SIP - SoundLAB Interview Project

Soriano, Sarah

Sarah L. Soriano
US artist

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biography

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Interview: 10 question

1. When did you start making music, what is/was your motivation to do it?
I’ve been playing music since I was eight years old. I enjoyed playing any instrument I could get my hands on. I was a serious oboe player for 12 years until I became focused on art. But music is still an important medium to explore in my work as it brings another dynamic and relevance to a significant part of my life.

2. Tell me something about your living environment and the musical education.
I studied music education as an undergraduate but was later drawn to art, which I continued to study through graduate school. Currently I am a full time artist. I attempt to maintain close relationships with other artists and musicians that influences my work and conceptual development.

3. Is making music your profession? What is the context in which you practice music nowadays?
I consider making sound art as part of an artistic outlet. I do not necessary aim to make solely sound-art, music, or any other type of art. I am very interested in exploring may types of mediums that effectively supports a concept that I am interested in.

4. How do you compose or create music or sound? Have you certain principles, use certain styles etc?
I do not have certain principles for creating music or sound. I try to explore many different methods of composing as I believe experimenting with your work can lead to a much richer experience. Sometimes I record sound and search for patterns, sketch the composition with traditional or nontraditional composition methods, or experiment with new applications and methods and hope that the unexpected will bring interesting results.

5. Tell me something about the instruments, technical equipment or tools you use?
Currently, I mostly use field recordings as the main compositional element.

6. What are the chances of New Media for the music production in general and you personally?
New Media and music has definitely merged as a method of visualizing data, using networks to generate interesting compositions, assists in exploring global social and cultural issues, and investigates methods of communication.

7. How about producing and financing your musical productions?
Sustaining your work is always a challenge. But you find any way possibly to support your passion through grants, jobs, teaching, community involvement, etc.

8. Do you work individually as a musician/sound-artist or in a group or collaborative? If you have experience in both, what is the difference, what do you prefer?
I usually work individually. However, my experiences working collaboratively has always been a challenge and wonderful experience. I enjoy working with anyone who is motivated and excited about making interesting work. I think it is important that, as an artist, you do not make artwork in a vacuum.

9. Is there any group, composer, style or movement which has a lasting influence on making music?
This list is very long, but a few influences are:
Janet Cardiff
Philip Glass
Carston Nicolai
Pauline Oliveros
Max Neuhaus

10. What are your future plans or dreams as a soundartist or musician?
My work will defiantly consists of creating additional sound works. Sound is an important element to generate a sense of space, location, mood, and awareness that I will continue to explore in the future.

Add a brief bio of yours (no longer than 300 words)

By exploring the unfamiliar I continue to challenge myself and discover new technology, new ideas, and new mediums. My tendency to step out of my comfort zone has helped me gain a better understanding of my strengths, to rediscover my weaknesses, and has helped me evolve as an artist.

Can works of yours experienced online besides on SoundLAB? Where?
http://www.sarahlayne.com

List some links & resources
http://www.rhizome.org/
http://www.transartists.nl/
http://www.jooyounpaek.com/about.html
http://www.cs.cmu.edu/~johnny/projects/wii/