Avatar Orchestra Metaverse

The Avatar Orchestra Metaverse (AOM) (founded March, 2007) is a large collaborative group of performers spread across three continents, who incorporate the use of online avatars alongside virtual instruments, to create a variety of audio-visual performances within Second Life.^[1]

About

The Avatar Orchestra Metaverse consists of members based in Europe, North America and Asia.^[2][3] The core membership consists of estimately 15 members, including various composers, such as the founders Hars Hefferman and Maximillian Nakamura. This, however, is not a fixed number, with the orchestra's additional members changing on a semi-regular basis.^[4][5]

This membership makes use of Second Life to perform telematically with each other, using virtual instruments which commonly created specifically for the composition they are used in.^[6] One example of these instruments is the 'Onomatophone', six spheres which move around the virtual space emitting separate sounds to the audience, the purpose of which being to change the sounds heard by different audience members depending on their own proximity with the separate spheres.^[7]

In certain cases, the membership's avatars themselves are modified and used as the instruments within the performances. To do this, AOM members make use of a HUD, containing various sample sounds, which – when played – also highlight the avatar in some manner, to make the audience aware of which participant is 'playing' at that point.^[8][9]

Due to the virtual nature of the group, they have been able to perform live around the world via streaming to various countries. Countries they've performed in include France, Germany, Norway, Sweden, Italy, the Netherlands, Canada and the United States. This had also allowed them to perform for various performative festivals, including Sound Symposium XVI.^[10]

Past Productions

• Vicky's Mosquitos, composed by Miulew Takahe (2007)^[11]
• Wee No Kresh, composed by Andreas Müller (2007)
• Rue Blanche, composed by Bjorn Eriksson (2007)
• Fadheit, composed by Shintaro Miyazaki (2007)
• Fragula, composed by Bjorn Eriksson (2007)
• SLippery SLope, composed by Jeremy Owen Turner (2007)
• Ursonate, composed by Shintaro Miyazaki (2007)
• Riesenrad, composed by Jeremy Owen Turner (2007)
• The Heart of Tones; mixed reality version, composed by Pauline Oliveros (2007)
• XAANADRuuL; Stockhausen's Pleasuredome 4 Sirius Business, composed by Jeremy Owen Turner (2008)
• PwRHm, composed by Tina Pearson (2008)
• Waste From Real Life, composed by Biagio Francia (2008)
• The New Economy, composed by Biagio Francia (2008)
• In Whirled (Trance) Formations, composed by Norman Lowrey (2008)
• Aleatricity, composed by Andreas Müller (2008)
• Pataphone Aomprovisation, composed by AOM (2008)
• Birth, composed by Liz Solo (2008)
• Pleiades, composed by AOM & Tintinnabulate (2008)
• Talarepsincrobiugh, composed by Erik Rzepka (2008)
• Avatars Brew, composed by Leif Inge (2008)
• Ritual, composed by Tim Risher (2009)
• Rotating Brains/Beating Heart, composed by Franziska Schroeder, Tina Pearson, Pauline Oliveros, Norman Lowrey, and Andreas Mueller (2010)

References

1. "AOM Curriculum Vitae". Avatar Orchestra Metaverse. AOM. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
2. "AOM Curriculum Vitae". Avatar Orchestra Metaverse. AOM. Retrieved 24 October 2012.
3. "Avatar Orchestra Metaverse". Sound Symposium. Sound Symposium. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
4. JamesAu, Wagner. "Avatar Avant Garde: Metaverse Orchestra Turns Avatars Into Musical Instruments". New World Notes. New World Notes. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
5. "Avatar Orchestra Metaverse". Piksel. Piksel. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
6. "Avatar Orchestra Metaverse". Sound Symposium. Sound Symposium. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
7. JamesAu, Wagner. "Avatar Avant Garde: Metaverse Orchestra Turns Avatars Into Musical Instruments". New World Notes. New World Notes. Retrieved 26 October 2012.
8. JamesAu, Wagner. "Avatar Avant Garde: Metaverse Orchestra Turns Avatars Into Musical Instruments". New World Notes. New World Notes. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
9. "Avatar Orchestra Metaverse". Piksel. Piksel. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
10. "Avatar Orchestra Metaverse". Sound Symposium. Sound Symposium. Retrieved 28 October 2012.
11. "Vicky's Mosquitos". Retrieved 24 October 2012.