Hi, I would like to submit a piece of mine called "Campi Instabili" to a call for acousmatic piece. I have to craft a 500-word limit abstract of the piece. I would like that the abstract will include a final part with my personal poetic view, while starting with a technical part that describe the setup and the main compositional and performative strategies. Notably, the piece has been written for S.T.ONE spherical loudspeaker arrays, a tetrahedral geometry arrays, such that for each face of a tetrahedron lies an independent loudspeakers. However, in this concert the organizers will do not S.T.ONE but Iko, an ikosahedral geometry spherical loudspeaker arrays. For this reason, instead of performing the original A-Format version I wrote originally, I created for this concert an experimental 3rd order Ambisonics version of the piece, that can be executed on this setup. Now I will provide you two distinct text. The first is in Italian, and are the poetic notes that I would like you translate and insert at the beginning of the text in quotes. Please translate it trying to keep the poetic essence and the poetry of these lines. Then, I will provide an article I wrote recently that explains some technical details about the piece. Before to craft the abstract, please provide me the list of topics you will include in the abstract.
~
Poetic text in Italian to translate:
...E se la corda fosse quella di un altoparlante, immobile nella sua quiete, dovremmo abbandonare i classici concetti di prossimità, vicinanza o lontananza, sinistra e destra, ed iniziare ad apprezzare i modi con cui questa vibra. Diversi da sala a sala, da punto a punto, da ascolto ad ascolto. E così, in questo danzare di onde, come sul crinale esposto di una montagna, in cui solo il piede distingue ciò che è stabile da ciò che non lo è, le vibrazioni creano punto contro punto campi sonori, che l'orecchio mira ad ascoltare.
~
Article from which to take technical ideas:
Integrating Spaces: Harnessing Tetrahedral Geometry in Spherical Loudspeaker Arrays for Bespoke Granular Synthesis

Abstract. This study introduces Campi Instabili, a pioneering exploration into sound synthesis that seamlessly integrates tetrahedral geometry within spherical loudspeaker arrays to transcend traditional auditory experiences. Leveraging a custom-developed granular synthesis technique executed through novel C++ software, this project redefines the dynamic interaction between sound production and spatial acoustics. Each performance is uniquely adapted to its environment through a live, pre-performance tuning process, enabling the alignment of the composition with the specific acoustic characteristics of the venue. This approach not only challenges conventional paradigms in sound synthesis but also reimagines the role of performers in acousmatic music, who actively engage as listeners and tuning agents within the performance space. The resulting compositions offer a tailored auditory experience that invites new avenues for creative expression and interaction in music technology and spatial audio design.

1 Introduction
In the evolving landscape of music technology, where technological advancements incessantly reshape creative practices, Campi Instabili pioneers a novel exploration that incorporates tetrahedral geometry within spherical loudspeaker arrays to challenge and enhance spatial auditory experiences. This project not only pushes the boundaries of conventional sound synthesis but integrates granular synthesis technique and spatial audio design to optimize acoustic interactions within varied performance spaces.

The introduction of a custom-developed C++ software bridges technological ingenuity with artistic inquiry, enabling a bespoke synthesization process that tailors soundscapes dynamically to the acoustical properties of each performance location. This shifts the conventional role of performers in acousmatic music to active participants who respond and adjust to their sonic environment, facilitating an immersive and adaptive auditory experience.

2 Conceptual Background and Theoretical Underpinnings
Campi Instabili is grounded in a speculative approach to sound synthesis that integrates computational technology with spacious audio design to explore new auditory experiences. This project not only redefines traditional compositional methodologies but also utilizes technology in ways that heighten the interactive experience between the sound and the space.

2.1 Speculative Sound Synthesis


The project challenges traditional sound synthesis paradigms by adopting a dynamic, responsive approach, where synthesis is not just a matter of sound generation but also a tool for spatial interaction and exploration. This approach leverages granular synthesis to manipulate sound textures and timbres dynamically, adjusted site-specifically according to the acoustical properties of the performance space. This method exemplifies how technological advancements can transform creative sound practices.

2.2 Interdisciplinary Integration

By integrating principles from acoustics and psychoacoustics, the project does not strictly focus on the technology of sound but also deeply considers how sound is perceived in different spatial configurations. The use of a bespoke spherical loudspeaker array, based on tetrahedral geometry, challenges the listener’s usual passive experience by actively reshaping soundscapes according to their movement and location within the space.

2.3 Reimagining Musical Composition

This project treats musical composition as a choreographic, adaptable interaction between hardware and the composer’s intent, where the final output is uniquely sensitive to its performed environment. Giorgio Netti and Agostino Di Scipio’s influences are evident as they promote the idea of sound not just filling space but interacting with it. Incorporating these theoretical insights ensures that Campi Instabili extends beyond a technical demonstration to pose important questions about the role and definition of musical composition in contemporary practices.
2.4 Contemporary Music Influences
Campi Instabili draws from a diverse array of influential composers who have each challenged conventional boundaries of musical composition and performance. For instance, Giorgio Netti’s exploration of the instrument as a tool to investigate space directly informs our approach to understanding and utilizing loudspeakers as active components that interact with their environment. Similarly, Gerard Grisey’s technique, particularly evident during a rehearsal at Villa Medici, where he adjusted the performance tempo of “Les espaces acoustiques” to accommodate the room’s reverberance, is mirrored in our method of pre-performance tuning to align the composition with the unique acoustics of each venue.

