Solo Trombone Improvisations</h1> <article> <h1>Solo Trombone Improvisations</h1> <p>Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▦</span>media</div><div><time>October 1, 2025</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/trombone/"> [trombone] </a><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/electronics/"> [electronics] </a></div></div><div><div><div><a href="https://1039records.bandcamp.com/album/solo-trombone-improvisations">solo trombone improvisations by Kalun Leung</a></div></div></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Saint Laurent (2022) Conversations with Space and Architecture</h1> <p>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▦</span>media</div><div><time>September 29, 2025</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/mubone/"> [mubone] </a></div></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Fall 2025</h1> <p>Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▉</span>news</div><div><time>September 18, 2025</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/residency/"> [residency] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p>I continue my half-year residency at <a href="https://perte-de-signal.org/" target="_blank">Perte de Signal</a> in Montréal and will have the chance to get some mentorship time with some of their incredible community artists working at the intersection of sound, image, and performance. It's my goal this year to develop a studio practice and I've made it a mission to put some time into my installative curiousities through Ambient Parade and the mubone. If you know someone I should reach out to for help please let me know.</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>August 2025</h1> <p>Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▉</span>news</div><div><time>August 15, 2025</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/residency/"> [residency] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p>ék is heading to our final creation residency for our show Pouet! A 30-min new music show for families with a special focus on children. Our show combines mime, foley, and clown, featuring two friends discovering the world of sound and how it relates to music. We will debut the project in September in Montréal, so stay tuned by following us on IG <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ek_ekmailluine/" target="_blank">@ek_emailluine</a>.</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Conversations with Space and Architecture</h1> <p>Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>May 15, 2025</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/mubone/"> [mubone] </a></div></div><div><div><div><p>The core performance research team for <em>Conversations with Space and Architecture</em> (CSA) consists of Kalun Leung, Travis West, Kirsten Voss, and Sara Nigard Rosendal.</p><p>The original concept emerged from the <em>mubone</em>—a spatial performance technology and compositional approach co-created by Canadian trombonist-composer Kalun Leung and digital luthier Travis West. Since its beginnings in 2018, the <em>mubone</em> has continually evolved—initially conceived as a way of augmenting the trombone and interrogating its affordances when treated as an object or material rather than solely as an instrument. This inquiry led to the idea of using the trombone as a large pointing device, enabling the tracking of directional movement. In CSA, this pointing becomes a kind of digital paintbrush or spatial cursor—planting and retrieving sounds within a virtual sound field.</p><p>Kalun and Denmark-based creative producer and vocalist Kirsten Voss met during the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme (BPYAP), a year-long series of residencies led by The House of Bedlam and Larry Goves. Kirsten became one of the first artists outside Kalun to perform with the <em>mubone</em>, presenting an early “vision-less” iteration of CSA at the 75th Aldeburgh Festival, where she activated a Victorian barley kiln using only sound and motion, without any visual component.</p><p>Development of the visual system began shortly afterward in Montreal, at Perte de Signal, where Kalun and Travis prototyped a mobile projection mapping system capable of visually rendering sonic gestures onto architectural surfaces in real time. This system was later integrated into a new iteration of CSA in Copenhagen in 2025, through the efforts of Kirsten and her production company Tonalteatret. There, Denmark-based percussionist Sara Nigard Rosendal joined the project. The group spent several days in residence at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, culminating in a site-responsive performance at Basement, a decommissioned boiler room in Copenhagen’s west end.</p><p>Since 2025, Kalun, Travis, Kirsten, and Sara have formed the core international research team behind CSA, with members based in Canada and Denmark. Together, they continue to evolve the technology and performance practice in dialogue with each site, deepening the project’s commitment to collaboration across disciplines, geographies, and architectures.