It’s a real pleasure to present a new instalment in my occasional series The Dialogues. This episode is in conversation with composer Monty Adkins, whose music I’ve written about many times on 5:4 and hold in very high regard. Our discussion explores a wide range of topics, including the fundamental aspects of Adkins’ compositional aesthetic, the history and development of his practice, the influence of visual art throughout his output alongside musical influences, considerations of beauty, narrative vs abstract approaches to composition, the relationship between and implications pertaining to ‘authentic’ and artificial sonic environments, types of listening, perceptions of time, notions of the sacred, the imposition (and benefits) of compositional restrictions, the organisation / structuring of non-teleological music, combining electronics with live instruments, and Adkins’ relationship with the listener.

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I want to thank Monty for generously giving me so much of his time, and for being prepared to talk so openly (and for so long!) about his life and work. The trajectory his music has taken over the last twenty years is markedly different from many involved in electronic music, and I hope both newcomers and long-standing fans of his work will find our discussion as fascinating and illuminating as I did.

The 21 concerts and 5 installations of the 3rd New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival are taking place on April 2-6, 2013. Amongst the composers having their work presented are, from empreintes DIGITALes, Andrew Lewis, Elizabeth Hoffman, Elsa Justel, Mathew Adkins, Pierre Alexandre Tremblay, David Berezan, Manuella Blackburn, Hans Tutschku, Monique Jean, and Theodore Lotis.

The festival Akousma 9, October 24 to 27, 2012 at Usine C in Montréal (Québec), presents 8 concerts featuring, amongst others, Manuella Blackburn, Pierre Alexandre Tremblay, and Mathew Adkins.

Elektramusic is presenting a concert of acousmatic and videomusic works by Mathew Adkins, Hans Tutschku, Dominique Bassal, and others on Octobre 25, 2012 at the Musée d’art moderne et contemporain de Strasbourg (France).

The Musica Nova 2011 International Electroacoustic Music Competition (Prague, Czech Republic) recently announced its laureates: Antonio Scarcia, Chien-Wen Cheng, Martin Klusák, Diana Salazar, Roderik de Man, Monty Adkins, John Young, and Alla Zahaïkevych.

SCREAM Festival 2011 presents Sounding Images on November 5, 2011 at the REDCAT (Los Angeles, USA). 11 pieces are on the programme including videomusics by Mathew Adkins / Oliver Jones, Elsa Justel, and Francis Dhomont / Inés Wickmann.