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The largest project for me in 2016 was another chance to collaborate with composer Virgil Moorefield. Like in 2014, I worked for months in advance of the proposed performance dates to achieve some of the effects Virgil wanted. Most of this preliminary work centered on programing for a Microsoft Kinect gaming system so that it could be used in his performance as a gestural control for visuals. This required many hours of research, programming and testing, but the results were very successful.

For the November performance in Zürich, Switzerland, I arrived about a week in advance so that I had several days to focus on final adjustments and getting the overall technical setup ready for the show. Here is a two-minute video of me doing a final systems check of the Kinect controller:

It is important to note that Virgil assembles a great team of people to perform for his concerts. The individuals that make up this team are seasoned and work at a high level of professionalism, which makes for a very stimulating work environment. Myself and other members of the technical team also supplied the physical labor to move all the necessary gear from Virgil’s studio to the venue. This 2-minute time-lapse gives you a glimpse of how much work was involved:

My role during the concert was as a visual performer, which made me responsible for the computer handling visual effects and cueing transitions throughout the performance. Moorefield is also great about documenting his concerts, and the video produced from this event is available online here:

Tags: intermedia, kinect, Switzerland, virgil moorefield, zurich • Posted in code, performances • No Comments »