Machines in Music: Alessandro Cortini



An interview and live performance from Alessandro Cortini, recorded during the 2016 Machines in Music two-day event at Knockdown Center. Clocktower was on-site on October 8 for the opening day of MiM, collecting a package of recordings of the performance sets, a collage of interviews with the performers, and soundbites from participants and organizers of the fair.

Cortini is an Italian-born composer, performer, and musical voyager. Having spent considerable time performing lead electronics in addition to revisiting his initial instrumental forays in guitar for Nine Inch Nails and How to Destroy Angels, as well as continuing a solo project under the banner SONOIO (an Italian echo from "sono io" translating to "it's me"), Cortini released his first recordings under his given name with the Forse series of works created on the Buchla Easel for Important Records.

Machines In Music is a free two-day modular synthesizer exhibition that brings together users and makers for hands-on exploration, discussions, and performance. 2015's conference hosted 24 modular synthesizer companies from around the world, attracting the attention of beginners and experienced synthesizer users alike. For the 2016 iteration, there were 48 exhibitors, discussions by industry professionals, concerts on Saturday and Sunday night, as well as Visual Arts through out the venue.

Machines In Music is co-created by Verbos Electronics and Control.