The piece begins with giving continuous inputs to an electric orchestra. As the score begins to play, the sound of the cellos starts to occupy the physical space with their immediate presence. New behaviors begin to emerge, and the robotic instrument slowly creeps towards its operating limits with an ever-shorter series of signals. Gravity and (im)balance are becoming visible and audible. By choosing a fragile self-made robotic instrument we use sound and movement to explore the implications of an uncertain physical presence: as the rhythmic density and diversity of the cellos continues to increase, the overlapping and mutually interfering inputs to the robot’s engine lead to a chain reaction that escalates into a chaotic dance of the machines creating their own sound world.

There is a never-ending loop between the “machine operator” aka performer and the sound installation itself that keeps the flow going. Changing the speed and operating habits is a way of dictating the rhythm and managing the score in real time. Tuning two of the motorized cellos so that their high and low notes (basses) complement each other vocally, while at the same time a competition-like scenario arises between the instruments as we change their speed and playing limits.

Instead of using fully capable industrial robots I refrain to construct self-made models instead, while utilizing only the most basic forms of movements. In order to gain the performative potential of these robots and their musical character, I assemble various raw-materials into new instrumental bodies and deconstruct to their core elements. I start by playing with the shape, the dimensions and the height of the monochord, and with the distance between the instrument ́s body and the bow.

The interest is in features such as gravity and (im)balance, as well as how far the boundaries can be pushed and indeed what are they? By bringing these instruments together in different scenarios and settings, I aim to explore their physical presence and relationships as a whole. I play one or two cellos by myself manually as I am orchestrating the robotic ones during the concert. I produced a large-scale adaptation of the idea at the Karlsruhe University of the Arts for my graduation thesis, where the audience was able to enter the soundscape during the performance.