Edge of Chaos

The research aims to propose methods for creating large-scale compositions that are non-linear, challenging the perception of historical linearity in Western societies. This perception is based on the false premise of a linear relationship between the future and the past - one that favours a future that is always more prosperous and fulfilling than the past, creating an illusory sense of continuous progress that has proven detrimental to both the individual and the planet.

To introduce non-linearity in composition, I will be observing the behaviour of non-linear systems, and in particular the interpolation between states of stability and disorder in chaotic systems. The visualisation of complex systems serves as a starting point for the compositional process, which unfolds through a reflection on the poetics of the relationship between sound and image. The compositional elements, called 'systems', are identified by specific instructions, but can be morphed in real time through improvisation. They are in dialogue with visual components such as light installations, graphic scores and video. The system is constantly evolving yet static, deterministic yet unpredictable, composed as well as improvised, independent yet able to interact with others. These compositional elements are dynamic works that evolve through documentation and reflection on the recorded performances, while the project illuminates the various parameters of my work processes as a pianist and performer of my own compositions.

What can non-linearity be in composition? How can the various parameters of complex systems be translated into compositional elements? What are the aesthetic and formal considerations towards this goal, and what are the forms that emerge from this compositional process? Furthermore, what is the role of the performer and the impact of improvisation in developing and reshaping these works?