Embracing the unrepeatable : non-idiomatic manipulation by Eleonora Podestà, Thomas De Santi, Erica Vincenti

Co-agency collectivenss Performance Somax2 violin

Embracing the Unrepeatable is a project conceived by Eleonora Podestà in collaboration with Thomas De Santi and Erica Vincenti. The main output of this project is a musical performance that explores the essence of co-agency. The fundamental idea is to explore musical improvisation as a shared act, one that materializes not solely through performer’s real time dialogue with Somax2, but through the union of that interaction with the direct, and creative intervention of the audience.

➡️ This presentation is part of IRCAM Forum Workshops Paris / Enghien-les-Bains March 2026

CONCEPT

Embracing the unrepeatable is a project that aims at the realisation of a collective performance. The main purpose of this project is to turn members of the audience into an active part of the musical performance, which features a continuous dialogue between the violin and Somax2. The performance is intended to explore the implications of a triadic co-agency model that integrates the performer, interactive generative systems and the audience, and blends them into the same framework. 

The crucial element of this project is undoubtedly audience participation. Instead of passive listening, the audience members are called to interact dynamically, ensuring their contribution defines and shifts the course of the musical event. Each participant's choice influences the final result, allowing the performance to become an unpredictable and unrepeatable musical product.

STRUCTURE

In Embracing the Unrepeatable, each audience member will have the freedom to choose whether or not to actively participate in the performance; a MIDI controller will be provided (Behringer X-Touch Compact), allowing them to manipulate the timbre of the violin and the texture of the sound in real time, and to contribute to the creative process alongside the performer and Somax2.

Any action performed by the audience will be perceived by the performer, who will then adapt their improvisation based on the dual input coming from both the audience and Somax2. The violinist will play without prior knowledge of the specific mappings or device settings, as the configurations remain hidden. This creates a feedback loop of mutual uncertainty.

IMPLICATIONS

This context challenges the traditional conventions of concert music. By aiming to dissolve the boundary between audience, performer and interactive generative systems, Embracing the Unrepeatable becomes the direct result of their collaboration.

The project also aims to highlight the immanent extemporaneity of improvisation. It transforms the performative act into a shared experience where every choice is born and developed in the present moment. Improvisation, thus, becomes a space of creative and interactive freedom, reaching new sonic frontiers through a constant interplay of interpretations and reactions.

CONCLUSION

Ultimately, Embracing the Unrepeatable defines the musical event as an ecosystem. Based on a triadic co-agency model, the project shifts the focus from a single creator to a distributed creativity where the performer, the audience, and Somax2 are equally essential. The outcome is a performance model that values the unexpected and celebrates collective contribution.