From March 26–28, we had the pleasure of sending composer and musician Xavier Bonfill to Ircam Forum in Paris, where he took part in their extensive program of workshops and presentations on the latest developments at the intersection of technology, sound and music. He also gave a presentation of his current project “(vessell).” Bonfill was selected to participate and give his presentation based on an Open Call in January 2025, which was carried out in collaboration with Ircam.

Below you can read more about Bonfill’s presentation and what he gained from participating in Ircam Forum.

Why did you want to attend the Ircam Forum?
“My motivation for participating in the IRCAM Forum was twofold. Primarily, I wanted to present my ongoing project to a specialized audience of developers, researchers and composers working at the intersection of art and technology. I hoped to receive qualified feedback and find inspiration for the next phase of the project. At the same time, I was interested in gaining deeper insight into IRCAM’s current research projects and technologies as potential inspiration for future works.”

What was the topic of your presentation?
“The topic of my presentation was the development of my instrument ‘vssl’ – a perceptual sampler and granular synthesizer that enables real-time sound exploration through navigation based on audio descriptors. I presented both the technical aspects of the instrument and its conceptual foundation as part of my series of works ‘(vessels).’

In the presentation, I also discussed my artistic journey toward this project, including how I have worked with different approaches to the relationship between language and sound/music: materialistic (where text is treated as musical material), semantic (where sound functions as memory), and perceptual (how we intuitively understand sound qualities). I demonstrated the instrument’s functions live and explained how vssl makes it possible to search and manipulate sound libraries based on perceptual parameters such as brightness, hardness, and harmonicity.”

What do you take with you from your participation in the Ircam Forum?
“From my participation in the IRCAM Forum, I take home several valuable things: constructive feedback on the vssl project from researchers and composers, concrete ideas for the project’s further development, insight into IRCAM’s latest software development and inspiration from other composers’ artist talks.”

Would you recommend other musicians and composers to attend the Ircam Forum?
“Yes, I would recommend other musicians and composers to attend the IRCAM Forum. It offers great insight into developments at one of the leading centers for music and technology, the opportunity to present your own projects in unique settings and valuable feedback from a specialized international community.”

About Xavier Bonfill
Xavier Bonfill is a Catalan composer who graduated as a soloist from the Royal Danish Academy of Music and has lived in Denmark for the past 10 years. He has released music both as a solo artist and as part of the group haknam, established the record label Don’t Look Back Records and also works in music education, where he specializes in composition, electroacoustics and music production. In 2022, he received the Pelle Prize for his artistic work.

Read more about Xavier Bonfill on his website.

About Ircam and Ircam Forum
Ircam – Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music – is one of the world’s largest public research centers focused on both musical expression and scientific research. Founded in 1977 by Pierre Boulez, Ircam has since served as a unique institution combining artistic sensibility with scientific and technological innovation.

For over 30 years, Ircam has facilitated a network for professionals and enthusiasts in cutting-edge music and sound technology. Each year, they host Ircam Forum, providing insights into the latest technological developments through presentations, workshops and concerts, with much of the content stemming from Ircam’s own research.

Read more about Ircam on their website.