</p></div><div><div><div> This project uses the mubone. <p>Kalun Leung - Concept</p><p>Travis West - Artist-Technician</p><p><strong>Past Performances:</strong></p><p><em>Tonalteatret presents:</em><em>CSA Copenhagen, DK (2025) with Kirsten Voss & Sara Nigard Rosendal</em></p><p><em>CSA Snape Maltings, UK (2024)</em></p><p><em>Controlled Chaotic #4, Chaospace: CSA Chinatown, NY, US (2024)</em></p></div></div></div></div><h3><strong>Project History and Biography</strong></h3><figure><div></div><figcaption>Group photo by <a href="http://www.spektrals.dk/" target="_blank">www.spektrals.dk</a></figcaption></figure><p>The core performance research team for <em>Conversations with Space and Architecture</em> (CSA) consists of Kalun Leung, Travis West, Kirsten Voss, and Sara Nigard Rosendal.</p><p>The original concept emerged from the <em>mubone</em>—a spatial performance technology and compositional approach co-created by Canadian trombonist-composer Kalun Leung and digital luthier Travis West. Since its beginnings in 2018, the <em>mubone</em> has continually evolved—initially conceived as a way of augmenting the trombone and interrogating its affordances when treated as an object or material rather than solely as an instrument. This inquiry led to the idea of using the trombone as a large pointing device, enabling the tracking of directional movement. In CSA, this pointing becomes a kind of digital paintbrush or spatial cursor—planting and retrieving sounds within a virtual sound field.</p><p>Kalun and Denmark-based creative producer and vocalist Kirsten Voss met during the Britten-Pears Young Artist Programme (BPYAP), a year-long series of residencies led by The House of Bedlam and Larry Goves. Kirsten became one of the first artists outside Kalun to perform with the <em>mubone</em>, presenting an early “vision-less” iteration of CSA at the 75th Aldeburgh Festival, where she activated a Victorian barley kiln using only sound and motion, without any visual component.</p><p>Development of the visual system began shortly afterward in Montreal, at Perte de Signal, where Kalun and Travis prototyped a mobile projection mapping system capable of visually rendering sonic gestures onto architectural surfaces in real time. This system was later integrated into a new iteration of CSA in Copenhagen in 2025, through the efforts of Kirsten and her production company Tonalteatret. There, Denmark-based percussionist Sara Nigard Rosendal joined the project. The group spent several days in residence at the Rhythmic Music Conservatory, culminating in a site-responsive performance at Basement, a decommissioned boiler room in Copenhagen’s west end.</p><p>Since 2025, Kalun, Travis, Kirsten, and Sara have formed the core international research team behind CSA, with members based in Canada and Denmark. Together, they continue to evolve the technology and performance practice in dialogue with each site, deepening the project’s commitment to collaboration across disciplines, geographies, and architectures.</p><h3>Documentation</h3><p>CSA Denmark, May 2025, Video stills from <a href="http://www.spektrals.dk/" target="_blank">www.spektrals.dk</a></p><div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p>CSA Kiln, Britten-Pears, July 2024</p><p>Video still from Matt Jolly</p></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p>CSA Saint Laurent, Montreal, March 2024</p><p>Video still from Jérémi Roy</p></div></div><hr><p><em>The project is a part of Genstart, as supported by Augustinus Fonden, Statens Kunstfond, William Demant Fonden og Hoffmann & Husmans Fond and realized in collaboration with Edition·S, Dansk Komponistforening and Art Music Denmark, as well as Københavns Kommune, Musikudvalg, Statens Kunstfond, and Dansk Musiker Forbund.</em></p><div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div><div><p><em>We acknowledge the generous support of the Canada Council for the Arts.</em></p></div></div></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>May 2025</h1> <p>Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▉</span>news</div><div><time>May 13, 2025</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/mubone/"> [mubone] </a><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/copenhagen-dk/"> [Copenhagen (DK)] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption>Conversations with Space and Architecture at Basement CPH. Video Still: spektrals</figcaption></figure><p>Just back from Copenhagen, where we mounted the first mubone project with live projection mapping—brought to life through the brilliant digital wizardry of mubone co-creator Travis West. Mezzo-soprano and organizer <a href="https://www.instagram.com/kirstenvossmezzo/?hl=en" target="_blank">Kirsten Voss</a>, along with her production company <a href="https://www.instagram.com/tonalteatret/" target="_blank">Tonalteatret</a>, made it all possible, and we were thrilled to present the work in a massive former boiler room in the city’s west end. The space still bore traces of its industrial past, with walls beautifully stained by time, which became part of our “soundpainting” as the projections and gestures played across them.</p><p>This project marked our first use of multiple live audio inputs in the mubone system, opening up new possibilities for spatial sound. It was also a joy to collaborate with local percussionist <a href="https://www.saranigardrosendal.com/" target="_blank">Sara Nigard Rosendal</a>, whose background in movement and theatrical performance added a dynamic physicality to the work. We left feeling inspired and excited for where the mubone will travel next.