Penelope Bekiari
Featured Projects
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Samothrace, with its rich cultural and natural heritage, offers a unique opportunity for exploring the relationship between people, landscape, and sound. Within the framework of the artistic residency, my goal was to highlight the sonic identity of the island through field recordings, testimonies from residents, and the composition of contemporary soundscapes.
This process is linked to the concept of "psychogeography," examining how the sounds surrounding communities shape their perception of space and identity.
Special emphasis was placed on the natural diversity of the island, the relationship between the mountain and the sea, as well as the ancient heritage of the Cabirian Mysteries. Additionally, the traditional music of Samothrace and the stories that accompany it form an integral part of the local collective memory, and for this reason, it was incorporated and embedded into the soundscape, from which it naturally originates.
Echoes of the Mysteries is an interactive performance inspired by the Cabirian Mysteries, blending ancient ritual with contemporary technology. Using live data sonification and biofeedback, the performance transforms real-time biometric signals—brainwaves, heart rate, and galvanic skin responses—into an evolving soundscape.
As the piece unfolds, tension and release mirror the transformative path of initiation. The audience is immersed in a sensory exploration of human consciousness, bridging past and present through sound.
Technology: EEG, GSR, Heart Rate Monitors, Custom Audio Algorithms
Artist in Residence at the Greek National Opera as part of the National Recovery and Resilience Plan, funded by the European Commission – Next Generation EU
"Rhoē" explores the fluid interplay between sound and the human body. This piece for piano and live electronics integrates biometric data, such as brainwaves, heart rates, and galvanic skin responses. Advanced algorithms map these physiological signals into the electroacoustic soundscape, allowing the music to evolve in real time. The piano's organic tones meld with the electronic textures, creating a dynamic and ever-changing flow. Utilizing neurofeedback, real-time brain activity shapes the electronic components, emphasizing the natural ebb and flow of human physiology. "Rhoē" invites reflection on our deep connection to sound, blending art and technology in a transformative experience.
"Lalē" (Lallai), meaning "pebbles," derives from the Greek verb "lalō," meaning "to talk." These small stones on the seashore are moved by the waves,producing sound. This electroacoustic composition blends sea sounds, brainwave data, and synthesized elements to craft a meditative experience. Itinvites listeners to explore the interconnectedness between the human body and the water that surrounds us. Brainwave data, captured during meditation, is transformed into sound through data sonification, reflecting the water soundscape of the Greek village of Mani.
Mantis Music Festival 20 years, University of Manchester and at the School of Fine Arts (ASKT) in Athens (Electroacoustic Music Days 2024)
This selected work, 'Andromeda,' is featured in the MA/IN festival and has been also selected as a poster presentation at the Advances in Data Science and AI Conference, University of Manchester and as a paper and piece in SMC Porto 2024. The live performance introduces a multimedia composition for flute and live sound processing, inspired by Euripides' tragedy.
It integrates biofeedback data from the flutist's body sensors, synchronizing sound processes with physiological responses. 'Andromeda' explores the fusion of theatrical conventions and performer emotions, leveraging biometric data to enrich narrative, development, and aesthetics. It examines real-time physiological data's role in enhancing interactive performance, bridging technology and musical expression realms. Through biometric analysis, it delves into themes of technological posthumanism, employing sensors like galvanic skin response, heart rate, and respiratory sensors. Symbolizing love, 'Andromeda' portrays the protagonist's struggle amidst echoes, waves, and wind, as she appeals to the night goddess for freedom to love Perseus.
The glass animals' sounds transform into fragmented pieces, producing noises amplified by imagination. The flowing sonic forms reflect Laura's various mental states, existing between the material world and the conceptual framework of memory.
Presented at - Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center 2024 and SAG (Leicester)
The thematic essence revolves around a synopsis of a day in Athens, spanning from the invigorating morning energies to the tranquil shades of night. The violin, with its roots in Greek traditional rhythms and folk songs, acts as a conduit, bridging ancient Greek musical texts, traditional rhythms, and contemporary technology for audio data processing. This harmonious interplay seeks to unite the echoes of the past with the rhythms of the present, offering a musical journey that transcends temporal boundaries.
Presented at Greek and international festivals including Mantis, 41st International Confederation of Electroacoustic Music Meeting, HELMCA, Salle Molière – Opéra Comédie of Montpellier - Maison des Arts Sonores – KLANG
Suffocating cities at an increasing pace. "Certain circles" explores the path from serenity to discontentment, the modern sonic landscape as a linear narration of interpersonal relationships. Echoes of a city, texts, and computer-generated sounds turn into mechanical sound gestures, struggling to fit into given spacetime. Inspired by Delia Derbyshire's "Inventions for Radio", this 8-channel piece seeks a conversation with the contemporary perspective of time and information.
It was presented at John Rylands Library and Research Institute- University of Manchester, memorial to Delia Darbishire.
Proximity | by Penelope Bekiari & Mari Lesteberg, for voices & live electronics (Super Collider / Pure Data, loopstation)
The nature and language of two different countries are expressed and blended together to tell a story about communication. The words of two poems are used to learn how to talk together and to explore the importance of silence, sound and proximity. Poems expressed in the piece: Gunvor Hofmo - Dette er Våren, "Πληγωμένη Άνοιξη [Wounded Spring]"- Miltos Sachtouris
It was presented at the Ultima Music Festival.
