Interior Design: Music for people with a cochlear implant
Photo Credit: Anne-Sophie Poirier
Scientific Publications:
- New music for the Bionic Ear: An assessment of the enjoyment of six new works composed for cochlear implant recipients (
2012)
H Innes-Brown, A Au, C Stevens, E Schubert, J Marozeau. 12th International Conference on Music Perception and Cognition (ICMPC) 8th. [pdf]
- Music for the cochlear implant: audience response to six commissioned compositions (2012) A Au, J Marozeau, H Innes-Brown. Seminars in Hearing 33 (04), 335-345.
[pdf]
- Like Pots and Pans Falling Down the Stairs’. Experience of Music Composed for Listeners with Cochlear Implants in a Live Concert Setting (2014) Schubert, J Marozeau, CJ Stevens, H Innes-Brown. Journal of New Music Research 43 (2), 237-249.
[pdf]
- Cochlear Implants Can Talk But Cannot Sing in Tune. (2014) J Marozeau, N Simon, H Innes-Brown. Acoustics Australia 42 (2) [pdf]
The cochlear implant has proven to be an effective device for restoring speech understanding in individuals with severe hearing loss. Despite its success, the implant still has limitations in conveying complex musical signals. Extensive research has been conducted to optimize the sound processor of the cochlear implant to accommodate music better. However, in this project, we took a different approach and collaborated with musicians to compose a piece of music specifically tailored to the limitations of the sound processor. Our goal was to provide a pleasant and enjoyable musical experience for cochlear implant users, allowing them to share the experience with their normal-hearing peers.
In 2012, a concert was held in Melbourne featuring six pieces, each approximately 10 minutes in length. These pieces were composed by six Australian new-music composers: Robin Fox, Rohan Drape, Ben Harper, Natasha Anderson, James Rushford, and Eugene Ughetti. To develop their compositions, the composers consulted with scientists and the Bionics Institute in Melbourne, and also worked with four adult cochlear implant recipients to test their ideas. Some of the composers used multimedia approaches, such as accessing software that could reproduce and sonify the output of a cochlear implant sound processor. The concert took place at the Fairfax Studio at the Arts Centre Melbourne and included a combination of live instruments played on stage and pre-recorded instrumental, vocal, or synthesized audio.
Sample of the each piece can be heard here.
In 2012, a concert was held in Melbourne featuring six pieces, each approximately 10 minutes in length. These pieces were composed by six Australian new-music composers: Robin Fox, Rohan Drape, Ben Harper, Natasha Anderson, James Rushford, and Eugene Ughetti. To develop their compositions, the composers consulted with scientists and the Bionics Institute in Melbourne, and also worked with four adult cochlear implant recipients to test their ideas. Some of the composers used multimedia approaches, such as accessing software that could reproduce and sonify the output of a cochlear implant sound processor. The concert took place at the Fairfax Studio at the Arts Centre Melbourne and included a combination of live instruments played on stage and pre-recorded instrumental, vocal, or synthesized audio.
Sample of the each piece can be heard here.