Radio Papesse

Praxis has been shortlisted in the context of the Süden Radio open call for soundworks.

Damaged magnetic tape - consisting of Orthodox Christian male choir, voice priest, church acoustics, bell - and computer assisted processing.

In September 1999 the little church of Agion Anargiron in Sofiatown Johannesburg held a special service in memory of the victims of the Croatian genocide which occurred in the early to mid 90's and the ongoing victimization of Orthodox Christians.
I never realized until three years later that the service that had been recorded - much to the disappointment of the person who recorded it - was 80% damaged. I managed to get hold of the original recording which I transferred to my computer. Two months later after having listened to the Liturgy at least a dozen times I finally decided to create the acousmatic work PRAXIS (from the Greek meaning actions).

I identified four areas in the recording that reflected a strong symbolism and formed the foundation of the composition:
1] Church bell and acoustics of the church - represent the distorted and the unbalanced circumstances that surround the Orthodox Christian in Croatia.
2] The distorted voice of the priest and the choir – represent tormented voices of victims, the ghostly truth that is ever present in the Croatian landscape.

Praxis was made up of 566 sound compartments ranging from 10 seconds up to 40 seconds long each constructed individually. This is because there is a better control in maintaining individuality of sound structures e.g. each sound compartment may be processed at different rates of velocity and density of information. Recreating a strong symbolic and wordless liturgy required the use of high quality compression, equalization and re-verb tools which offered for a greater control in spacial differentiation of each sound. The distorted nature of the sound source was not eliminated but was build into the composition. All sounds used originate from the original recording. [Dimitri Voudouris]

Born 1961 in Athens, Greece and a citizen of South Africa, Dimitri Voudouris is clinical pharmacist, educator and self taught composer who curated UNYAZI the first electro-acoustic music festival and symposium to take part on the African continent in 2005.
He composes for acoustic instruments, electronics, multimedia, dance and theatre.
His technical and theoretical approach researches cognitive psychoacoustic behavioural patterns in humans in an area of continued environmental changes, taking a stance toward sound in an attempt to bridge the gap between the processes used in modern compositional techniques and those used by primal musical culture. Scientific, mathematical and biochemical principles assist him in the construction of mechanical building blocks that intern form the backbone of his compositions.

His compositions have been performed at ICMC 2005,2006,2008, 2009, 2014, ACMA 2007, CCRMA 2008, UNYAZI 2005, 2012, 2014, 2016, Meridian International Fesival 2016, HELMCA 2009, 2011, 2015, PGM (Bremen) 2012, Brighton Festival fringe 2010, Neue Musik Lu?neburg 2013, XV Biennale Sztuki Dia Dziecka Kulturowe Kontesky Basni Poznan Poland 2005. He received a Palmares des 34e Concours Internationaux de Musique d'Art Sonore Electroacoustiques de Bourges award in 2007.
Performances have been conducted in Poland, Switzerland, Bulgaria, Hungary, Germany, United Kingdom, Ireland, Greece, Spain, Italy, Romania, France, Australia, South Africa, Mozambique, USA, Canada.