Symbiont is a work that plays with the idea of balancing opposites. The most obvious is the balance between a more acousmatic way of approaching sound and the sound worlds of drum ’n’ bass / electronica. There are also other oppositions taking place within the work between speed, dynamics, the way sounds, and the way sonic material is treated in different contexts. There are a number of ‘hidden’ quotations throughout the work, most notably from Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. These quotations highlight the images of life and death in the video by Miles Chalcraft that accompanies the work. Symbiont was inspired by the novels of William Gibson and the art works of HR Giger.

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Symbiont was realized in 2002 at the composer’s studio and in the studios of the Groupe de recherches musicales (Ina-GRM) in Paris (France). It was premiered on November 24, 2002 at the Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival (HCMF). It was commissioned by the HCMF, the Ina-GRM, and the Sonic Arts Network (SAN). The work was a finalist at the 30th Bourges International Electroacoustic Music Competition (France, 2003).

Premiere

• November 24, 2002, Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2002: Concert, Huddersfield (England, UK)