Hassan Estakhrian
Composer | Performer | Songwriter | Music Technologist | Intermedia Artist | Producer
Work Samples
1) Sandbox Aquarium
1) Sandbox Aquarium
Sandbox Aquarium is an intermedia work that tells a story about a boy who becomes swept away into the sea and befriends sea critters. The piece has a web camera looking downward at a "sandbox" which has a piezo contact mic glued to the bottom to amplify its sound and be processed through a Max patch. Video processing happens live through Jitter. The main vocal part is sung by the performer who is also handling the toys and finger puppets. Additional pre-recorded audio is triggered through the max patch.
2) Butterflies in Disguise (2023)
Tracks:
1. Danger is Over
2. Up in the Sky
3. Susie You’re an Angel
4. Escape This Paradigm
5. Hints of Wonder
6. Rise and Shine
7. Don’t Pinch Me Now
8. Keep My Head
9. Good Memories
10. One in a Zillion
This album serves as an examination of our ever-growing dependency on technology, how the digital world brings about excessive noise and stifles room for wonder, and how we cope nostalgically, yearning for a simpler time. The title represents an interplay between nature and technology within the music, where acoustic elements become disguised by technology through digital transformation. The title references the opening lyric of the theme song from Reading Rainbow, an influential television show from my childhood. As part of the production process, I worked in the recording studio with musicians exploring various music production strategies such as live arranging, recording the outcome of musical games and structured improvisation, and placing musicians in custom designed virtual environments to influence musical responses. With the addition of many overdubs of vocals and multiple instruments from me and other musicians, the audio material was then digitally sculpted and transformed into an album of ten tracks.
3) PicTyourScore (pandemic edition) (2020)
PicTyourScore (pandemic edition) is a musical piece about listening, interpreting, and working collectively. This edition was created in response to the limitations of live performance during times when people could not perform in one physical location, although it can be performed in a traditional concert setting as well. The scorecards are adaptively displayed using a Max patch and operated by the PicTyourScore Certified Operator. The performers interpret the graphic scorecards in realtime as they are displayed on the screen in accordance to the instructions.
4) Corivade
Corivade is a piece for electric bass and electronics and is spatialized live using ambisonics. This piece has a hidden Wiimote controller affixed to the back the bass, controlling various parameters via its buttons and accelerometer. This becomes more evident toward the end of the piece.
5) Musickers of Our Time (short film excerpt)
Musickers of Our Time (live theatrical debut- full)
Now more than ever musickers must be at their absolute prime to compete in this saturated world of noisemakers. What you are about to witness is just a glimpse into the training process of these brave musical warriors.
Music, Words, and Story by Hassan Estakhrian
Musickers performed by Samantha Bounkeua, Nina Guo, Madison Greenstone, Max Murray, Weston Olencki, and Mattie Barbier.
Narrator, Jeremiah Miller