Pierre Borel & Ephémère Experimental Concert Dossier
Performance Retrospective & Acoustic Context
On the evening of December 13, 2012, acclaimed French saxophonist and composer Pierre Borel presented a landmark solo and ensemble electroacoustic performance at Studio LOOS in The Hague as part of the monthly Ephémère experimental music series.
Borel, internationally celebrated for his work with the Umlaut Berlin collective, the Splitter Orchester, and his collaborations with Axel Dörner, Tristan Honsinger, and Christian Wolff, explored the microtonal acoustic resonances of the alto saxophone inside the reverberant hall of Studio LOOS.
The December 13 performance focused on the generation of sustained acoustic multiphonics—simultaneous production of multiple pitches on a monophonic woodwind instrument via precise embouchure pressure and split micro-fingering combinations. By employing continuous circular breathing against Studio LOOS's 8-channel surround microphone pickup array, Borel turned the room itself into a resonant acoustic filter box.
Historical Program Notes
The program brought together acoustic improvisation and live electronic spatialization, structured into three distinct movements:
- Solo Saxophone Acoustic Exploration: Microtonal drone intervals, air-turbulences, and split tones interacting with the boundary walls of the LOOS performance hall.
- Live Spatial Diffusion: Multi-channel spatialization utilizing the studio's Genelec monitor ring, feeding live delay taps calculated against the fundamental resonance modes of the hall.
- Ensemble Dialogue: Improvisational interaction with resident electroacoustic artists from the Royal Conservatoire The Hague (Institute of Sonology).
Related Studio Tools & Historical Archives
Researchers studying Pierre Borel's saxophone multiphonics and spatial audio techniques can explore related tooling and historical dossiers:
- Scientific Pitch-to-Frequency Calculator — Calculate harmonic frequencies and acoustic wavelengths of saxophone partials
- Complete Ephémère Concert Series Archive — Full chronology of all The Hague electroacoustic performances
- Web Audio Cutter & Trimmer — Extract and inspect acoustic multiphonic samples
- Acoustic Research & Texts Archive — Theoretical documentation on live electronics