En écho explores the organic, animalistic, and almost erotic relationship that can form between a human voice and a machine viewed as an artificial sonic object. Two robotic arms attached to the body of soprano Clémence Martel constantly listen to her voice. They are controlled by an artificial intelligence algorithm trained on real-world gestures, allowing them to respond directly to the singer.
En Echo is a project by composer Philippe Manoury, in collaboration with Clémence Martel (soprano), Marion Mucciante (visual artist), Alexandro Rattoci (composer and sound designer), and Eric Le Bidan (head of the mechanical workshop at ENSEA).
His work consists of installations and performances that subvert new technologies to better examine their intrusion into our daily lives, their influence on our relationships with others, and, more broadly, to revisit the concept of the technological fantasy. He is also a co-founder (with artist Gaspard Delanoë) of the PFT, the Dadaist-Inspired Political Party.
Philippe Manoury, a composer and pioneer of electronic music, is self-taught despite his comprehensive musical training. He began his career at the age of 19 with his work Crypto-phonos. His passion for mathematical models led him to IRCAM in 1981, where he contributed to the development of MAX-MSP. He has composed innovative pieces that blend acoustic instruments with real-time electronic music.
He has also created orchestral works, violin concertos, and operas, including Kein Licht in 2017. As a professor, he has taught composition and led academic departments. He has also written several books on music.
In 2022, he celebrated his 70th birthday with numerous concerts. Throughout his career, he has received many awards, including the Prix de la Ville de Paris and the SACEM prize. He has been a member of the Berlin Academy of Arts since 2015.