Sigma: Electric Shock 2016 and Erkki Kurenniemi

maanantai 14. maaliskuuta 2016

Electric Shock 2016 and Erkki Kurenniemi

Sähköisku 2016 happening took place in Tampere's Music Academy located in the beautiful Pyynikki area of Tampere. Music Academy is a learning environment shared by music students of TAMK and Tampere Conservatoire, a private institute providing education in music and dance. Sähköisku 2016 showcased the academy's music technology and electronic music students together with the dancers of academy. High light of the happening was the lecture of Erkki Kurenniemi's instruments by DIMI-trio and the concert of the evening by the students and DIMI-trio.

Erkki Kurenniemi is a Finnish electronic music pioneer. He is best known as an inventor of electronic music instruments from 1963-1973. DIMI-trio is an electronic/experimental music group performing with Erkki Kurenniemi's electronic instruments. Kai Lassfolk played DICO, Mikko Ojanen played DIMI-A and Jari Suominen played the Electric Quartet instrument. Electric Quartet is a collective instrument consisting of a main unit with tone generators and a sequencer and a set of controllers for electrical saxophone and drum machine. DICO is a monophonic synthesiser with a digital sequencer and DIMI-A is a two voice synth with a sequencer equipped with a digital memory. DIMI-A is probably the most noticeable of Kurenniemi's instruments because of it's futuristic touchpad interface. Here is good SOS-article of Erkki Kurenniemi (http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep13/articles/erkki.htm).

DIMI-trio's music has a lot of personality with raw digital sounds but also interesting and beautiful sound's with surprisingly warm touch. I think this demonstrates clearly the fact that with human touch the most bizarre digital machines can produce warm music with lot of depth and character.

Thanks to the Academy for a very inspiring day!