SynC - Michael Atherton And Garth Paine: Sonic Alchemies

SynC is Michael Atherton (ancient and contemporary acoustic instruments) and Garth Paine (computer, control surface, sensors). Focusing on the interface between acoustic and electronic music, SynC is an experimental ensemble for acoustic instruments and live electronics. This composition and performance collaboration seeks to contextualise ancient and modern musical languages within a single form. It does so by utilising ancient and contemporary acoustic musical instruments (eg. oud, hurdy-gurdy, gongs, marimba, and percussion) as the sonic foundation for complex live electronic processes, which generate a vast array of timbral environments, responsive to the acoustic input, but simultaneously independent. Wacom drawing table and Wii controllers are used as multidimensional control surface and sensors in live performance, allowing the duo to discard the constraints of the laptop. SynC was one of 20 international ensembles selected to perform at IRCAM in the Centre Pompidou for NIME Paris (2006), and for NIME New York (2007).