</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>January 2025</h1> <p>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▉</span>news</div><div><time>January 25, 2025</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/residency/"> [residency] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption>Orford sessions with Williwaw. Photo: Frédérique Laliberté.</figcaption></figure><p>My wind trio, <a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/collaborations" target="_blank">Williwaw</a>, with Émilie Fortin and Philippe Lauzier, just wrapped up a two-week residency at Orford Musique in the Eastern Townships of Quebec. We were incredibly fortunate to have the support of the Canada Council for the Arts to make this happen, and over the course of the residency, we recorded a ton of new material that we’re excited to release in the coming year. I also had the chance to experiment with new instruments and trombone preparations—looking forward to sharing more on that soon!</p><p>Orford Musique is an amazing place to retreat and focus, nestled at the foot of Orford National Park. With a trailhead right at our doorstep, we hiked every day, which was the perfect reset between sessions. And Jim, our chef, completely spoiled us with incredible meals—definitely one of the highlights of the stay!</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>December 2024</h1> <p>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▉</span>news</div><div><time>December 12, 2024</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/performance/"> [performance] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption>Performing with MONO at Pioneer Works, Brooklyn.</figcaption></figure><p>I had the pleasure of joining MONO for their New York show at Pioneer Works, performing as part of the LPR ensemble alongside many friends and colleagues from NYC’s new and experimental music scene. MONO, the legendary Japanese instrumental band, is known for their sweeping, cinematic sound—blending post-rock, shoegaze, and orchestral elements into emotionally charged, immersive performances. Their music is both delicate and thunderous, building in slow, expansive waves that crash with incredible intensity. It was an unforgettable experience to be part of that sonic world, surrounded by so many inspiring musicians.</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>November 2024</h1> <p>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▉</span>news</div><div><time>November 30, 2024</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/performance/"> [performance] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption>Solo trombone and electronics at Émanants.</figcaption></figure><p>This past November, we wrapped up a two-year journey with Montreal’s experimental music ensembles Bakarlari and ILÉA through Émanants—a project that brought new life to the deconsecrated chapel of La Cité-des-Hospitalières. Once home to the Religieuses Hospitalières de Saint-Joseph, a cloistered order dedicated to healthcare, the space carries a deep history. With its soaring ceilings, long reverberation, and multi-level gallery layout, it was the perfect playground for sonic experimentation. We leaned into the acoustics and architecture, creating site-specific works that felt like they belonged to the space.</p><p>As part of this, I had the chance to rework a piece by Toronto-based composer Andrew Noseworthy for modular synthesizer, performed beautifully by Pierre-Luc Lecours. The sound just melted into the chapel’s natural resonance, making for a really special moment. A video is on the way—can’t wait to share it!</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>September 2024</h1> <p>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▉</span>news</div><div><time>September 30, 2024</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/performance/"> [performance] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption>Meredith Monk Indra's Net. Photo: Rebekah Heller</figcaption></figure><p>I’m in the midst of a dream collaboration with the pioneering interdisciplinary artist Meredith Monk, known for her groundbreaking site-specific work. I’m performing on trombone in her piece Indra’s Net at the Park Avenue Armory in New York City, running until October 6, 2024. It’s been such a wholesome experience to work with Meredith every day—she has this remarkable ability to make everyone feel special. Watching the community and body of work she’s built over decades of innovation is nothing short of inspiring. We do movement and voice warm-ups each day, and I’ve picked up a few great quotes along the way, with my favorite being: “Make space your ally.”</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Same 36 Tunes for 100 Years</h1> <p>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>June 7, 2024</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/site-specific/"> [site-specific] </a></div></div><div><p>Kalun Leung & Sam Longbottom</p><p>"Same 36 Tunes for 100 Years" is an immersive concert installation inspired by the last operational barrel organ in the UK, located in the parish church of Shelland, Suffolk. Barrel organs, like player pianos, use a rotating barrel with notches to play melodies. In 1925, when an article referenced in the title was published, this particular organ had three barrels, each containing 12 tunes. In this installation, one of these historic tunes is deconstructed and spread across a field. As audience members move through the space, they experience the role of the organ grinder, triggering different parts of the melody and harmonies, creating a sense of time suspended in sound.