Suhm (electroacoustic)

My one and only electracoustic piece. Created during my Master’s studies.

Victoria University's electronic music studio (famously established at 44 Kelburn Parade by NZ electronic music pioneer Douglas Lilburn), had just been re-established at the newly-built New Zealand School of Music. Due to the move, and given that an electroacoustic work was a significant part of my Masters portfolio, I had to ask for an extra 6 months before submitting.

Ross Harris had just secured funding to buy what I think was the country's first ever Fairlight synthesizer. My recollection is that it cost the University $100,000NZD. And that was without the optional hard disk recorder.

Later, after I'd been teaching for some time, possibly in the late 1990's I recall seeing the Fairlight (utterly defunct and superseded) leaning upright against the wall of studio 2. You couldn't even give it away.....

The piece SUHM is simply a first attempt at working with abstract sounds. I was surrounded by composers who were masters of electronic composition (Ross Harris, Jack Body, David Downes, John Cousins, Chris Cree Brown, John Young.....). I tried it once, then moved entirely into the world of creating music for live performance.

Here it is.....