[spectre] Networked_Music_Review "Interview: Natasha Barrett" by Peter Traub

[Turbulence]

Interview: Natasha Barrett
By Peter Traub
Networked_Music_Review
http://turbulence.org/networked_music_review

Natasha Barrett is a freelance composer, performer, and installation artist.
The composition and manipulation of space is a central element in much of
her work, and it is the focus of this interview. Barrett completed her
Master's Degree at the University of Birmingham, where she studied with
Jonty Harrison and became practiced in the art of live sound diffusion using
Birmingham's renowned BEAST (Birmingham Electroacoustic Sound Theatre)
system. She completed a Doctoral degree in composition at City University in
London in 1998, studying with Denis Smalley. Her body of work includes large
architectural installations, electroacoustic concert pieces, works for
instruments and performers, and live improvisation. Barrett's works have won
international acclaim and numerous awards, including the Nordic Council
Music Prize in 2006, a first prize at the Bourges International
Electroacoustic Music Competition (1998 and 2001), and most recently, a
commission from the 2008 Giga-Hertz Award. Barrett was born in the UK, but
currently lives in Oslo, Norway. She has released numerous CDs, available
through her website.

Peter Traub: Space as a compositional parameter features prominently in your
work. Knowing that you studied with composers Jonty Harrison and Denis
Smalley - who do significant work with diffusion and multi-channel systems -
gives us some clue as to your interest in this area, but I'm wondering what
really attracts you to working with spatializing systems, ambisonics, and
diffusion?

Natasha Barrett: During my masters degree, electroacoustic composition and
particularly acousmatic composition drew my interest more than purely
acoustic composition. In an acousmatic context, as spatial elements yield to
greater variation and malleability, simply composing within this framework
made spatial elements more interesting and important. So my interest in
spatialisation systems stems from the investigation of space in sound,
meaning and purpose in a compositional context and ultimately the need to
find ways to communicate this information to a listener outside the
composition studio. [...]
http://turbulence.org/networked_music_review/2009/04/19/interview-natasha-ba
rrett/


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