</p><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Baker’s Lung</h1> <p>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>August 8, 2023</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/interdisciplinary/"> [interdisciplinary] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><h4><strong>Artists 藝術家</strong></h4><p>Felix Del Tredici 費利克斯 (Canada 加拿大) | Kalun Leung 梁家綸 (Canada 加拿大)</p><p>a performance-based exhibition about bread making, with live music performances by Canadian professional baker and brass performers Felix Del Tredici and Kalun Leung</p><p>由加拿大專業麵包師暨銅管樂演奏家費利克斯與演奏藝術家梁家綸創作，一個結合專業烘焙經驗和長號演奏的現場音樂演出及裝置展覽</p><p><em>Baker’s Lung</em>, the second event of the <a href="https://www.project21st.org/musicismore" target="_blank">#musicismore</a> series combines professional baking experience and music practice. Both music and food are communal experiences that connect us as human beings, “Baker’s Lung” aims to amplify this connection and explore the relationships between sound and the making of bread.</p><p>Inspired by Felix Del Tredici, a Canadian brass performer and professional baker for one of Montréal’s most popular artisanal bakeries. <em>Baker’s Lung</em> offers a glimpse into a baker’s life and work environment that the public rarely experiences, a sonic playground that invites introspection about the relationship between trombones and sourdough, acoustics and ingredients, and our lungs and flour.</p><p>This interactive art exhibit features newly created sound sculptures, musical instruments, media art, and live performances. Together with multifaceted performing artist Kalun Leung, “Baker’s Lung” takes you on a sensual and thought-provoking journey where you can experience music with your hands, eyes, and nose.</p><p><a href="https://www.project21st.org/musicismore" target="_blank">#點只音樂</a> 節目第二砲《肺怎忘餐》互動藝術展覽是一個結合專業烘焙經驗和音樂的新作。由專業麵包師暨長號演奏家費利克斯（Felix Del Tredici）及聲音藝術家暨長號演奏家梁家綸創作，探索麵包製作與聲音之間的微妙關係。</p><p>費利克斯現為加拿大蒙特利爾其中一間最受歡迎的手工麵包店的全職烘焙師，作品受到他日常在麵包店艱辛的工作，以及他作為專業低音長號演奏家及音樂藝術家的背景啟發，透過《肺怎忘餐》探索麵包製作與長號音樂藝術形式之間的關係。把展覽場地化身成一所聲音遊樂場，窺探平時鮮為人知的烘焙生活及工作環境，並以獨特的即興表演及裝置藝術形式帶來獨一無二的音樂 x 烘焙體驗。</p><p>《肺怎忘餐》互動藝術展覽展出全新創作的聲音裝置、樂器、媒體藝術，以及在特定日子的現場演出，帶領觀眾踏上一段感官和發人深省的烘焙音樂旅程，享受烘焙香味，並用手、眼睛和鼻子探索音樂的可能性！</p><p><a href="https://www.project21st.org/bakers-lung" target="_blank"><em>Archival text from Project 21st</em></a></p><h3><strong>Watch the Mini-Documentary</strong></h3><p><em>Baker's Lung - The Making Of</em> by documentarian-filmaker <a href="https://www.storeroom9hk.com/" target="_blank">Anson Sham</a></p><h3><strong>Performance and Exhibition Documentation</strong></h3><p>Photos by Maxmillian Cheng, Ballade Ho </p><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Local Music</h1> <p>Tue, 14 Oct 2025 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>July 28, 2023</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/site-specific/"> [site-specific] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p>Kalun Leung - Creator, Performer-Composer, Installation</p><p>Local Music Participants - Assistance</p><p>Created as part of the Local Music Workshop at Darmstadt New Music Courses 2023. With support from the Canada Arts Council.</p><p><strong>Past Performances:</strong></p><p><em>Darmstadt New Music 2024, Germany (2023)</em></p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Garcia</h1> <p>Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>November 21, 2021</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/mubone/"> [mubone] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption><em>My nanny Jackie and I in the Hong Kong MTR, 1993.</em></figcaption></figure><h4>Past Performances</h4><p><em>Live@CIRMMT, Montreal, Quebec (2023)</em></p><p><em>IRCAM Forum, Paris, France (2022)</em></p><p><em>Txaranga Bakalari, Montreal, Quebec (2021)</em></p><p><em>Glass Box Theatre, New York, NY (2021)</em></p><h4>Creators</h4><p>Kalun Leung (Performance, Composition)</p><p><a href="https://www.petrikordanse.com/about" target="_blank">Bettina Szabo</a> (Choreography)</p><p><a href="http://traviswest.ca/" target="_blank">Travis West</a> (Instrument Design)</p><h4>Program Note</h4><p>Garcia is the middle name of my childhood nanny who helped take care of me from birth to age 4. The single digit years of a human life are so formative and foundational, but it is often this decade that is most easily forgotten.</p><p>When Jackie found me on Facebook in 2020 during a time of intense identity reckoning that was brought on by COVID-19 among other challenges, I saw it as a fascinating opportunity to uncover my past through her memories. What was I like? Was I a brat?</p><p>This piece is inspired by this process of uncovering memories through others and through self-discovery. Having immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong at age 4 with only one memory from this time, reconnecting with my nanny was a way for me to reconstruct how I navigated immigration and assimilation as a child, and to ascertain why I am the way I am.