To Martine Blain

The primary visual imagery of the title (Bursts of Voices), the fragmentation of the voice into little shatters, is augmented by the connotation of anger — a child’s sudden anger which appears like a tornado, to disappear just as quickly. The voice is of an 11-year-old child who wholeheartedly joined in the game of recording dozens of sounds from the Dictionnaire des bruits by Jean-Claude Trait and Yvon Dulude. The work is divided into five sections which represent childhood ‘states’ and a corresponding sonorous parameter. These different sections are presented one after the other in concert, or separately when broadcast on radio.

Éclats de voix was realized in the composer’s studio and at the Groupe de recherches musicales (GRM) in Paris from recordings of the voice of Marie-Hélène Blain. It was premiered on September 26, 1991 in stereo by CKUT FM in Montréal. Éclats de voix was commissioned by CKUT with support from the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA). The piece was awarded the 1st prize by Jury and tied for the Public’s Prize at the 2nd Prix international Noroit-Léonce Petitot (Arras, France, 1991) and recorded on the compact disc Prix international Noroit-Léonce Petitot 1991 (NOR 2). It was also awarded a Mention at the Stockholm Electronic Arts Award Competition (Sweden, 1992), an Honorable Mention at the Prix Ars Electronica (Linz, Austria, 1993), and a 1st Mention at the Bourges International Electroacoustic Music Competition (France, 1993).

Premiere

• September 26, 1991, Concert, CKUT FM, Montréal (Québec)

Awards

• 1st prize, 2nd Noroit-Leonce Petitot International Prize 1991, Arras (Pas-de-Calais, France)
• Public prize ex æquo, 2nd Noroit-Leonce Petitot International Prize 1991, Arras (Pas-de-Calais, France)
• Mention, Stockholm Electronic Arts Award 1992, Stockholm (Sweden)
• First Mention, Studio Electroacoustic Music Prize, 21th Bourges International Electroacoustic Music Competition 1993, Bourges (Cher, France)
• Honorable Mention, Computer Music, Prix Ars Electronica 1993, Linz (Austria)
• Honorable Mention, Category A (fixed medium), Musica Nova 1994, Prague (Czech Republic)