bio

Short:

Semay Wu (sē mā wo͞o) -she/her- works as a composer, cellist/improviser, and media/sound artist. Greatly influenced by improvisational frameworks, Semay builds on interdisciplinary relationships through collaboration and spontaneity. Semay is also driven by a visual perspective, to encourage ideas for texture and ‘play’. Alongside performing, recent composed works have developed as video pieces, performance/interactive-installations, graphic scores, as well as working with communities for online digital presentations.

Extended:

Semay developed her sound at the heart of Manchester’s musical communities (1996+) whilst training at the Royal Northern College of Music (with Jenny Curtis and Clive Greensmith). She further trained at the Institute of Sonology and STEIM in The Netherlands (2013-16) to focus more on interdisciplinary electronics, placing attention on sonic and gestural languages. her work has involved DIY electronics, sensor technology, live-capture/fixed visuals, and programming through MaxMSP software.

The sabbatical year (2013-14) in The Netherlands was generously enabled by Katherine McGillivray’s Get a Life Fund. Semay sincerely acknowledges their support in catalysing and furthering her creative development that has been fundamental to her work today.

Semay also initiated a discussion series based in The Hague in 2016, re-balancing conversations around gender, equality and diversity within electronic music and sound art. New Emergences is a non-profit organisation since 2018.