I've been rehearsing with Tom Tlalim, Keir Neuringer and Taku Mizuta Lippit this weekend, to prepare for a STEIM evening at the Jauna Muzika festival in Lithuania. There were some very interesting combinations - fascinating how you can create such varied soundworlds with different combinations of 4 people. Instrumental interaction with Taku and Keir, earshaking noise with Tom and myself, soundtrack music with RKS (the trio with Keir and Taku with which we recorded some tracks last year). But what's most difficult is all 4 together.... Maybe this is a rule? With 2 or 3 it's usually not so difficult to create interesting music, but with 4 or more you need more structure? This reminds me of something Daniel Schorno said last week: you need at least 3 parameters to create complexity - 2 is not enough. Actually, this is only very vaguely connected to the previous... well.. Back to my glass of wine. Later.

Afterthought: if you want to see a house being build (or at least a bathroom & kitchen), visit the blog with the progress on the house we bought: https://west28.nl/egidius/.

Last night I performed at <>TAG with Martin Tétrault: 2 solos and 1 duo. A very interesting mix, thanks to <>TAG's music curator Keir Neuringer. Amazing how close our soundworld is, looking at the very different means to create it. Martin uses a boxed turntable that already before the concert looks like it's falling apart, with some effect units and a couple of broken records. In his music he seems to be constantly looking for accidental sounds, generated by trowing records onto the player, amplifying a click in the mixer, boosting that hidden buzz. Very alike my work, which happens in the digital domain. Searching through samples, finding the right spot in pitch and position, and keeping it alive long enough to give it space.
Well, now I start rambling... blah blah

In December 2006 and January 2007 I created the CD silent, 'Music for late at night, with no wind, and maybe a soft drizzle. Staring out of your window at the empty streets.'
It is quite different from my live electronics work. If the term wasn't misused so often I would call it 'ambient'. I like the idea that the music blends with the environment. Definitely influenced by John Hudak, Tim Hecker, Biosphere and Jazzkammer.

You can hear a track on https://west28.nl/sounds.php or get the CD through https://west28.nl/fridgesound/ .

Just a quick entry - the mailing I sent out today.

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On Thursday March 8, I will play a solo concert in 'audio and visual contemporary platform' < >TAG in Den Haag. The performance will be a mix between my work with groups like OfficeR and SKIF++, and my compositions Fury and Silent.

The second part of the program will be a performance by Martin Tétreault and Ignaz Schick.

According to Keir Neuringer, < >TAG's music curator:
< > touch 16 features Tétreault + Schick pushing the boundaries of musical expression with turntables as instruments and interfaces. The evening will begin with a rare solo set from Robert van Heumen, who uses very different technology to produce similar results.

The details:

< > touch 16

Martin Tétreault + Ignaz Schick > turntables
Robert van Heumen > LiSa/SuperCollider solo set

Date > Thursday 8 March
Doors open > 20:30
Concert starts > 21:00
Entry > 5 euros
Location > TAG Headquarters, Stille Veerkade 19, The Hague

http://www.tag004.nl/new/