Chrstian Calon

Sound and Radio artist

His sound installation projects, radio or stage works are rooted in a common exploration of the listening experience. Spatial sound projection, the acousmatic conception of sound forms and the importance of listening contexts are at the heart of his creative research leading to a on-going process of investigation of new technologies.
His first works emerged in Canada and soon brought him international attention. In 1991 he was appointed to the musical direction of the GMEM (France) and in 1995, he was a guest of the DAAD in Berlin where he lived for several years. His artistic research lead at that time to the development of a widely used graphical multi-channel spatialisation system based on the principle of holophony.

In parallel in order to further his interest in the narrative forms through sound he turned to writing for the radio medium. His present work focuses on the ideas of Time, Presence and Transformation. A free-lance artist he now lives in Montreal and develops his creation projects across the Atlantic.

Some recent landmarks:
— The Ulysses project (1997-00), radio and stage work for voices and multi-track sound projection. It was awarded the prestigious Lynch-Staunton prize (Canada Council) and at the unanimity of the jury, won the Grand Prix Marulic of the European Broadcasting Union (UER/EBU) 1999.
— Die Zimmer der Erinnerung (The rooms of memory) (1997), radio essay (Hörspiel) on Time and creation, after the life and works of Marcel Proust. Commissionned by the German National Radio (DLR).
— The standing man (1994-96), architectural sound installation for a child's voice and three-dimensional acoustical fields (24-channel spatialization). After François Villon's Epitaph. Commission of the Inventionen Festival, Berlin.
— Les corps éblouis(1994), acousmatic concert work (exploration of the the guitar instrument), was awarded the 2nd prize at the Bourges International Competition ( 1994) and Distinctions at the 1995 and 1997 Ars Electronica.
His work is presented worldwide and received honours in major international competitions : Italy - Prix Russolo, USA - Newcomp Prize, UER /EBU - Prix Marulic, Germany, Austria - Ars Electronica, France - Bourges Competition. His work received assistance from the Canada Council and le Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec. His music is published by Empreintes Digitales (Montreal).