Dr Andy Keep

Personal Statement

Personal Statement

Senior Lecturer: Creative Music Technology. School of Music and Performing Arts.

PhD Bath Spa University/UWE

BA(Hons) Dartington College of Arts

Personal Statement:

My musical activities have evolved through an immense amount of diversity over the last twenty years. In the last five years my professional practice, teaching, and research have moved away from studio production and the role of instrumentalist into 'live electronics' performance, composition, and the teaching of fluid and innovative approaches to technology in the sonic arts.

Performances and collaborations in Live Electronics have included accompanying moving image with Liz Purnell in 'Electric Water', contributing to the Resonance Radio Orchestra, collaborating with Knut Aufermann, John Richards, John Butcher, Steve Beresford, Alfredo Genovasi, headlining the LMC 2004 'Resonance Radio' celebrations in the Conway Hall, and collaborating with Joseph Hyde and Barry Moon in a live electronic score for 'Aliata, Queen of Mars' commissioned by Bath Film Festival.

Previous activities as a multi instrumentalist, composer, producer, signed artist and jazz musician have included -

•Performing alongside David Bryne on North Indian Tabla for the Jools Holland show

•Jazz and funk gigs as a bassist with numerous instrumentalists, including James Brown horn man Pee Wee Ellis

•Being signed to EMI as part of UK experimental trip-hop act Earthling - numerous record and CD releases, European tour work, festivals, television and radio appearances

•Releasing an array recordings, productions and remixes as Ming, Edison, and Andy Keep

•Jazz bandleader, performer, and composer on electric and upright bass for projects such as Code Red and the 17 piece Ultrasound

•Musical Director for the live performance work of many bands including Bath Spa's experimental electronics and laptop ensemble 'Behaviour' through to the Virgin signed rock act 'Sunna'

•Composing music for BBC, Channel 4 and a variety of dance companies. This included extensive European tour work and residencies with Man Act physical theatre company.

Membership of Professional Bodies/Subject Associations:

Fellow of the Higher Education Academy

Writer member of Performing Rights Society / MCPS

Sonic Arts Network (RIP) (On Board of Directors 2006-8, as Chair 2007-8, Steering Committee member for ACE THRIVE funded Sound And Music (SAM) merger project 2007-8)

London Musicians' Collective (RIP)

Teaching Specialism:

Innovative teaching and learning approaches to

• Sonic Performance - founder and director of Bath Spa's large scale BEHAVIOUR ensemble

• Composition - a phenomenological approach to composing with sounding objects

• Audio EditingTechniques - classic and 'post digital' approaches

• Studio Production - modern techniques and aesthetics

Key Publications/Exhibitions/Performances:

Performer of experimental ‘live electronic’ music since 2000 – present. Performances have included Bath Film Festival commission, Colston Hall Bristol, Zaal 100 and OT301 Amsterdam, Rumor Festival Utrecht, Spike Island Bristol, Watershed Media Centre Bristol, Cube Cinema Bristol, LMC Festival London, Submerge Festival, OffLoad Festival, Foldback Festival Shoreditch, Concert and Research series’ at University of Bristol, De Montfort University, Bath Spa University, ICIA University of Bath

• 'Instrumentalizing: Approaches to improvising with sounding objects in experimental music'. in James Saunders (Ed.), The Ashgate Companion to Experimental Music. Aldershot: Ashgate, 2009

• 'Audio Y connectors: My secret to instant Guerrilla Oscillators, Raw Synthesis, and Dirty Cross Modulations' Leonardo Music Journal 17 'My favourite things: the joy of the gizmo', December 2007

• 'Behaviour - Teaching Electroacoustic Improvisation through Referent Strategies' Improvisation Continuums Conference, University of Glamorgan, April 2007

• ‘My laptop colony: colony in my laptop’. Accompanying audio to ‘Handmade Electronic Music: The art of Hardware Hacking’ by Nicolas Collins, Routledge 2006. Also included on Sonic Arts Network CD release ‘Silence’ 2004

• ‘Does Creative Abuse Drive Developments in Music Production?’ Paper presentation. Art of Production Conference, University of Westminster October 2005

• ‘All music technology is equal, but some is more equal than others’ Presentation PALATINE conference ‘Taming the Beast ‘ June 2004

• Ming - 'Red' album 2004 (ZYX Germany). 'Wait' 12" 2001, 'Red' album 2000, 'Out For Fame' comp 2000, 'Angels' EP 1999 (Hombre' Records UK/Japan)

• Edison - 'Dumbec' EP 1998, 'Silver Top Collection' 1997 (Cup of Tea Records). ‘Cream of Trip Hop' 1996 (Pinnacle)

• Ultrasound - 'Critical Moments' album 1999 (ASC Records). 'North Utsire South Utsire' album 1996 (South West Arts)

• Earthling - 'Blood Music' EP 1996, Album 'Radar' 1995 (Chrysalis/EMI). Various singles, remix work, and compilation album tracks (e.g. 'Macro Dub Infection' (Virgin)). Second album 'Human Dust' recorded 1996/7, released 2006 (Discograph)

• 1985 - 1995 : BBC '10 x 10', C4 'Broke' series. Various theatre and dance work score commissions (inc. South West Arts, Edinburgh Festival)

Current Scholarship:

PhD 2003-2007. The practice led research, entitled 'Responsive performance strategies with electronic feedback: shaping intrinsic behaviours', contributes to the field of live electronics and sonic art activity by mapping out a phenomenological model of intrinsic sonic behavioural states found in audible electronic feedback systems, offering a range of performative strategies to influence and impose upon them. Over the last few years various concerts have been given in London and the South West as a solo artist and in collaboration with many key figures in live electronics and improvisation. The finished thesis included a portfolio of documented performances.

There have been a number of direct influences on my teaching practice resulting from research activities. The primary one being the design of the year 3 Sonic Performance pathway on the BA Creative Music Technology program. The resulting BEHAVIOUR ensemble culminates in public performances each year at venues such as the Watershed Media Centre Bristol, Michael Tippett Centre in Bath, Cube Microplex Bristol, and the Sonic Arts Network EXPO2006 in Manchester and 2007 in Plymouth. In both 2008 and 2009 Bath International Music Festival, 2010 Arnolfini Bristol, and 2011 Spike Island gallery Bristol.

Another key area within the practical research is the aesthetic and sonic results of 'creative abuse' in both electronic and digital technologies. This has led to the design of a Digital Audio Techniques MT5004 module for year 2 of the BA program, and a presentation at the Art of Production conference at University of Westminster in September 2005.