creative musical roles (e.g. composers, performers, sound artists, songwriters and/or software programmers).

• We particularly want to hear from those traditionally underrepresented within the fields of contemporary concert music and music technology.

Output

A new music work no longer than 10 minutes, to be performed and documented at a Cyborg Soloists concert in the Windsor Auditorium, Royal Holloway, as part of New Sounds Festival in March 2024. There will be a stereo PA system and video projector available for use in the works. Each group will receive a video and audio recording of their work.

How to Apply

Groups should submit:

1. A project proposal of no more than 250 words describing which of the partner technologies you intend to use (Dubler 2, LUMI Keys, ShowSync), and how you would incorporate it into a new work.

2. A tech rider for your proposed performance.

3. Individual biographies of no more than 100 words for each group member.

4. A link to one video/audio trailer demonstrating your best work. This might include excerpts from one work as an existing group, or a medley of work by individual members (5 mins max).

 The deadline for applications is 21 January 2024.

For any queries or to informally discuss a project proposal, please contact Jonathan Packham at jonathan.packham@rhul.ac.uk.