Atau Tanaka has been bridging cultures of east and west, of technology and music for over 10 years. He creates music with sensors and networks. As a composer who is at the same time a performer and an instrument builder, he is a strong voice in the field of interactive technology.Atau Tanaka was born in Tokyo and raised in the U.S. He studied with Ivan Tcherepnin at Harvard, and there met John Cage. While living in the San Francisco area, he was commissioned to compose the first piece for BioMuse, a bioelectrical musical instrument. Tanaka moved to Paris in 1992 to conduct research at IRCAM. In his work with sensor technology, he as been artist in residence at Steim, Amsterdam, and designed an interactive art gallery for Fred Frith. In 1995 became Artistic Ambassador for Apple France for interactive music technologies.
Atau has concertized in Europe, North America, and Japan. He has presented
his work at conferences and festivals such as Doors of Perception, MILIA,
ISEA, DEAF, ICMC, Sonar. He has used the BioMuse to control real time image
processing, creating solo sound/image performances. In 1993 he established
Sensorband with Zbigniew Karkowski and Edwin van der Heide as a sensor
instrument ensemble. Sensorband has performed widely as a trio, in network
concerts, and has created projects using large scale architectural and
laser instruments.
He has CD releases on Solo and Group as well as compilation recordings
on labels such as Subrosa, Bip-hop, Caipirinha Music, Touch/Ash, Sonoris,
Sirr-ecords and others. He is currently conducting research on network
music and future music systems. His most recent project is S.S.S. - Sensors
Sonics Sights - an audio visual performance with the use of sensors conducted
together with Cecile Babiole and Laurent Dailleau.
> www.xmira.com/sss/
> www.sensorband.com