087157/Z/08/Z: 24 Fragments

Project Summary:

The Fragmented Orchestra is a huge distributed musical instrument, modelled on the firing of the human brain's neurons. Made possible by a £50,000 prize awarded to Jane Grant, John Matthias and Nick Ryan, as the winning project for the PRS Foundation's New Music Award 2008, it is installed at the FACT Gallery Liverpool and 23 other sites across the UK and runs from December 12th 2008 to 22nd February 2009. 24 Fragments will run at all of these sites for 24 hours, from 10am on Saturday 21 February. This sprawling collaborative work, spanning music, art and science, has evolved from a fascination by its creators of the inherent sonic rhythms and adaptive learning of spiking neurons – ie. the electrical impulses of the human brain.

24 Fragments is a 24-hour festival funded by The Wellcome Trust, including all 24 sites of The Fragmented Orchestra, which are linked up by microphones that pick up sound at each site. The diverse locations which will host events include Gloucester Cathedral, Goodison Park, Institute of Psychiatry London, Brighton Pier, National Portrait Gallery, The Rochelle School, Blueprint Recording Studios in Manchester, and a school in Devon. All of the events during the 24-hour festival are designed to be relayed through the distributed 'neuronal system' of The Fragmented Orchestra and via its website.

Grant Holder:Dr John R Matthias

Organisation:The Fragmented Orchestra

Financial Year:2008/2009