Robert Davidson.
Artist Statement
Robert Davidson will perform a collection of his voice portraitsin which speech intonation is framed with accompaniments that enhance perception of the inherent melody in the speech. Instead of altering the audiothe accompaniment follows the patterns derived from the speech. A number of iconic figures and local personalities are intermingled with piano and other instruments.
About the artists
Robert Davidson is a prolific composerbassistlecturer and founder and artistic director of Topology. Davidson studied composition with Terry Riley in California before completing a composition PhD at the University of Queensland. He previously studied South Indian vocal music in KeralaIndia. Davidson’s compositions are regularly performedrecorded and broadcast around the worldin venues including New York’s Lincoln CenterSydney’s Opera House and London’s Barbican. All of Australia’s professional orchestras and many leading soloists and ensembles have commissioned and performed his works. With Topology he has released 14 albumsand has directed numerous artistic collaborations with creators of many varied cultural and stylistic backgroundsand toured widely internationally. He has scored two documentary films: Joyride (Fifty Fifty films 2018)and Strong female lead (Northern Pictures2021 (premiering at the Sydney Film Festival on 21 August 2021)).
Dr Davidson is the head of composition at the University of Queensland and his research is in artificial intelligence and musicmusic theorycollaborationmusic literacy and music education.
Credits: Robert Davidson