The project also encapsulates Agostino Di Scipio’s ideas of “Audible Ecosystemics”, which emphasize live electronic setups that evolve based on their interactions with the surrounding environment. This aligns with our use of site-specific, adaptive sound technology systems. Additionally, following John Cage’s philosophies that challenge preconceived notions of musical performance spaces and audience engagement, Campi Instabili promotes a dynamic interaction between the performance and the audience, each influencing the other.

Under Michelangelo Lupone’s guidance, particularly through his works like “Canto di Madre”, which utilize complex sound structures and advanded granular synthesis technique, Campi Instabili adopts a granular approach to synthesis that respects and responds to spatial characteristics, pushing the boundaries of traditional sound synthesis methods.
3 Design and Development

The design of Campi Instabili combines innovative sound synthesis techniques with custom-built hardware to optimize interactions within various performance spaces.

3.1 Hardware Integration

The S.T.One loudspeaker system utilizes a unique tetrahedral arrangement to maximize spatial sound dispersion, crucial for the immersive auditory experiences intended in this project. This setup allows precise control over sound placement and movement, essential for exploring spatial dynamics effectively.

3.2 Custom Granular Synthesis Development

At the core of the project is a specifically developed granular synthesis engine that integrates seamlessly with the spherical loudspeaker setup. This setup manipulates sound grains to construct complex auditory landscapes that respond dynamically to the immediate acoustic environment, showcasing a practical application of theoretical concepts in real-world settings.

3.3 Software Architecture

Utilizing object-oriented programming, the custom software architecture supports flexible, intuitive manipulation of sound parameters, proving essential for live performance adaptability. This setup not only reflects advanced programming practices but also the practical necessities of site-specific sound art performance.

3.4 Integrating the Listening Environment

The system’s design considers the unique acoustic properties of performance spaces, enabling pre-performance calibrations that fine-tune auditory outputs to specific environments. This feature situates the project within practical applications, ensuring that each performance is optimized for its specific location.

4 Aesthetic Consideration
The aesthetic framework of Campi Instabili centers on exploring new modalities of listening and comprehension within a space influenced by sound technology. This involves a critical engagement with sonic material, spatial characteristics of the environment, and the perceptual faculties of the audience.


4.1 Redefining Spatial Perception

The spatial arrangement in Campi Instabili invites the audience to experience sound as a choreographic, immersive environment rather than emanating from a localized source. This outer-radiating setup enhances the uncertainty between source and reflection, prompting listeners to navigate the space through auditory cues.

4.2 Sound Materiality and Synthesis

Using purely synthetic sine waves, the sound design focuses on the clarity and purity of tones, highlighting micro-variations that inform the spatial character of the sound. This approach emphasizes textural possibilities and the gestalt phenomena arising from microscopic sonic changes.

4.3 Interactive Composition and Performance

The integration of room acoustics into performance redefines the roles of composer and performer, advocating for a participatory role for performers akin to that of instrumentalists. This transforms the performance into a dynamic interaction between human and computational processes, where both are integral in shaping the auditory experience.

4.4 Audience as Part of the Performance Ecology

Each listener’s unique position within the space suggests a non-dominant acoustic field view, emphasizing an egalitarian approach to auditory experiences. This dynamic engagement encourages continuous renegotiation of auditory perspectives, actively constructing individual auditory experiences through movement and attention.

4.5 Challenging Conventional Aesthetic Experience

By merging sound art with technology, Campi Instabili questions traditional musical performance boundaries, engaging critically with the influence of technology on cultural perceptions of sound and space.
5 Analysis and Discussion
Campi Instabili manifests an innovative integration of computational sound design and site-specific acoustic adaptation, demonstrating how advanced technology can be harmoniously embedded in artistic practices. This project serves as a case study in utilizing speculative art to push the envelope in digital music performance, emphasizing the continuity between roles of composer, performer, and technology in creating immersive auditory experiences.

5.1 Technology and Space: A Symbiotic Relationship

The project exemplifies how spatial characteristics can actively shape and be shaped by computational sound technologies, illustrating a symbiotic relationship that enhances and personalizes the listener’s experience.

5.2 Rethinking Compositional Practice

Reflecting on the speculative nature of the composition, this intervention in traditional music making reveals new pathways for artistic expression where variability and adaptability become central elements.

5.3 Broader Implications

Ultimately, Campi Instabili not only challenges conventional auditory experiences but also encourages a broader discourse on the role of computational technologies in the future of sound art and music performances, suggesting possibilities for further interdisciplinary studies.