UC San Diego

In the dissertation “PrismaSonus: Bridging Acoustic and Digital Worlds in Flute Practice and Performer-Composer Collaboration,” I examined how technology influences my flute practice, particularly how microphone placement affects technique, perception, and listening in electroacoustic collaborations, and how context and framing shape performer-instrument-composer communication. This research deepened my engagement with my instrument, broadened my practice, introduced new listening perspectives, and enriched my understanding of instrumental habits, affordances, and feedback.

The motivation stemmed from a desire to deepen my role in the musical creation process and to investigate how technological interventions could alter the dynamics between performers and composers. “PrismaSonus,” an artistic research project developed with composer Theocharis Papatrechas, utilized microphones placed inside the flute to reveal hidden sonic landscapes. This led to the creation of a sample library of techniques and textures used in the co-creation of several electroacoustic works, including “Morphés.” We explored the dialogue between internal and external perspectives of the flute, expanding its range of sonic and expressive capabilities.

My approach combined practical experimentation with theoretical frameworks from human-computer interaction, cognitive science, and phenomenology, alongside case studies of artist-technologists. In our work, an iterative process of recording, listening, and processing not only guided the project’s artistic trajectory but also collected robust documentation on the integration of technology into musical practice.

The findings illustrate how technological interventions can broaden, blur, and redefine the creative roles of performers and composers, fostering a co-creative environment where traditional roles are reimagined. This shift in listening perspectives and disruption of habitual feedback pathways highlight technology’s role in fostering new collaborative exploration, empowering me to engage more actively in the compositional process.

Ultimately, this dissertation contributes to the discourse on music technology, performance, and composition, by showcasing how deliberate technological interventions can enrich musical collaboration and creativity. It proposes a model for future explorations where technology is not merely a tool but a central component of artistic expression, suggesting new possibilities for performer-composer collaborations and the evolution of musical practices. This narrative provides practical insights, inspiring performers and composers to explore new creative dimensions.