Performers plug themselves in to create live art

Performers plug themselves in to create live art. Musicians, magicians, puppeteers, dancers and computer gamers will be demonstrating some of the latest ideas and developments in performance technologies at a major conference at the University of Sussex. The International Conference on Live Interfaces ('interface' here implies the tools, equipment or instruments used by performers to create their art and connect with their audience) takes place at the Attenborough Centre for the Creative Arts from 29 June to 3 July, with many events open to the public. Performances, pop-up events and installations in the studio spaces at the Attenborough Centre include Sussex PhD student Daniel Hignell's film of Saturday night revellers in Brighton singing the chorus of Harry Nilsson's classic pop song, 'Without You', and a dance performance, ' Flutter/Stutter' , which involves choreographing performers' movements by sending electrical signals to technology embedded within their garments. There will also be workshops for musicians to compose music on two new musical instruments - the halldorophone , which is an electro-acoustic stringed instrument similar to a cello, and the magnetic resonator piano , which uses electro-magnets mounted above the strings of a piano to create new sounds. The pieces created over the two days by composers and performers will be performed at the opening event. Other performances are taking place in the Meeting House on campus, such as a 'thranophone and trumpet duet', and at venues in Brighton, including an 'algorave' (music generated from 'live coding' algorithms).