Website: https://www.johnfranek.com/
Publisher: https://donemus.nl/composer/john-franek/
My thesis evaluates how empirically proven human responses to sound may enable us to develop new approaches towards music composition. Human reactions to consonance, dissonance and percept of expectation have an elevated importance in imprinting upon the listener due to evolved physiology aimed at preserving survival. The emotional and physical reactions to consonance, dissonance and expectation are the first acts of survival a human engages with when presented with a listening experience. Further, the ways in which expectation affects how consonance and dissonance are perceived creates a rich space for compositional exploration, yet this physiologically predicated perspective has yet to be cultivated into a compositional approach through artistic research. Therefore, the work in my thesis pursues how we can use sound events aimed specifically at eliciting these reactions to move beyond pre-established forms of music composition and shape new listening experiences.
Research Activity in Collaboration with MARC
Metamorphs Psychoacoustic Listening Experiment:
The first data gathering research experiment I created in collaboration with MARC (Music Acoustics Research Center Prague) utilized a set of small movements for solo piano entitled Metamorphs. The goal behind the experiment was straightforward and broad: What do listeners recall from actively listening to music which contains no identifiable melody and dependably stable beat? The experiment was conducted online using the PAVE (Psycho Acoustic Visual Editor) software.
Intervalic Psychoacoustic Listening Experiment:
This experiment explored how listeners define the consonance/dissonance of (12-EDO) intervals, triads and chords. Listeners recorded their qualitative evaluations of the sound samples as well as a multidimensional measuring of the consonance and dissonance they perceived in each sound sample.
Grant Activity
Program na podporu zahraničních mobilit doktorandů AMU 2024:
Due to this grant, I was able to travel to Seoul for the 2024 edition of the International Computer Music Conference. During the conference selections from my cycle Wavelengths for Blockflutes, Pan Flutes and Live Electronics were performed. Following this performance I gathered audience responses through a Questionnaire which investigated the listener’s memory of the performance.
Studentská grantová soutěž 2024:
Due to this grant, I was able to compose Rhizome, a sound installation containing 10 minutes of material arranged to influence the concept of the work having no true beginning or ending. The sound installation was accompanied by an experiment whereby the memory patterns and emotional interpretations of the work amongst the listeners were investigated. This culminated in an article which is under review for publishing with Arte Acta.
Conference Activity
Conference “SVÁR TEORIE S PRAXÍ?” 2024
International Computer Music Conference 2024
Conference “SVÁR TEORIE S PRAXÍ?” 2025
Selected Composition Examples Composed During the Program
Rhizome
Sound Installation
De Motu Cogitationis
(Clarinet in Bb, Trombone, Vibraphone, Violoncello, Fixed Electronics) - Premiered March 2025 Česky Rozhlas Article and Feature
Crossmodal Primitives
(Flute, Clarinet in Bb (doubling bass), Accordion, Violin, Violoncello) - Premiered by laug.sonoris September 2025
In This Time One Hears This Writing
(Trombone, Lap Steel Guitar, Percussion, Violin, Violoncello, Contrabass, Live Electronics) - Premiered with Ensemble Terrible October 2025 KlasikaPlus Review
Ohrenschmaus
(Saxophone Quartet) - Premiered with MMMM Quartet November 2025
Vier Abschiede
(2.2.2.2., 2.2.0.0., Timp., Perc., Strings) - Premiered with Komorní filharmonie Pardubice November 2024
Česky Rozhlas Article and Feature
HisVoice Review
Seven Listenings for Orchestra
(1.1.2.2., 1.1.1.1., Timp., Perc., Strings) - Premiered with Komorní filharmonie Pardubice November 2024
Česky Rozhlas Article and Feature
HisVoice Review
