Kelcey Swain

Biography

Dr Kelcey Swain was born Gloucester in 1982 and it was quickly noticed that music was going to play a major role in his life. At the age of 7 he was selected to be a member of the Westminster Abbey Choir under Martin Neary. As a member of the choir he toured Russia and France, made recordings including the best selling Tavener's Innocence, and participated in many state occasions. In 2002 Kelcey started reading Music at Durham University specialising in composition and working with ensembles such as the Allegri Quartet, Chroma and Piano Circus. For his Masters he wrote the symphonic work Solar Movements which has been performed by the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and the Northern Sinfonia.

Further information can be found on my website: http://www.kelceyswain.co.uk/

Research and scholarship

Kelcey's doctoral studies were primarily in electroacoustic improvisation and performance techniques, specifically focusing on the challenges inherent in the interactions between human and machine. His current areas of research are built upon these foundations. He is exploring the musical potential of Artificial Intelligence algorithms, specifically machine learning and neural networks for mapping control data to synthesis engines.

Teaching

Dr Kelcey Swain primarily teaches the use of C/C++ programming languages for audio or musical applications. He also teaches the concepts of sound, spectra and auditory phenomena, electroacoustic compositional techniques and history.

Performances

Premieres, Performances and Concerts

Jan 2012
Amelia and the Mapmaker — A semi-devised theatre piece with the 19th Step theatre company in which a real-time sound track is performed.

June 2011
Pange Lingua— a piece that uses real-time manipulation of monastic vocal samples to act as the seed for physical modelling synthesis.

May 2010
Down Among the Dead Men — an exploration of the possibilities of the programming environment : SuperCollider.

May 2009
Spanish Ladies — a piece that explores the origins of granulation as a technique employed in many modern electroacoustic works.

Feb 2009
Circle Theory — an interactive piece created by moving circles that are projected above the audience, the sonic result was also spacialized around the performance space.

Nov 2008
clang:bilder — animated films with a live improvised electroacoustic sound track in Klosterneuburg, Wolkersdorf and Krems, Austria. Part of the ORF sponsored Lange Nacht der Museen

July 2008
Shoot the Pianist — a concert duet with Loré Lixenberg at the CoMA Contemporary Music Festival. The concert consisted of works by Kelcey Swain, Aperghis, Thoinot and Bent Sorensen.

Mar 2008
Osterspielfragmente — a realization of an anonymous plainchant by Robert Crow and Kelcey Swain performed as a passion play in Klosterneuburg Monastery.

Feb 2008 
EMC2 — as a result of the residency at Culturelab, Newcastle. The two instruments that were devised to explore innovative ways to deal with gestural interaction between humans and computers were demonstrated. Also with additional new works by Trevor Wishart.