Born: August 26, 1973 Primary Instrument: Electronics
Korhan Erel is a computer musician, improviser, sound designer based in Istanbul, Turkey. He plays instruments he designs on a computer by employing various controllers. He also uses analog and digital electronics. He is a founding member of Islak Köpek, Turkey’s pioneer free improvisation group, which is regarded as the band that started the free improvisation scene in Turkey. He composes and designs sounds for dance, theater, installations and film. He collaborates with dancers, video artists and spoken word artists.
Korhan’s computer performance system is called Omnibus. The instruments within Omnibus are a culmination of Korhan’s musical past and aesthetic choices. Omnibus instruments use concrete sounds (samples, field recordings), morphed and processed in realtime. They can be as simple as one single sample being played using a Nintendo Wii controller to a complex system that employs granular synthesis and spectral processing. The instruments are played interactively using Nintendo Wii controllers (Korhan’s choice of controller when he plays in ensembles with acoustic/electric instrument players), an iPad (used in solo/duo performances as well as ensemble concerts) and several midi controllers.
Korhan had two residencies at STEIM (Center for research & development of instruments & tools for performers) in Amsterdam, where he studied use of sensors in music performance and instrument design. He was a guest composer at the Electronic Music Studios in Stockholm in January 2011.
He performed and had compositions played in radios, festivals in Turkey, Austria, Australia, Holland, Germany, Finland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Russia, Greece, Sweden and the UK. He performed telematic concerts over Skype in Germany, Spain and the US.
Korhan has played with the following artists:
Alexandra Reill, Alvari Lume, Artur Vidal, Christian Asplund, Gökcen Dilek Acay, Dirk Stromberg, Ecotone Experimental Theater, Elektronik Kumpanya, Erdem Helvacioglu, Han-earl Park, Ilknur Ayışık, Jesse Ronneau, Jonas Kocher, Karlheinz Essl, Kevin William Davis, Kirstie Simpson, Le Quan Ninh, Mark Alban-Lotz, Mary Margaret Moore, Michael Fischer, Michael Moore, Michel Doneda, Nikos Kyriazopoulos, Nora Volkova Ensemble, Oğuz Büyükberber, Richard Nunns, Robert Reigle, Sebastien Branche, Şevket Akıncı, Sumru Agiryürüyen, Talin Büyükkürciyan, Tolga Tüzün, Tom Soloveitzik, Umut Çağlar, Viv Corringham, Volkan Terzioğlu, Yanael Plumet, Yiorgis Sakellariou