</p><p>Sounds are recorded, triggered and manipulated via this memory "sound palette" that is represented by the space around the performer, and the trombone is used as a memory logger and jogger, stylized by the performer's movements.</p><div><div>Performance captured live in concert at La Chapelle Historique du Bon Pasteur in Tiohtià:ke/Montréal in November 2021.</div></div></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>EXO Meditations</h1> <p>Sun, 24 Jan 2021 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▦</span>media</div><div><time>January 24, 2021</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/electronics/"> [electronics] </a></div></div><div><p>Trombone, Live Processing, Composition</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Movement Etudes for Improvisors</h1> <p>Sun, 12 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>May 12, 2019</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/mubone/"> [mubone] </a></div></div><div><p>Augmented woodwind ensemble, mubone adapted for clarinet</p><p>Commissioned by the New York University New Music Ensemble under the direction of Dr. Esther Lamneck.</p><p>Premiere: May 12, 2019 @ Frederick Loewe Theatre @ NYU, Manhattan, NY, USA</p><p><strong>composer </strong>Kalun Leung</p><p><strong>recording </strong>New York University</p><p><strong>direction </strong>Dr. Esther Lamneck</p><p><strong>performers </strong>NYU New Music Ensemble</p><p>I. Space</p><p>II. Event</p><p>III. Time</p><p>Developed over the course of a semester as composer-in-residence at NYU in Spring of 2019.</p><p>The piece is inspired by the four-dimensional continuum that is derived when the three dimensions of space are combined with the one dimension of time, also known as spacetime in Einstein’s theory of relativity. Using accelerometer data gathered from the performer’s movements via body and instrument-mounted controllers, the players can use their gestures to manipulate processed sounds spatially and temporally.</p><p>In I. Space, the sounds produced by the instrumentalist are physically geotagged and sonically recorded allowing the player to paint a virtual playground around which they can improvise in. II. Event, forces two performers to work in tandem by separating the duties of sound triggering and sound selection. III. Time, uses granular synthesis techniques to create a constellation of microscopic sounds that the performer can sonically twist and stretch.</p><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Conductive Dinner</h1> <p>Sat, 04 May 2019 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>May 4, 2019</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/sound-sculpture/"> [sound sculpture] </a></div></div><div><p>Interactive Sound Installation for Prepared Speaker Woofers</p><p>Commissioned by Seed Artists for the Freedom of Sound: Percussion Festival</p><p>Premiere: May 4, 2019 Montclair, New Jersey, USA</p><p><strong>concept & realization</strong> Kalun Leung</p><p><strong>technical consultation </strong>Frank Spigner</p><p>These speaker woofers are salvaged from junk and repurposed as various musical instruments. Our lives are mediated through the omnipresent speaker; when you’re talking to mum on the phone, their voice is transmitted and reproduced with clarity thanks to this technology; anytime you listen to music with headphones, the tiny earbud in your ear uses a transducer that works much like the one in front of you. It creates vibrations in the air that our ears perceive as sound, and in this instance, that we can also visualize with our eyes.</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Picnic Electronic</h1> <p>Wed, 20 Mar 2019 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>March 20, 2019</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/electronics/"> [electronics] </a></div></div><div><p>Solo trombone, mubone, battery-powered electronics, objects</p><p>Public Premiere: March 20, 2019 @ Spectrum Westbeth, Manhattan, NY, USA</p><p><strong>performance</strong> Kalun Leung</p><p><strong>sound</strong> Weston Olencki</p><p><strong>film</strong> Peter Brensinger</p><p>What happens when you get to the venue and they have no power? It happened to Raquel, Jack and I for our debut electroacoustic set at Spectrum, a not so fun fact that we discovered upon arriving, standbying as our gracious host attempted to manual hoist the huge gate that stood between us and the unlit space. Once we decided we could carry on with fully charged laptops and enough Bluetooth speakers to go around, our host stepped up once again and went straight to the liquor and hardware store to get sorry wine and flood lanterns.</p><p>The show turned into a spatialized chamber soirée thanks to the wireless speakers we distributed around the space; with a noticeable audio latency we attempted to incorporate into our improvisation. I was already into the idea of a picnic setup for electronics, one that would require no mains power or large amplifiers, and this opportunity sealed the deal.</p><p>I was invited back to Spectrum by another curator, this time at the storied Bell Labs boardroom at Westbeth in Greenwich Village, and I made it a thing (happening?). Here it is in full glory, this time with the providence of power which I happily chose not to utilize.