Wired have covered the following story about Alexis’ collaboration (http://www.wired.co.uk/news/archive/2013-11/13/south-pole-expedition-music)
Composing Music solo on the way to the Pole
Plymouth University’s Explorer-in-residence Antony Jinman (pictured) is taking an iPad-mini on his solo expedition to South Pole in November 2013, to control aerial camera drones. When Plymouth University composer Dr Alexis Kirke heard about this, he teamed up with Antony for a unique opportunity. During the solo Antarctic ski, Antony will also take time to use his iPad to compose music using special apps chosen by Alexis that allow non-musicians to express themselves musically and compose. These sessions will all be recorded and brought back by Antony so that he and Alexis can collaborate on a final combined composition documenting the journey, which will be performed at a showing of a film about Antony’s hi-tech expedition. Dr Kirke also wants to gain insight into how composing will help the physically isolated and stressed explorer to regulate and express his emotional state. It is hoped this may lay the groundwork for an investigation into new ways for non-musicians in isolated or stressed situations to using computer music creation for self-therapy purposes.
A solo expedition to the South Pole is something that usually requires years of experience and training. So there are not many solo Antarctic explorers around who are also composers. However the Apple iPad’s touchscreen and graphics have inspired music programmers around the world to come up with tools which can enable almost anyone to compose such as Aeolian Harp (background of main picture), Aquasonic and Nodebeat. Just put on your headphones, unlock your iPad, gently move your finger around or tap the screen, and you are instantly in a beautiful world of self-made improvisational sounds and music, responding to your touch.
Plymouth University composer Alexis Kirke – a member of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research – became familiar with the iPad as a musical instrument when he formed the piTrio (Plymouth iPad Trio) who first performed at Peninsula Arts Contemporary Music Festival 2012. “I was inspired to do so by the astonishing music apps which were becoming available,” says Alexis. Antony Jinman was recently appointed Explorer-in-Residence at Plymouth University and when Alexis heard that Antony was taking an iPad-mini on his solo 730 mile ski to South Pole, it wasn’t long before Alexis proposed an idea to Antony.
“I was immediately taken by the idea,” says Antony. “I am taking the iPad-mini primarily to control some flying camera drones which will film me throughout my journey to the South Pole. I always listen to music on my expeditions to keep me motivated, and the South Pole project will be no different, but it will be a really interesting experience to compose my own music during the expedition too!”
Says Alexis, who is also composer-in-residence at Plymouth University Marine Institute: “Conditions on the way to the South Pole are arduous and isolating. Towards the end of the trek Antony will be travelling many many hours between sleep, losing a sense of day and night, and often in white-out conditions. The fact he can communicate by satellite does not change the overall isolation and danger of such an expedition, and its physical and emotional impact on the explorer. I am hoping that his creation of compositional snapshots by computer will both be a record of Antony’s emotions over the 730 miles, as well as a source of comfort for him alone in one of the most isolated places on earth. I look forward to watching his progress on the internet, and then listening to its musical expression when he returns. I’m sure that together he and I can compose a unique performance for people who wish to further engage with this extraordinary feat of physical and mental endurance.”
Antony Jinman’s 730 mile solo ski to the South Pole starts on November 23rd 2013 with 200 schools signed up to follow him and ask him questions online. His sponsors include Plymouth University and Parrot, a French company that makes the drones. Antony is explorer-in-residence at Plymouth University, and founder and CEO of Education through Expeditions. His websites can be found at www.antonyjinman.com and www.etehome.org Alexis Kirke is a Permanent Research Fellow in Computer Music at the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research at Plymouth University, and Composer-in-residence for Plymouth Marine Institute. His website can be found at www.alexiskirke.com Alexis’ collaboration with Antony is supported by the Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research, Plymouth University Marine Institute, Peninsula Arts and Plymouth University Dementia Group.