I love sound. All kinds of sound. I'm constantly fascinated by the sound that the world has to offer - nature, culture, people, places; nuances, human expressions, performers and their instruments, and the distinctive ambiance of different spaces. I want to harness the energy, beauty and unique edgy rawness of these sounds, which all find their place in the grand scheme of music. Maybe not surprisingly I also love silence. In silence I find my imagination.
Over the years my work has ventured along many paths, encompassing not only the acousmatic and live electroacoustic works that feature in most of my concerts. These paths feel like they all add to the map of what it means for me to be a composer: Site-specific sound-art installations designed to resonate with each space. Collaborations with scientists and the use of scientific data as a source for both musical and scientific exploration. Experiments with the public and their curiosity to engage in interactive technologies. Working with AI and keeping apace of the pros and cons. Being in awe of computer art gurus that I have been fortunate enough to collaborate with, and my own work with visual art and real-time computer graphics. Collaborations with music technology experts and engineers who have generously passed on knowledge and engaged in important discussions about the coexistence of art and technology. And not least, wanting to balance music research, composition, teaching and performance.
Official biog (1000 characters).
Natasha Barrett (1972, NO/UK) composes and performs concert works, public space sound-art installations and multimedia interactive music using a broad palette of sounds, new technologies and experimental techniques. She is widely known for her electronic, acousmatic and live electroacoustic music, and use of 3D sound technology in composition. Her work is commissioned and performed throughout the world and has received prizes in 27 international competitions, including the Nordic Council Music Prize, the Giga-Hertz Award (Germany) and most recently the honorary Thomas Seelig Fixed Media Award for 2023. She collaborates with performers, visual artists, architects and scientists, performs live-electronics and spatial audio, and is a member of the performance ensemble Electric Audio Unit who curate and perform concerts in a broad range of electronic music genres. As a researcher she has a track record in both artistic and academic publications.