</p><p><strong>Private Performances:</strong></p><p>January 11, 2019 @ Private House Show, Manhattan, NY, USA</p><p>December 14, 2018 @ Private House Show, Manhattan, NY, USA</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Echo Ensemble (2019 - 2020)</h1> <p>Mon, 28 Jan 2019 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>January 28, 2019</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/interdisciplinary/"> [interdisciplinary] </a></div></div><div><p>Movement and Sound Improvised Duet</p><p>Jonah Udall - direction</p><p>Kalun Leung (trombone), Liana Kleinman (movement) - performers</p><p><strong>Past Performances:</strong></p><p><em>Dixon Place, Manhattan, NY, USA (2019)</em></p><h3>Excerpt from One for ECHOEnsemble</h3><p><strong>Premiere: </strong>January 28, 2019 Manhattan, NY, USA</p><p><strong>direction</strong> Jonah Udall</p><p><strong>performers</strong> Kalun Leung (trombone), Liana Kleinman (movement)</p><p><strong>video</strong> Cliff Cole</p><p>One is an evening-length work of sound and movement. Together, dancers and musicians become resonant bodies, instruments of space, dissolving their mediums into one. The performers engage in a shared practice, conversing with space and time through repetition and natural evolution. This premiere comes out of two years of organic, physical research and exploration.</p><p>ECHOensemble creates evolving architecture of movement and sound. Directed by Jonah Udall, their work is rooted in an awareness-based practice called SHIFT, influenced by Steve Reich’s “process music” and Mary Overlie’s Viewpoints method. Nine dancers and musicians discover shared worlds, where their singular voices both ring out and blend together as one. ECHOensemble is trombonist Kalun Leung, violist Sean Brekke, clarinetist/saxophonist Noah Becker, guitarist Jonah Udall, and dancers Allison Sexton, Mary McGrath, Erin Landers, Liana Kleinman and Dani Cole.</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>BF+DA Interactive Cocoon (2018)</h1> <p>Mon, 07 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>May 7, 2018</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/electronics/"> [electronics] </a></div></div><div><p>Interactive Wearable Garment for Performance Artist</p><p>Premiere: May 7, 2018 Glass Box Theatre The New School, Manhattan, NY, USA</p><p><strong>concept & realization </strong>Kalun Leung</p><p><strong>fabrication </strong>Brooklyn Fashion + Design Accelerator</p><p><strong>performer </strong>Rae Haas</p><p><strong>film </strong>Peter Brensinger</p><p>This piece is inspired by sericulture, the ancient practice of cultivating silkworms to produce silk. The cocoon presented today is a prototype that demonstrates the structure of the final rendition which will be constructed out of Ahimsa silk, or peace silk, a nonviolent means of extracting silk from cocoons. Traditionally, the silkworm is boiled or steamed to death before it hatches, allowing for the single strand of silk to be unravelled unbroken. Ahimsa silk allows the silkworm to complete its metamorphosis, but at a heavy cost to production which yields ten times less silk than the boiling method.</p><p>Silkworms eat mulberry leaves for 45 days straight after which they begin building their cocoon. This process takes around 48 hours and produces a continuous strand of silk of over 1 kilometer in length. Today’s performance will not be 48 hours long, but you are invited to drink and smell the mulberry tea being served and to immerse yourself in the space as desired!</p><p>The final rendition of the garment will be a long scarf-like “strand” that can be sequentially buttoned to form the cocoon shape that you see today. The performance is intended to be durational and meditative, designed to encourage the user to focus their thoughts on snapping each button to activate tones and sounds that are transcribed from field recordings from the BF+DA production lab. Tonight’s pupation will be performed by Rae Haas.</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Die Posaune</h1> <p>Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>May 7, 2018</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/sound-sculpture/"> [sound sculpture] </a></div></div><div><p>Kalun Leung - Performer, Fabrication</p><p>Felix del Tredici - Performer, Concept</p><p><strong>Past Performances:</strong></p><p><em>International Trombone Festival, Muncie, IN (2019)</em></p><p><em>New York University, NY (2019)</em></p><p><em>Arete, Brooklyn, NY (2019)</em></p><p><em>Glass Box Theatre, New York, NY (2018)</em></p><p>I presented this piece with Felix del Tredici and Siw Laurent at my graduating recital at The New School in May 2018. Felix and I met Siw a week before my recital at the Creative Music Studio workshops in Greenwich Village. Her role in our collaboration presented itself in the most natural and serendipitous way - she brought to the workshop a sense of Shamanic dominance that emanated from her soul, voice, and Nordic frame drum. For months, Felix and I have been dreaming up a piece that involved the trombone as an object/installation, sympathetic resonance and feedback, and BDSM theatrics. Siw witnessed our informal workshopping of the piece in the basement of the Greenwich Music School that weekend and it became immediately clear that the piece needed her involvement.