About the piece

0r161N was inspired by the imaginative intersection of biology and technology. I translated the beginning of Darwin’s “Origin of Species” into binary code, and then spliced it into patterns which were translated into musical material. I began with a simple pattern, 0 = G, 1 = A, and slowly introduced mutations and errors that cause the music to grow and change into something utterly unrecognizable. Occasionally, I also spliced (cut) and replicated sections where I felt artistic need. This process was not one of direct translation — far from it, for as we know biology is a messy business. Rather, it was one of evolution, guided by chance and artistic instinct.

Listen

Michal Rosiak, flute, Creative Symbiosis: final doctoral recital, October 2016

Instrumentation

solo flute with optional tape track

Duration

2 minutes 45 seconds

year written

2016

commissioned by

Michal Rosiak

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