NIME 2018

Attunement | 2018
by Olivia Webb & Flo Wilson

Moss Arts Center - 2nd Floor in Mezzanine Lobby

The verb ‘attune’ usually describes the act of making something harmonious, as in the tuning of an instrument. Attunement is also a state of relation to an object, technology, environment or other people. To become attuned is to engage in a two-way sympathetic and empathetic exchange. In this installation, attunement is used both as a technique for exploring ways of being with others in the world, and a method for considering how technology mediates this exchange.

In this conference of new musical interfaces, we invite all participants to consider the ethics of listening as mediated by technology. Listening is central to human interaction, yet habits within Western culture tend to privilege speech and being heard over listening to and receiving others. New technology continues to accelerate the speed that we can sound, voice and express ourselves. We are interested in how we might engage with performance and technology to become better listeners.

In this installation, you are invited to practice attunement by taking part in a selection of simple embodied listening exercises. Step out of your own breath, your own voice, your own self. Contemplate the changes required of you in order to receive someone or something else.