On 1st November 2020 we started Augmented Vocality: Recomposing the Sounds of Early Irish and Old Norse, a new project funded by a grant from the AHRC (Arts and Humanities Research Council). The project proposes a novel programme of practice-based research and a methodology to analyse and explore the sounds of early medieval languages. Combining linguistic expertise with sophisticated voice processing technologies the project aims to give new life to early languages and help reclaim the oral quality at the heart of medieval literature. In particular, vocal music composition with live electronics is a powerful tool to develop new insights and reanimate texts from early languages for audiences well beyond the field of literary studies. The project focuses on two languages, Early Irish and Old Norse – both chosen for their particular sonic qualities and the richness of the surviving texts – and comprises three integrated strands:

• Cataloguing and sampling of words and phonemes from selected texts;
• Analysing the vocal samples to inform the development of voice processing and live electronics software;
• Creation of musical compositions for voices, ensemble and live electronics in response to the original sounds and texts.

Each strand of the project will result in specific outputs, including:

• Digital audio database and sample libraries of Early Irish and Old Norse words and phonemes;
• Vocal processing software tools adapted to the specific sounds of the chosen languages;
• Live electronics software to support composition and performance with the vocal source material;
• At least two musical compositions for one or more voices, ensemble and live electronics;
• A project website with musical scores, recordings of performances, downloadable software and access to the digital audio databases;
• Public concerts in partnership with three renowned music ensembles in the UK, Ireland and Norway;
• Conference presentations and workshops in the UK, Ireland and Norway;
• At least two peer reviewed journal articles.

Value of the award: £485,274
Start date: 1 November 2020
End date: 30 April 2023

Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham City University
Principal Investigator: Prof Lamberto Coccioli
Co-Investigator: Dr Edmund Hunt
Co-Investigator: Dr Simon Hall
Research Assistant, Vocal Processing: Dr Mohamed El-Idrissi
Research Assistant, Live Electronics Interaction: Dr Joe Wright
Music Technologist: Matthew O’Malley

Department of Anglo-Saxon, Norse and Celtic, University of Cambridge
Co-Investigator: Prof Máire Ní Mhaonaigh
Research Assistant: Dr Brittany Schorn

Partner organisations
Birmingham Contemporary Music Group, Birmingham
Hard Rain SoloistEnsemble, Belfast
Das Neue Ensemble, Hannover, Germany