Residency E: Object Performance

Description

How do sound, physical material, and movement fuse together in performance? What kinds of artistic practices and dramaturgy emerge from a unified sense of physical and sonic presence? The Object Performance residency supports an emerging, transdisciplinary field of artistic research bridging (post-)instrumental composition and performance, material theatre, spatial audio, and instrument design. We welcome applications from practitioners across all backgrounds working on the synthesis of sound and spatial performance practices. 

Possible thematic areas include, but are not limited to:

  • Puppetry/object theatre-based instrument design.
  • Tabletop object performance in sound practices.
  • Live-cinema projects overlapping performance with video and audio projection.
  • Intermedial performance systems, investigating interaction of performers, scenography, architectural and sonic spaces.
  • Projects linking visual/physical form and movement with sound and spatial audio.
  • Studies on the spatial/sonic experience of physical material.
  • Use of computer vision and/or motion capture systems to map object shape and movement to sound synthesis.
Rama Gottfried: Scenes from the Plastisphere. Photo: Stefan Prins

Course of the Residency

The residency is intended for individual artists and has a maximum duration of three weeks (21 days). A planning session will be offered in advance to support the artist in developing a work plan.

Technical Resources & Environment

The Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) provides a specialised, studio-based environment for research and artistic production at the intersection of sound, movement, and physical interaction. Our resources are designed to support fluid, sympathetic relationships between technical systems and physical materials.

Available technologies and expertise for this residency include:

  • Motion capture (3D) and computer-vision (2D) frameworks for connecting the movement, orientation, and spatial gestures of physical materials with responsive sound environments.
  • Electronics workshop for sensor work.
  • Custom software tools for computer vision, motion tracking, and mapping tracking data.
  • For projects exploring spatial dimensions, the residency offers access to high-density Wave Field Synthesis (WFS) and Higher Order Ambisonic (HOA) arrays.

Note: Self-built objects, puppets, or sculptural elements are highly encouraged, but any physical fabrication must be planned or completed prior to the residency. The three-week period at ICST is designed for artistic research, mapping, system integration, and rehearsal.

Support

Rama Gottfried and Sébastien Schiesser will be available to answer technical questions throughout the residency. However resident artists should be able to work independently on their proposed project.

Performance

If there is mutual interest, efforts will be made to present and discuss the results of the residencies in a public performance or an artist talk at the ICST.

Conditions, Application & Selection Process

Applications for the Artists in Residence at ICST program must be submitted using the online form.

The deadline for applications is 1 September 2026 at 24:00h CET. Candidates will be notified during the second half of October 2026. The residencies will be awarded by a jury consisting of ICST researchers and project leaders.

Please upload the following documents:

  • Concept sketch, composition idea or project draft (PDF, 2 pages and 10 MB max.)
  • Portfolio containing three selected works relevant to the residency topic, including links to external media (audio & video) (PDF, 2 pages and 10 MB max.)
  • CV in tabular form containing information on education and career (PDF, 1 page and 10 MB max.)

The selected candidates will be notified by email. Together with the notification, they receive the forms required for an invitation to Switzerland and are kindly asked to confirm their participation and return the filled-out forms within 10 days. If the period of 10 days is not observed, the ICST can withdraw the invitation.

The exact dates for the residencies will be defined individually.

The residencies include the use of facilities and technical infrastructure as specified in the thematic descriptions, as well as technical support by ICST research staff.

Participants will receive a contribution to their expenses for travel to Zurich (up to CHF 300 for persons living in Europe, up to CHF 500 for persons living outside Europe), as well as a per diem of CHF 180 to cover meals and accommodation in Zurich during the residency. Participants organize their own travel and accommodation in Zurich, with ICST providing assistance if required.