</p><p><br> The improvisation lasted around 10 minutes, a soundscape of slide-controlled karaoke mic feedback and Siw's powerful vocalizations and drumming. Felix and I became slave to the instrument; we embodied ourselves as anchors tied via pulley to the trombone slide, control of the slide limited to the rope that tied it to our mouths. As we floated farther from the mothership, the slide would extend upwards, changing the pitch of the feedback duet while Siw's energy blanketed our eventual demise.</p><h3>Boiler Plate Description</h3><p>Die Posaune (trombone in German), is an interactive sound art sculpture and performance that explores the sonic possibilities of the slide trombone as a self-generating sound object. The trombone, essentially a variable-length tube, is appropriated in this work as an enclosure for propagating microphone feedback. The resulting frequencies occur naturally and are unique to the trombone’s shape and material properties. </p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Sound the Mound (2018)</h1> <p>Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>May 1, 2018</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/site-specific/"> [site-specific] </a></div></div><div><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure><p>Kalun Leung - performer</p><p>Site-Specific Improvisation (2018)</p><p>Produced by Carlos Patrao, full post <a href="https://zeppelinruc.wordpress.com/2018/05/08/one-with-the-space-a-trombone-conversation/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p>Photos by Andrew Shea.</p><p>Freshkills Park Staten Island, NY, USA</p><p>Tech-driven acoustic ecology project using on-site data from Arable Labs. Freshkills was once the world's largest landfill and is being transformed into a public park three times the size of Central Park.</p><div><div><span> Bookmark for <a href="https://soundcloud.com/zepelimradio/one-with-the-space-a-trombone-conversation">https://soundcloud.com/zepelimradio/one-with-the-space-a-trombone-conversation</a></span></div></div><h3>Part of the Parsons Course “Sound the Mound”</h3><p><a href="http://www.spring2018.soundthemound.com/" target="_blank">http://www.spring2018.soundthemound.com/</a></p><blockquote><div> In this course, students will address complex issues of climate, sanitation, consumer behavior, landfill reclamation, public parks, cellular technology, public art, sonification and more. We will work with three partners: Freshkills Park, a reclaimed landfill in Staten Island that will be almost three times the size of Central Park (2200 acres); Arable Labs, a remote monitoring technology developed for crop management that uses sensors and cellular data to measure and communicate rainfall, crop water demand, water stress, microclimate, and canopy biomass; and Gaynor McCown Expeditionary High School. Students in this course will build upon a prototype called “Botanical Transmissions” that emerged from a 2016 Transdisciplinary Studio, which translates data into music-by-and-for-plants using a genetic algorithm that responds to the health of the plants at the park, and will develop additional concepts that take inspiration from this prototype. </div></blockquote></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Splunger (Speaker-Plunger Device) (2019 - )</h1> <p>Tue, 01 May 2018 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>May 1, 2018</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/augmentation/"> [augmentation] </a></div></div><div><p>Kalun Leung - Performer, Instrument Developer</p><p><a href="https://frankspigner.com/" target="_blank">Frank Spigner</a> - Instrument Designer, Fabrication</p><p><strong>Past Performances:</strong></p><p><em>IBeam, Brooklyn, NY (2020)</em></p><p><em>Harvestworks Artist-in-Residence (2019)</em></p><p>Many thanks to Harvestworks for supporting this project which was developed as part of their Artist in Residence program.</p><figure><div></div><figcaption></figcaption></figure></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>The New Masculinity</h1> <p>Wed, 27 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>December 27, 2017</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/composition/"> [composition] </a></div></div><div><p>For International Women’s Day, So Wrong It's Right wanted to make some serious noise for female artists from medieval and pre-medieval times. We broke ground at National Sawdust musing on three remarkable women who formed a deep bedrock of source material for our recording session that evening. For each woman, we dedicated a station that showcased their work, a quasi-installation which dotted the room and formed a route for our exploration. The evening began with a feminist found object jam, a playground of private items from our loved one’s arsenals.</p><p>At the first station, we paid tribute to Comtessa de Dia (1175 A.D.) who wrote the earliest surviving work by a trobairitz (female troubadour). Following this, we interpreted three poems by the Greek poet Sappho (630 B.C.) from the island of Lesbos. The third station focused on a beautifully preserved kufic script by the Islamic calligraphist Fadhl Mawlat Abi Ayyub (~907 A.D.)