This pioneering Faster Than Sound residency brings together science, visual art and music to explore the connections inspired by the brain and sound. These links will be realised in a new sculptural work by design studio Loop.ph and two new works by Mira Calix and Anna Meredith which all take MRI brain scanners as their inspiration. The artists will work in close collaboration with esteemed neuroscientist Professor Vincent Walsh throughout the residency and he will also provide insights to the audience through pre-concert talks. Brainwaves offers a tantalising insight into the connections between the worlds of creativity and science.

Mira Calix’s starting point is the daunting personal experience of a brain scan, which she seeks to humanise in a new work that incorporates string quartet to uplift the electronic sounds of the scanner. Calix will work in collaboration with Anna Meredith in creating the piece. Anna will work more with the electronic sounds created from the machine to compose a new work of her also. Both composers will be mentored by Vincent Walsh throughout the process.

Loop.pH’s Matthias Gmachl is more interested in the pure electronic sound created by the MRI brain scanning machine, the noises within the brain itself and how they connect with the visual. He will use this to create an interactive sculpture as a visual response to the sound.
As an additional resource in the creation of these works, Faster Than Sound will initiate brain scans of various classical players running through musical scores in their mind, to take place at UCL this September The artists will then use the copies of the scans as a visual inspiration, alongside the sounds that the scans make.

Brainwaves will also feature a series of informal round table discussions between musicians and scientists to explore the scientific and musical worlds of harmony, group, composition and frequencies.