Since a couple of years Amber has been researching the sonic properties of second hand horn-speakers. Always in situ, challenging the acoustics of surrounding rooms or landscapes. The sounds she uses can be field recordings, sine waves or feedback in setups with various microphones. The sounds that come back, filtered through the materials, and sung back through the particular frequency range of the speakers, give interesting textures that interact with the architecture and fill up the space. Feedback becomes a sound that somehow already belongs to the space, only made audible by the devices.

During the residency in Q-O2, Amber will investigate how sounds that have been gathered along the way of this research can be distilled into a more performative format. How to use these sounds in a concert setup? What remains of them outside the space where they were born? Experiments with multi speaker setups and playing with spatialization could be interesting, as well as expanding her instrumentarium, using the Chromaplane, a new instrument by KOMA Electronic. The Chromaplane is played using two electromagnetic pickup coils, that are moved over its surface to listen to a cloud of electromagnetic fields that can be tuned separately.

Parallel to these experiments in sound and setup Amber is looking for ways to document her work. The ephemeral nature of installations requires ways to translate it into something more lasting. In what way can this research be made visible? Can graphic scores provide insight into the making process. How can this research be presented in a more independent form?

Amber Meulenijzer (°1994) is a sound artist from Belgium. With a background in sound and visual arts (RITCS Radio, 2016 | KASK Installation Art 2019) she researches the tension between these fields. Combining intuition and a general curiosity for the limits and flexibility of different materials, she creates work with theatrical, cinematograhic and poetic elements. The role of silence and the spectator are investigated, playing with presence / non-presence. Where does sound meet material? When does the ear guide the eye? What does the body need in order to hear? Who sings? Who listens?

She has made installations, audio pieces and performances in different contexts. The last years her research has been revolving around horn-speakers. A permanent sonic in situ investigation in situ, often resukting in performances or installations in public space. Saab Sculptures, a mobile installation on the roof of her car, has acted as a means for her to interact with different landscapes and contexts, allowing her to combine the role of performer with that of chauffeur, a double casquette she enjoys wearing. In 2023 Saab Fanfare came out on the label Edições, documenting a peformance with a brass band.