</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>The Digital Harings</h1> <p>Thu, 07 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>December 7, 2017</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/electronics/"> [electronics] </a></div></div><div><p>Photo Courtesy The New School © Phillip Van Nostrand</p><p>Solo trombone, electronics, Casiotone, Keith Haring digital sketches</p><p><strong>Premiere: </strong>December 7, 2017 @ The Bruno Walter Auditorium, Manhattan, NY, USA</p><p><strong>composition and performance</strong> Kalun Leung</p><p><strong>mentorship </strong>Jane Ira Bloom</p><p>From <a href="https://medium.com/@TheNewSchool/shelf-life-from-the-library-to-the-stage-40d36cb93902" target="_blank">The New School Press</a>:</p><p>Q: What interested you about this project? Leung: Getting back to old-school, detective-style, pen and paper research. Digging deep into tangible primary resources; being able to touch archival material; not relying on fragmented and second-hand info from the internet.</p><p>Q: What artifact or resources did you end up selecting and why? Leung: I ended up using 5 digital Macpaint drawings by Keith Haring, from the Timothy Leary Archives. Haring’s work is instantly recognizable and continues to permeate contemporary pop culture in the form of graphic tees and fashion endorsements. Besides personally owning Haring shirts, underwear, and branded notebooks, I was intrigued when I discovered digital art that researchers unearthed in a floppy disk that the artist sent to Timothy Leary in the 80s. These were the only known digital images that Haring produced, 3 of which I will reveal to the public for the first time!</p><p>Q: What surprised you about combining research with music? Leung: I was surprised that the Keith Haring Foundation gave me permission to use Haring’s works. Using music and academia opened up possibilities for tapping into material that would have otherwise remained in the collections of a private estate.</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Twisted Twister</h1> <p>Wed, 06 Dec 2017 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>December 6, 2017</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/composition/"> [composition] </a></div></div><div><p>Game for Audience and Improvisors</p><p>Premiere: December 6, 2017 Jazz Performance Space The New School, Manhattan, NY, USA</p><p><strong>composer </strong>Kalun Leung</p><p><strong>documentation </strong>Peter Brensinger</p><p>I have been enamoured by the idea of Schubertiads for many years and even wrote a business plan in 2013 to launch series that would be dedicated to presenting chamber music in informal settings. Since then, I have been interested in participatory and immersive art, works that give audiences more creative involvement both actively and passively, and, in the case of Twisted Twister, give them compositional control and pacing.</p><p>Ultimately, for me, music is a social and community building endeavor. The 75-year Harvard study on happiness proves that the secret to living longer and healthier is good relationships. This is my attempt, albeit in a forcefully physical manner, to bring people together and have fun. So have fun, make friends, and swap instagrams!</p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Siri Breakup</h1> <p>Wed, 01 Feb 2017 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>February 1, 2017</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/composition/"> [composition] </a><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/interdisciplinary/"> [interdisciplinary] </a></div></div><div><p>Kalun Leung - Performer-Composer</p><p>Jacqueline Reed - Performer</p><p><strong>Past Performances:</strong></p><p><em>Stiefel Hall, Manhattan, NY, USA (2017)</em></p><p>Luckily I never had to break up with or over Siri, which seems to be not far from the truth for some relationships who are tethered to technology or relationships that live in networked spaces. I had an amazing opportunity to work with fellow New School students from Drama and Jazz in Jane Ira Bloom's Improvisatory Artists Lab. My co-star Jacqueline Reed helped dramatize the sketch as we improvised our way out of a brutal Siri-mediated breakup with the aid of my trombone birthday cake. </p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Montreal Salsa Collective</h1> <p>Thu, 14 Apr 2016 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>April 14, 2016</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/research/"> [research] </a></div></div><div><p>Classic salsa tunes.</p><p>Kalun Leung - Bandleader</p><p>Montreal Salsa Collective - Performers</p><p><strong>Past Performances:</strong></p><p><em>Place d'Armes, Montreal, CA (2016)</em></p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> <article> <h1>Trubaci McGill</h1> <p>Fri, 01 May 2015 00:00:00 GMT</p> <article><div><span>▙</span>portfolio</div><div><time>May 1, 2015</time><div><a href="https://www.kalunleung.ca/tags/research/"> [research] </a></div></div><div><p>Brass band music from the Balkans.</p><p>Kalun Leung - Bandleader</p><p>Trubaci McGill - Performers</p><p><strong>Past Performances:</strong></p><p><em>Segal Center, Montreal, CA (2015)</em></p></div></article> <aside></aside> </article> </main></body></html>