Reilly Smethurst

My poem, “the birthmark remains hidden”, features in the September 2011 issue of Stilts - a new, bi-annual journal based in Brisbane.

Two items from my recent acousmatic series, The Four Obstructions, were scheduled to feature in the Listening Room at the Australasian Computer Music Conference. The event was held at the University of Auckland, 6-9 July. Highlights included acousmatic works by my friends Gerardo Dirié, John Cousins & David Rylands, an AV work by José Halac, & an installation by Codie Childs.

I’ve applied to graduate from the University of Auckland’s Bachelor of Music (Honours) programme with First Class Honours in Composition. I’ve also been awarded the University’s 2011 Masters/Honours/PG Dip Scholarship & have enrolled in the Master of Music programme.

My Father’s Eyes (for video, countertenor & amplified string quartet) premiered last night at the Lilburn Prize Concert – an annual composition competition held at the University of Auckland.

Prizes were awarded to Celeste Oram, Alex Taylor, Eva Li, & me, among others.

Two of my poems have been published in Shot Glass Journal: “I love the human” & “You’re not Narcissus”.

This marks my first journal appearance.

I’ve been awarded a University of Auckland Summer Scholarship – one of just two from the School of Music. The scholarship will fund a research project on acousmatic art & Jacques Lacan’s theory of lalangue - an enigmatic substance of language beyond meaning.

Last week, the New Zealand Electroacoustic Music Symposium was held at the University of Auckland.

My video work, Mirrors, featured in a concert alongside works by John Cousins & John Young. I also presented a research seminar on acousmatic space-form & the Lacanian subject.

An instrumental version of Miseritque Manum featured in the Karlheinz Company concert, held at the University of Auckland’s Music Theatre.

The piece was performed alongside works by Charles Ives, John Cage, Arvo Pärt &  John Elmsly.

Last week, I travelled to Studio 174 in Christchurch to listen to John Cousins’ acousmatic work, Speak Memory.

Upon returning to Auckland, I attended a week-long acousmonium research period held at the Kenneth Myers Centre, featuring work by Cousins, Gerardo Dirié, John Coulter & David Rylands. Highlights included:

- Cousins’ presentation, the construction of metaphor & isomorphic relationships between sound & video

- Dirié ‘reverse engineering’ a stereo mix in order to re-compose a work for an acousmonium context

- A panel discussion of Natasha Barrett’s EMS 2010 paper, “Ambisonics spatialisation and spatial ontology in an acousmatic context”, led by John Coulter

Matchstick Music I & II premiered at Sounding Out’s Theory of Colours concert, held in the Conservatorium Theatre, QCGU.

The two pieces – performed by a chamber ensemble – were accompanied by live electronics & interactive video work by Chris Buckley.

The concert also featured new works by Liam Flenady, Tim Tate, Lisa Cheney, A. Stefan Mashor, Josephine Jin & Peter Clark.