Almost Human: The Study of Physical Processes and the Performance of a Prosthetic Digital Spine

Almost Human is an investigation of interdisciplinary performance through music that looks to the self to try to further understand subjective performance practices in expression, gesture and sonic output. This text presents experimental methods of examining and creating music through kinaesthetic and electronic-assisted means within instrumental, dance and interactive works. The extraction of affective, performative and sonic properties from these works aids in unlocking the relationship between the choreographic, physical and conceptual object.
The first part of the text explores and illustrates multimodal approaches to analysing, capturing, measuring and archiving the moving musician and dancer in an assortment of performative settings. It focuses on a series of works for solo cello, as well as interdisciplinary pieces which positions movement and embodied expressivity at the forefront of the discussion.
The second part is dedicated to the aesthetic, conceptual and utilitarian content of a new interactive work for cellist/mover, and a prosthetic digital spine. Here, relationships are combined to showcase the permeability of the body, as well as its expressive content. The conceptual object, The Spine, serves as a generator to help expand musical and artistic possibilities. Its inclusion in the work aids in refocusing my relationship to movement and sound for creation and performance, but also aesthetically, it adds to the growing canon of experimental ventures in conceptualising expressivity.
Beyond the text, the portfolio of Almost Human includes an auditory and visual chronicle of the process between the years 2012-14, which is used to assist the reader in further understanding the performative practice and findings.