Laetitia Sonami

Praised in the New York Times for her "sparse ... allusive pieces conjuring half-remembered dreams ... like a human antenna searching the air for sounds, like a deity summoning forth earth-shaking rumbles" and in the Village Voice as "a striking talent ... inexplicable, compelling and deeply personal", Laetitia Sonami has moved computer music toward a newly poetic and expressive level. Her interactive performances have been described as "performance novels" built of vivid detail, gentle humor, and enlightening perspective. In this episode, utilizing her original electronic instrument, a lady's glove made of black lycra embedded with computer-triggering sensors which track the slightest motions of each finger, her hand and arm, Sonami performs her composition "Why_dreams like a Loose Engine" with an evocative text by Melody Sumner Carnahan. Her dance-like movements and lyrical French-accented voice are mixed with ethereal, captivating electronics to create a unique soundscape and rich concert experience. In a fascinating post-performance interview, Sonami relates her work to women's lives, contrasts European and American creative methods, and discusses how she added poetics and "French sexiness" to computer music as well as the steps in the invention and development of the "Lady's Glove". Click here to view clip.