CHIMEFest 2024: UChicago's Annual Electroacoustic CHIMEFest Highlights Multimedia Works and Guest Artists

UChicago's Annual Electroacoustic CHIMEFest Highlights Multimedia Works and Guest Artists

The University of Chicago’s CHIME (Chicago Integrated Media Experimental) Studio hosts the annual CHIMEFest on two dates: Friday, February 2, and Friday, April 12, at the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts. The 2024 electroacoustic festival, curated by David Bird, features guest artists Beyond This Point and lovemusic, along with new music by University of Chicago composers.

CHIME Studio Director and festival curator David Bird is a composer, producer, and multimedia artist whose work explores the dramatic potential of electroacoustic and multimedia environments, often highlighting the relationships between technology and the individual. He is a Visiting Assistant Professor of Composition in the Department of Music.

The first presentation of CHIMEFest showcases works and practices that explore the theme of intermedia, highlighting compositions that creatively employ multimedia in both conceptual and poetic ways. On February 2 at 5:30 p.m., Beyond This Point presents music by Simon Løffler, Juliana Hodkinson, Stefano D'alessio, Kaj Duncan David, and David Bird in a performance exploring the intricate connections between light and sound in composition. At 7:30 p.m. on February 2, lovemusic performs works by Finbar Hosie, Bára Gísladóttir, Neil Luck, Hanna Eimermacher, David Bird, and Raphaël Languillat.

Beyond This Point is an exploratory collaboration seeking to investigate resonances and intersections across several practices, including theater, movement, media/film, non-traditional musical forms, sculpture, text, and installations, both static and performative. The collaboration aims to engage diverse audiences on multiple levels through its exploration of resonances between artistic mediums to develop a platform in which to create works that are intrinsically coalesced along these resonances from their point of inception.

Lovemusic is a collective of musicians specialized in new music based in Strasbourg, France. lovemusic's approach to presenting music on stage is distinctive. They perform un-conducted, fostering intimate bonds among the musicians and creating a dynamic and engaging connection with the audience. Additionally, they incorporate elements such as lighting, video, and scenography into their performances, enhancing the immersive listening experience. Their concerts are known for their
vibrancy, innovation, and ability to captivate the audience, drawing them into the diverse musical world the collective explores.