compositions shown here encourage improvisational and interdisciplinary approaches in performance, and also in fixed media. In live performance pieces, I focus on creating multi-perspective dynamic scenarios, that allow new happenings and nuances to unfold during the timeframe, and within the social space that emerges.
Some influential quotes that have shaped my ideas in composition:
– A euphoria of exclusive insight –
which has nothing to do with either beauty of feeling, But everything with the privileged pleasure that solvers of puzzles enjoy. – Dick Raaymakers
Doreen Massey’s Social Space, and space as a dimension:
‘Space as the dimension of multiple trajectories, a simultaneity of stories-so-far. Space as the dimension of a multiplicity of durations.’
‘It is the vast complexity of the interlocking and articulating nets of social relations which is Social Space‘
‘Place as a pause in the temporal current’ – Yi Fu Tuan
A new part-graphic-trad’ score has been commissioned as part of a composer development opportunity with Sound Scotland and Red Note Ensemble. Premiered at the Anatomy Rooms, Aberdeen 30th October 2022. With Stephanie Lamprea (voice) and Fiona Winning (viola)
Composers: J Diaz, Jessica MacIsaac, Semay Wu and Thomas Metcalf
Artists: Stephanie Lamprea and Fiona Winning
New works by Scotland-based composers J Diaz, Jessica MacIsaac, Thomas Metcalf and Semay Wu resulting from a composer development opportunity.
I scan the room for a familiar face, but i’m the only one who’s out of place
(A 7-part audiovisual performance piece)
Juana Adcock – Voice and text improvisations (poet, translator, writer, editor and improviser)
Semay Wu – cello improvisation (concept, composition, production, post-production)
Commissioned by ‘Jazz at the Third Eye’
Streamed: https://www.cca-glasgow.com/programme/third-eye-tv
Oct 2021
Faultline – I composed, and produced a soundtrack to ‘Chitty’, one of Lisa Fannen’s poems from her book, ‘Faultline’. Mastered by Jer Reid. May 2020
“This project – recordings of 22 poems from the collection Faultline, with music/soundscapes – has involved collaboration with twelve incredible musicians/sound artists generating and weaving music/soundscapes to the words: Kiera Coward Deyell, Marion Kenny, Bell Lungs, Luke Sutherland, Semay Wu, Alison Roe, Jer Reid, Diljeet Kaur Bhachu, Letitia Pleiades, Michael Starkey, Saleem Andrew Mcgroarty/ Sound Signals Productions and Cucina Povera.”
https://lisafannen.bandcamp.com/
Link for info: Exquisite Corpse Premiered at Splendor, Amsterdam 23 Nov 2019
The Sharmanka Kinetic Theatre on Trongate, Glasgow.
Honoured to have been invited to perform at their monthly ‘Live Music at Sharmanka’ series curated by John Cavanagh. [performance on 02/06/2019]. I composed a 30 minute piece based on improvisations through a structured time-frame. I chose specific automata from the theatre to improvise with me at various points in the time-scale.
live performance: cello & electronics, maxMSP with audience participation (if inspired). Audience were allowed to walk around the gallery to listen to the space and the sounds at different viewing/standing points.
[Gavin Brown/Onthefly edited and filmed this video]
Closing solo act @Spike Cello Festival 8/9/10th Feb 2019 @The Workmans Club, Dublin https://www.spikecellofest.com/
The piece is called: Trio Montage – for three players: Cello, Video & CCTV.
Alternate name: Preluude#2
Residency at WhiteSpace Gallery, Edinburgh Jan 2019 working on Preluude#1 for a new evening called Untried and Tested. Preparations for performance at Spike Cello Festival.
photo credit: Pual Northcott
Composition for video, voice and maxMSP. @Whitespace in Edinburgh. 31st May 2018
LDRs placed on a 3-layered (handmade) screen for holographic perspective of video, tracks the gestures within the visual material. The voice goes through a handmade LDR gestural object, and whammy pedal. All connect via a maxMSP patch.
Credit: Original video footage and lighting by: Anne Wellmer, DH. 2015
INTONAL festival – solo performance – Voice, Video, DIY objects, MaxMSP
Perceptions/Persuasions I-V: A collaborative project with Pascale-Sophie Kaparis, a french artist based in DH. I was asked to respond to each of her 5 sculptural artworks called Perceptions. I produced 5 text scores and made a solo performance for voice, text, cello and home-made mic/speaker @DH, 09.07.16
http://www.pascalesophiekaparis.com/index.php/perception/perceptions/
Perceptions I-V revealed intimate timelines embodied within their three-layered structures. 5 text scores were made – Persuasions I-V, and were sonified further into 5 theatrical performances.
video of rehearsal: @DH, 09.07.16
Francesca’s Barber (2016) – Semay Wu
‘…a continous present’ (2017) – a short audio-visual montage with visuals taken from my 30-minute composition (of the same name) performed at the finals of my Masters in Music course, at the Institute of Sonology, Den Haag in June 2016. The audio was composed from a newer collection of sounds that developed after the Sonology performance. My intention was to reduce the larger set-up towards a solo capability. I use my voice here, manipulated in MaxMSP via external controller DIY instruments that use sensors and contact mics.
A short 3-min overview of my final Masters performance, “a continuous present” – June 2016 at the Institute of Sonology, with STEIM.
A Continuous Present – LIVE (The Hague) from semay wu on Vimeo.
Below, is the full Sonology concert. I am represented here at 9’20”.
my role: composer; performer (live mixing); maker – external controller DIY instruments (gestural box (25 LDRs), 2 x LDR 3-layered screens, and 3 motors); choreographic, costume, set, video & sound design (with maxMSP).
Performers:
Aurelie Lierman – voice, movement, sandbox
Manuela Lucia Tessi – movement, player of objects
video – itself
Credits: Video – Eduard Figueres, Video Assistant – Julio Molina
Masters research – first outing of a composition at Wonderwerp #62 @Studio Loos, Den Haag. 28.05.15 – video, cello, motor and maxMSP
Wonderwerp62