James Wyness
James Wyness, also known as Arcadian Meadows or Ubanu Tarasa, is a composer, instrument maker and scalesmith who works almost uniquely in the electroacoustic medium.
Some of his influences include Lou Harrison’s biography, the journal Xenharmonikon (which was for a time edited by Daniel Wolf), and Indonesian gamelan music (which inspired most of the scales Wyness crafted).
His current research in both stereo and multi-channel acousmatic composition focuses on the detailed investigation of the sound object and on the contrast and dialectic between overtly musical material on the one hand and mimetic material on the other.
His concert works, radio work and sound installations have been performed and presented throughout the UK, Europe and in North and South America.
He is currently studying part time towards a PhD in composition with Pete Stollery at Aberdeen University.
Further reading
- Hand-made microtonal instruments - James Wyness
- The tuning of hand-made microtonal instruments - James Wyness
- James Wyness - the SONICpicnic podcast
- Listening Environments (James Wyness) - curator Veronika Resslová (2011)
- Gallery of Other Just Intonation Scales - lists the scales Wyness invented for his instruments, plus Lou Harrison’s scales which Wyness also uses in his compositions
Online prescence
- jameswyness.com - personal website
- Bandcamp pages