Installation XL - audiovisual explorations in the field of orchestral music

The original idea for the installation emerged during the first discussions surrounding the 200th anniversary of the Royal Conservatoire The Hague. As the Art of Sound department had also recently celebrated its own milestone anniversary, 40 years, the concept arose to create an installation that would showcase the full spectrum of what the department represents and is capable of achieving.

At its core lies the craft of recording: a carefully considered and highly skilled process, grounded in musicality and acoustics, resulting in a rich and immersive sonic experience. The next stage involves the transformation of this material, guiding the listener through an entirely different auditory landscape in which the existing music evolves into sound that moves, distorts, and at times even appears to freeze. The final stage is its presentation within a public space through a fully immersive multi-channel installation.

In order to realise this ambitious vision, two exceptionally natural partners joined the project. The Residentie Orkest generously opened its doors to collaboration, alongside the visual artists of the Interactive Media Design department at the Royal Academy of Art, The Hague. What followed was a fascinating collaboration, beginning with an introduction to the acoustic world surrounding the orchestra and developing into an extensive creative process in which students and tutors together shaped a series of audiovisual concepts.

The result, presented at the Kunstplein, is a fully enveloping experience in which image and sound are seamlessly intertwined.

The musical inspiration for the installation is An American in Paris, written in 1928 by the American composer George Gershwin. Vivid, atmospheric and highly cinematic, the work perfectly complements the sensory world conveyed through the installation.