Acousmignon 41

— Sound Installation
1-5 Oct. / Garrison Command

The acousmonium, often referred to as a 'loudspeaker orchestra', was pioneered by the French composer François Bayle in 1974. Its purpose was to provide electroacoustic music with a dynamic playback system that could rival that of a traditional orchestra. Tracing the history of acousmatic systems worldwide, “Acousmonium 41” emerges from the long-standing explorations of sound artist and media researcher Sillyconductor into acoustics, audiophilia, and multi-channel sound creation:

“Romanian spectral and acousmatic compositions have rarely escaped the limits of stereophony. Yet technological advances, 3D printing, AI and the ever-improving quality of speakers have demanded the emergence of this noisy hydra.

Acousmonium 41 is a 24-channel audio installation comprising over 30 acoustic enclosures and operated by motorised faders and other control surfaces. The speakers themselves are highly varied in form (from spheres and hexagons to cubes, horns, and open-baffle systems), made of different materials (wood, metal, plexiglas, and PLA), and with a variety of original purposes: studio monitors, classic full-range speakers, orthodynamic speakers, horns for tube amplifiers, transducer panels and subwoofers covering a frequency range between 19 and 30,000 Hz. With the control interface and the dedicated amplifiers, they form an instrument that has memory: the system can record the performer’s actions when adjusting the spatialisation of sound in real time, and can subsequently reproduce them in other contexts.

In addition to its ability to play a virtually unlimited number of audio tracks in real time, Acusmonium 41 features advanced functions and automations that enable spatialisation techniques that would be challenging or impossible for a single performer to achieve: rapid manipulation of speaker groups, addition of natural harmonics, or activation of alternative transducers with different resonances and inertias. Artificial intelligence played a marginal role, being used mainly for 3D printing and automation.

The full system will be performed as part of the "ACOUSMATIV. Festival of Acousmatic Music and Derived Actions" at the National Museum of Contemporary Art in Bucharest, while adapted versions will be displayed in Timișoara (Acousmignon 41-T) and Iași (Acousmignon 41-I). Looking ahead, the system is set to be upgraded to 32 channels and installed permanently in an acoustically calibrated space. The aim is to establish a centre for creative residencies, where artists and researchers can experiment with electroacoustic music, sound volumetrics, AI-assisted compositions and sound heterotopias.” (Cătălin Matei)

The ACOUSMATIV project, which is produced by Image and Sound, and initiated by and developed in collaboration with Sillyconductor, focuses on the exploration of contemporary spectral, acousmatic and multi-channel electroacoustic music. The project marks the launch of the first 'acousmonium' in Romania, the ACOUSMONIUM 41, as well as the first edition of the ACOUSMATIV Festival. This event will be held in Bucharest from 14 to 22 November 2025 and will feature performances, conferences and talks with leading figures in the field.