«Searching for the Siren» is a short documentary connected to the homonymous Master research. Includes visions of what constitutes the mythical creature of the Siren as the allegory of contemporary vocal aesthetics, through discussions with the contemporary vocalist/contralto Noa Frenkel, the composers Yannis Kyriakides and Andys Skordis.
Presented works by Kristia Michael, Chaya Czernowin, Rebecca Saunders, Yannis Kyriakides, Samir TimajChi, Andys Skordis.
Special thanks to Noa Frenkel, Yannis Kyriakides, Andys Skordis and Renee Jonker.
Regarding the Master Research
“Searching for the Siren” is a published Master Artistic Research which explores contemporary vocal approaches that mirror the aesthetics and the contemporary perception of defining the elements of Beauty. Specifically, three main thematics are researched: 1) The Folk Voice, which explores how folk elements and timbres enter in classical and popular music, 2) The Extended Voice, which describes the use of extended vocal techniques with reference to technical and physical aspects of timbral contrasts, vocal fry, scream and inhalation phonation, 3) The Absent, Transformed and Replaced Voice which occurred with the technological development. Ends with conclusions around the definition of the mythical creature of the Siren and its relation to the human voice. Every aspect includes personal views, works, performances and syllogisms.
Published in published in Research Catalogue, KC Research Portal | May 12th, 2022
affiliation Royal Conservatory of The Hague
«END of the world», «Silent Land» and «Desert» are presented at The State Hermitage museum as soundtracks for the exhibition of works by Albrecht Dürer (1471 — 1528).
The works are included in a playlist created by the composer Andreas Moustoukis.
Words by the composer:
<<In some way alchemists and lovers are similar. The illusion of love, as a fact that transforms life and heals pain, saves from death and destruction, is like the illusion of an alchemist and an obsessive transformation to gold!
Why gold and why love? Is love gold?
Or vice versa?
These naive fundamental questions have an inner reflection in the origin of life, soul and God itself. The relationship between the lover and the alchemist is unique and primary to understanding of European culture and roots. These two faces of the same person (the lover and the alchemist) are deeply connected to the search for the meaning of life and the nature of existence! This is how I thought about the music and the figure of the knight that passes sad but boldly in front of the inevitable faces of death, pain, destruction and darkness.>>
A project by Musicaeterna and VTB Bank. more here
SEBASTIAN IM TRAUM
Opening of the Autumn Season of DOM RADIO (Teodor Currentzis \ Musicaeterna )
A collaboration with the composer Andreas Moustoukis for the sound of the installaiton «Elian» at Dom Radio MusicAeterna , among installations of Romeo and Claudia Castellucci and Alexey Retinsky .
sound composition. Andreas Moustoukis / Kristia Michael
visual composition. NOIR Films
<<Time confides in our memory the essence of our existence, a conjugation of lost dreams, of ruined facts, mostly unfulfilled. In the labyrinth of this nebulous timeline, we must return to touch our real face behind the curtains of lost time…>>
A new work by the video artists of NOIR Films takes us back to an April evening when Dom Radio’s first resident Andreas Moustoukis presented his first performance, Resurgence.
The composer acted as a performance artist: he wrote male and female names with paint on a white sheet and quoted Wong Kar-wai, and then, using a spatula, transformed what he had written into an abstract expressionist painting. The musical part consisted of Just, David Lang’s minimalist piece, and Consumed, Moustoukis’ string quartet, loaded with noise techniques, performed by musicAeterna artists. These alternated with an electronic collage of popular country songs from the 60s recorded by Kristia Michael, Ezra Pound’s poems, performed by the author, and the soundtrack featuring Dmitri Mazurov.
«ÆR I»
Audiovisual composition
Premiered at IMZ International Music + Media Centre , on July 1st, 2021 and together with ÆR II performed at EPICENTROOM Festival (RU) on October 9th.
«END of the world»
Audiovisual composition, premiered at SPRING Festival 2021 (NL)
BODY as an Instrument .
A composition created with the perspective of the inner sounds of the body, with the use of contact microphones.
Heart, bones, breath, blood, voice and a film noir.
Silent Lands (2020)
audio album composed by Andreas Moustoukis and Kristia Michael
listen it on Spotify, Apple Music, Bandcamp, YouTube
Kristia Michael 