FESTIVAL IZIS

ARESTA is a sculptural sound installation that turns an ensemble of saxophones into a self-functioning entities by making the instruments autonomous. Suspended by custom metal structures, the saxophones no longer need a human body in order to perform. 

Speaker cones are placed inside their bodies allowing sound to resonate through the tube, creating particular timbres for each instrument. A hundred LEDs inside the instruments are activated in synchronization with the sound. They form a choreography of light and create a sense of movement, even while the instruments are motionless. 

The music is generated by a computer, using algorithmic composition and a custom neural network. Trained with 352 Bach chorales, the neural network is capable to harmonize a melody for the saxophone ensemble in Bach’s style for the finale of the piece. ARESTA is a performative installation that questions the need for a human body on stage and the potential obsolescence of his role.