Rob Godman
Much of Robert Godman's music explores the relationship between sound and the other senses - can you 'see' a sound or 'hear' visually? Rob has developed a keen interest in the work of Mike Leigh and has composed six works that deal with issues of communication (or rather lack of communication!), hearing and listening. New technology has played an important role in both his electroacoustic and acoustic pieces. 'eye assume you knew two.....' (Commissioned by Evelyn Glennie - ACGB funded) is a tape and percussion piece produced at Les Ateliers UPIC, Paris that explored synthetic percussive and 'acoustical' sounds. Some of his recent acoustic works have used computers (conventional sequencers and IRCAM/Opcode's 'Max' software) as part of the pre-composition process in order to create 'the feel' required for the 'Abigail Party' pieces.
A frequent collaborator, he has worked with Roger Heaton and the Siobhan Davies Dance Company, the CandoCo Dance Company (for which 'Fly Wheel Fantasy' is released on the Discus CD label) and most notably with Architect Jason Cornish.
Most recent performances include 'Abigail at San Marco' by The County Youth Second Orchestra of Bedfordshire for the Edinburgh Festival, 'Abigail's Video Diary' by The New River Wind Orchestra at Canterbury (BASBWE) and 'Abigail - the Sequels!' (for Solo Piano) by Peter Lawson at the BBC Manchester Platform for Composers' at Manchester University. Other performers have included The BBC Singers and Gemini. He has received numerous radio broadcasts and three of his works are commercially available on CD.
Rob's current activities are rather diverse. Last year he completed a community project with The Philharmonia Orchestra in Bedford producing an audio documentary featuring stories of the musical lives of people from Goldington Day Centre, his own parents and relatives, and the orchestral members themselves.
More recently, he has been working on a commissioned soundtrack for Braunarts for the CD ROM 'Journeys in the Roman Empire’ (for The British Museum and commissioned by Channel 4 Schools) and also for a permanent installation (an 'interactive wishing well') by the Illuminations Interactive at Sadlers Wells. He is also composing a soundtrack for the documentary film 'Bird' with writer Adam Lively at HM Prison, Bedford.
The Braunarts project and the link with The British Museum has led to Rob's increased knowledge of the Roman Architect Vitruvius and the remarkable similarities (as regards function and possibly purpose) of the bronze resonating vessels placed in Roman theatres and his use of effects units in fixed spaces. This has led to a natural continuation of the 'evolving acoustic' ideas as well as simultaneous research into Greek and Roman music and architecture.
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