In conversation with Lawrence Casserley

We recently had the opportunity to meet up with Lawrence Casserley, a pioneer in the field of live electronics. What followed was an in depth discussion that offered many fascinating insights. Lawrence will be performing in a duo with Martin Hackett at the duck-rabbit EP launch on 12th December.

Lawrence Casserley (born UK, 1941) has devoted his professional career to real time electroacoustic music, and to the idea that live sound processing can be an instrument in its own right. In 1967 he became one of the first students in a new class in Electronic Music taught by Tristram Cary. Subsequently he became Cary's teaching assistant, then Professor-in-Charge of Studios and Adviser for Electroacoustic Music before taking early retirement in 1995 to pursue his performing career.

He is best known for his work in free improvised music, and has devised a special computer processing instrument for this work. He has worked with many of the finest improvisers, particularly Evan Parker, and is a key member of the Evan Parker Electro-Acoustic Ensemble. Casserley's instrumental approach to live computer sound processing is the hallmark of his work; the Signal Processing Instrument allows him to use physical gestures to control the processing and to direct the morphology of the sounds. This is the culmination of forty years of experience in the performance of live electronic music. He also works as a soloist, processing sounds from voice, percussion and self-made instruments. CDs have been released by ECM, Konnex, Leo Records, Psi, Sargasso and Touch.

duck-rabbit: 10th December 2015

In conversation with Lawrence Casserley

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