*Polar Force* is a phenomenological investigation of wind, water, and ice through spatial sound performance. It looks to Antarctica, the windiest, coldest, and driest continent on earth, a place where these energies flourish and we humans don’t.
During an hour-long work, vivid multi-channel Antarctic field recordings are combined with live sound research, undertaken by two performers reminiscent of scientists in a remote polar field station.
Some of the recordings were made using an array of digital recorders placed throughout Casey Station during a 100-knot blizzard. The blizzard is notable as the strongest ever recorded there during summer. Sounds of sea ice, icebergs, and glaciers also feature in the performance. The field recordings are used to form a series of multichannel environments to provide audiences with vivid and tactile experiences of the natural, anthropogenic, and geophysical forces shaping the frozen continent.
In dialogue with the field recordings are a series of industrially designed instruments. These purpose-built instruments use pressurised air, high flow air, manual and motorised valves, 20 hand-tuned fipples and corrugated tubing in combination with carbonated ice and water to build a rich range of musical responses. Electro-magnetic coil microphones, hydrophones, accelerometers, and RF condenser microphones deliver the nuances of these instruments into a 14.2 channel speaker diffusion.
*Polar Force* occupies a custom designed white inflatable structure. Inspired by the architecture of polar stations, this portable venue offers a white backdrop, projection surface, and climate control for the work. The custom-built lighting system includes 190 metres of cold-white LED strips and DMX controlled spotlights.
*Polar Force* references climate change and global geopolitical tension including the exploration and exploitation of frontier territories. It is a sophisticated example of hyperrealism where recorded sound is choreographed with musical performance.

Links: www.speakpercussion.com

Concept, Co-Director, Composer and Instrument Design: Eugene Ughetti
Co-director: Clare Britton
Sound artist & Field recordings: Dr Philip Samartzis
Performers: Matthias Schack-Arnott & Eugene Ughetti
Lighting designer: Keith Tucker
Sound design, Audio system design, Instrument design & Construction: Nick Roux
Production & Technical Management: Megafun
Producer: Sheah Sutton
Inflatable Design and Construction: Steve Howden (3D inflate)
RMIT Industrial Design Atelier Leader & Air Consultant: Dr Malte Wagenfield
RMIT Industrial Design Atelier Student contributors
Air table: Aston Chadwick, Phoebe Richardson, Remi Freer, Thomas Grimshaw
Air supply: Will Makarainen, Vasilios Pittas, Edward Sims

2017 students: Mengyu Chen, Damian Dehne, Jed Kelly, Sara Wan Fen Kiew, Xue Miao, Billy Orozco, Dionisius Satriawan Pangkey, Jacob Sandom, Timothy Secombe, Edward Sims, Sebastian Sincich, Akil Wahid, Todd Ward, Ceren Ozcan

2016 students: Jacob Aldrich, Rosemary Boddam-Whetham, Michael Efford, Pan Heyuan, Ian Bunyi, Aidan Chen, Dayne McMahon, Claudio Da Silva, Anthony Dinh, Izaak Madsen, Daniel Robbins, Orlando Seelander, Darcy Jones, Felix Taylor

Supported by:
Australian Antarctic Division, Australia Council for the Arts, Creative Victoria, City of Melbourne, Bogong Centre for Sound Culture, School of Art – RMIT University, APRA AMCOS Art Music Fund, Besen Family Foundation

Eugene Ughetti (AU), Speak Percussion’s artistic director, is known for tackling complex and ambitious art music projects whether as director, composer, performer, or conductor. His artistic output primarily explores the materiality of percussion, but his work might also engage with ideas like drum aged rum, supersonic performance, or the percussive military.

Philip Samartzis (AU) is a sound artist who focuses on the social and environmental conditions informing remote wilderness regions. His art practice is based on deep fieldwork where he deploys complex recording technology to demonstrate the transformative effects of sound within a fine art context.

Speak Percussion (AU) has shaped the sound of 21st century Australian percussion music. Internationally recognized as a leader in multidisciplinary experimental music, Speak engages in risk-taking and innovative projects.