Trigger Place - A Game of Sound and Architecture

Matilde Meireles

"Play" was a project developed by Matilde Meireles and Diogo Alvim with the participation of experimental filmmaker Richard O'Sullivan. This multilayered performance was specially conceived for the annex of the Physical Education Centre at Queen's University Belfast, a building composed of several squash courts and an audience area. The project encompassed live music (a brass ensemble), electronics, video projections, and a live squash game, all affecting the perception of the site. This building became the main character of an immersive acoustic experience, where a game of squash was the starting point to explore ideas about architecture and place through sound. The squash courts were subject to acoustic processes extrapolated from two of Alvin Lucier's most important works—"Vespers" and "I am sitting in room". Also the floor markings were manipulated, as a reference to Edward Krasinski's obsession with a never-ending line. These extended beyond the performance space to reveal unexpected connections.

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Diogo Alvim studied architecture and composition in Lisbon, and has finished a PhD in Composition/ Sonic Arts at the Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queen's University Belfast, on the relations between music and architecture.

He has been presenting his work (both electronic and instrumental) in several events, of which: Gulbenkian Orchestra’s composers’ workshop (2008 and 2009), Festival Música Portuguesa Hoje 2008 (Orchestrutopica); Festival Synthèse 2009 (Bourges); ISMIR Conference 2012 in Porto; ICMC2012 (Ljubljana); Festival Musica Viva, (Lisbon, 2013); Notation in Contemporary Music Conference, Goldsmiths University (London, 2013), Sounding Cities - Invisible Places (Viseu, 2014), Belfast Festival (2014) and Sonorities Festival (2015).

He has been writing for dance and theatre and developing collaborations with other artists/performers such as Ricardo Jacinto, Inês Botelho, Matilde Meireles and Tânia Carvalho.

Matilde Meireles is a recordist and sound artist who makes use of field recordings to compose site-specific projects. Her works have been exhibited in Portugal, Spain, United Kingdom, Germany, Brazil, and Greece.

She has recently completed a PhD in Sound Art at the Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queen’s University Belfast, and is a Research Fellow in the Queen’s University Belfast project, Understanding the role of music and sound in conflict transformation: The Mozambique Case Study.

She also collaborates with Aidan Deery to form the field-recording duo bunú.

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