We are looking for creative technologists, artists and coders to join us on a musical adventure as part of #BristolProms.

Hack The Quartet: 30 - 31 July 2013, Bristol Old Vic

A quartet is like a game of chess; simple in its make up and infinite in its possibility. So how can new technologies be used to augment performance of and engagement with chamber music? This unique musical hack, which puts an award-winning string quartet at the heart of its investigation, seeks to find out.

Hacking the Quartet will bring together 15 – 20 talented and curious participants to collaborate with the Sacconi Quartet to make a range of technology-driven explorations of the chamber music world. Questions we might seek to answer include:

‘How can we use sensors, cameras, projectors and other technologies to help the audience to listen more actively?’

‘How can we give an audience an idea of what it is like to be the performer of a piece?’

‘How can we meaningfully represent how a quartet collaborates and communicates whilst performing?’

‘How might we integrate technologies without them being distracting to the audience or damaging to the instruments?’

Of course we don’t yet know what the Hack Day will produce, but ideas could range from projected heat maps of the quartet and their instruments to understand their physical reactions to performing, using binaural microphones to create an immersive aural experience or capturing and visualising the vibrations of the instruments.

The hack will last two days, ending in a showcase event at lunchtime on Friday 1 August, where audiences will hopefully get to see and hear some of the work created. Additionally as this year’s Proms is the first of a three-year programme, we hope the hack will generate and prototype ideas that could be commissioned as part of the programme for next year.

Some practical details:

• Each participant will receive a bursary of £150 towards their expenses
• The hack will take place at Bristol Old Vic
• Watershed will liaise with confirmed participants to identify and then source an appropriate (and affordable!) equipment list for the hack.
• Hack participants will receive a complimentary ticket to Bristol Proms events on the Weds and Thursday evenings (subject to availability)
• Refreshments, lunch and dinner will be provided during the two days
• The hack will last from 10am – 8pm on 30 and 31st July. A showcase lunchtime talk will take place on 2 August to demo the results

Want to take part?

Email a short biog and paragraph on why you would like to take part/what you are interested in exploring to clare.reddington@watershed.co.uk. All participants will be confirmed by end of June 2013 and more info on how the days will work will be sent out then.

Hack The Quartet is produced by Watershed, in association with The Sacconi Quarter, Bristol Old Vic and Universal Music Arts and Entertainment as part of Bristol Proms. It is supported by Arts Council England.