'Nucleosynthesis' is an interactive sound sculpture and instrument that can be played by one or many people. It made its debut at the Dunbar Uprising Festival where it proved a fun and engaging installation with both young and old! 

Made in collaboration with a student at Dunbar Grammar High School, over 12 sessions we explored different means and mechanisms of creating sound, musical texture and sound design, and ways of interacting with items that were fun and engaging.  

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Though this was initially planned to be a performance based music project it quickly became apparent that the pupil's interests were far more centred in craft, design and technology.  By leaning into these existing interests and setting them in the context of sound and music, we were able to create an entry point to expanding our creativity and engaging with a subject that might otherwise have been left unexplored.

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Our experimentations lead us to a touch sensitive system that embraced ambience, atmosphere and percussion - areas the pupil discovered an interest in. Once we found our path the student developed a very clear aesthetic vision for the piece and we worked together to navigate making that a reality. Our first prototype was balls of tin-foil stuck on the end of drumsticks, followed by a slightly more elaborate prototype consisting of the same on bamboo stakes with springy door stoppers!

 

As we iterated towards a complete version we negotiated with construction, programming and sound design; encountering difficulty, compromise and success along the way. 

 

The name 'Nucleosynthesis' is a play on its spherical form and the means of sound production but also reflects the formation of something new from its constituent parts. The final product is a showcase of the pupil’s interests, skills and creativity, a finished piece that they are rightfully proud of and that was experienced and enjoyed by the local community.