EMMA KATE MATTHEWS
Architect, Artist, Composer, Musician, Researcher
"Spare and intense, ... this music is more about timbre and texture than pitch" - Robert Hugill 2021
Emma-Kate (b. 1986) is an architect, composer, musician and researcher at UCL. Her work explores creative reciprocities between sonic and spatial disciplines through the composition and performance of site-specific and spatialised projects. In addition to composing on the London Symphony Orchestra’s Panufnik scheme (2022), her work has been performed internationally at acoustically distinctive sites such as the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, London’s Southbank Centre the Barbican Centre and Brighton Festival.
Emma-Kate’s approach to composition combines electronic and acoustic methodologies and instrumentation, by using a range of bespoke digital tools and physical instruments that she codes and designs herself, respectively. Her electronic music presents a rich tapestry of field recordings alongside synthesised and recorded acoustic instrumentation, often using binaural and ambisonic recording tools to enable immersive 3D playback.
She has released a number of solo electronic and classical-fusion works including ‘Similis’ on Musicity Global (2019) ‘Far Flung’ on Algebra Records (2020), and ‘Remote Overlap’ on NMC Records (2021). In addition to being a multi-instrumentalist, she also designs and makes her own sonic instruments: In 2021, she was nominated for the Lumen prize for Art and Technology for her project ‘Resonant Bodies’ and she has also been nominated for the Aesthetica art prize 2022. Her bespoke instruments are exhibited at the Works + Words Architecture Biennale at the Roundtower in Copenhagen, and she recently produced an audio-visual piece for the Cities and Memory Polar Sounds project, using recordings of sea ice from the Antarctic. Throughout 2022, she is working in collaboration with _Underscore on a site-specific opera for Birmingham’s Moseley Road Edwardian bath house. Her composition for the Royal Academy of Music's '200 Pieces' project is also due for release in early 2023.
Her work has been exhibited internationally and her research has been published in journals including Architectural Design (Wiley) and Organised Sound (Cambridge University Press) and HSSCOMMS (Nature). In 2019, Emma-Kate organised and presented at the ‘Sound of Space Symposium’ funded by the Australian Research Council.
She is currently working on a large-scale publication for Routledge, which is due for release in 2024
She hosts an eclectic radio show on RTM.FM called Hunter Gatherer.
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[MUSICAL RELEASES]
*DUE* 2024 “As Long As Possible” - EKM single release: (composer, performer, vocals, drums, bass, electronics, piano)
Jan 2023 “Polar Sounds” - (composer) Polar sounds for ‘Cities + Memory’ LINK
Dec 2022 “Cloth Wind in Wall” - (composer) commissioned and released by Royal Academy of Music for ‘RAM 200 Pieces’ LINK
Jun 2022 “Instead of Points” - (composer) re-released as part of NMC records’ ‘The Great Lockdown Survey’ LINK
Oct 2021 “Far Flung Remixes” - EKM remix album (composer) - released on Algebra records LINK
Jul 2021 “Six Degrees of Separation” - compilation featuring mixed ensemble piece “Remote Overlap” (composer) - NMC records LINK
Nov 2020 “Far Flung EP” - EKM solo album release: (composer, performer, vocals, drums, bass, electronics, piano) LINK
Oct 2020 “More Colours Remix” – EKM remix for Rob Shields: (composer, performer) - released on Algebra records LINK
Aug 2020 "Twenty - Music for Piano" compilation featuring solo Piano piece "Instead of Points" compilation (composer) - LINK
Mar 2020 “Pressed, Pressing” – EKM solo EP release: (composer, performer, vocals, drums, bass, electronics, piano) LINK
May 2019 “Similis” – solo track release: (composer, performer, clarinet, drums, bass, electronics, ) released by Musicity Global LINK
Aug 2018 “East of the Active” – EP release as DIAS: (experimental music collaboration) – released on Algebra Records LINK
Dec 2015 “Pt.1 (6:1) + 6:2” – EKM – solo album release: (composer, performer, vocals, drums, bass, electronics, piano) LINK
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[SELECTED PERFORMANCES]
May 14th + 27th 2022 "Drift" - @ Witness Stand for Brighton Festival (composer / performer) Shoreham-On-Sea, River Adur
Mar 31st 2022 “A Study of Passing Objects” - @ London Symphony Orchestra Panufnik Scheme, (composer) LSO St Lukes
Jun 24th 2021 “Cloth Wall In Wind” World Premiere - @ Royal Academy of Music 200 pieces (composer), David Josefowitz Recital Hall
Feb 15th 2020 “Construction 003 - V3” – @ Soundhub Showcase, by the London Symphony Orchestra (composer), LSO St Luke's, London
Dec 19th 2019 “Modest Proposals” - @ JEMP experimental music festival (performing bass for Ben McDonnell), Swiss Church, London
May 19th 2019 “Construction 005” – @ Sound Unbound Festival (composer), for Musicity Global, Barbican Centre, London
Mar 20th 2019 “Construction 004” – @ Getting it Right Conference (composer) for Guildhall School of Music, London
Jan 24th 2019 “Construction 003 - V2” – @ Gala Concert (composer) for London City Orchestra at Southbank Centre, London
Sep 22nd 2018 - “Construction 003 - V1” - (performer) “New Music for New Audiences” conference at Leicester De Montfort Uni.
Aug 02nd 2018 “DIAS: East of the Active” – @ EP launch event (composer, musician) at DIY Space, London
Dec 16th 2017 “Construction 002” – @ Private concert (composer, researcher) with Aus Research Council, Sagrada Familia, Barcelona
Dec 07th 2017 “Construction 002” – @ Time Making Space Event (organiser, composer, exhibitor, respondent) Royal Academy of Arts
Sep 13th 2017 “Construction 001” – @ Site-specific performance (composer) for London Graduate Orchestra, Shoreditch Church
Jun 24th 2017 “Construction 000 - Dorsal Falls” – @ Edge to Edge Festival (organiser, composer, presenter) Shoreditch Church, London
Dec 16th 2016 “Rise” – @ Building opening (composer) for 5-piece student choral group, 22 Gordon Street, UCL, London
Jan 29th 2015 “Plexus Open Field” – @ Plexus Experimental (performer: electronics, composer) Hampstead Road, London
Jun 27th 2015 “Station to Station” – @ Boredoms Concert (performer: drums) Barbican Concert Hall, London
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[PUBLICATIONS + FEATURES]
*DUE* 2024 - “Sound Of Space” - Routledge - Book publication as 1st editor with Profs. Jane Burry + Mark Burry
Jun 2022 - "Future Now" - Aesthetica Art Magazine LINK
Mar 2022 - "Emma-Kate Matthews Unlocks The Architecture of Music" - London Symphony Orchestra Blog LINK
Mar 2022 - "Meet the Composers" - London Symphony Orchestra blog LINK
Mar 2022 - “Natural language modelled and printed in 3D: A multi-disciplinary approach” - Nature HSSCOMMS - joint 1st auth. Dr. A.Pillen LINK
Feb 2022 - "Prxludes interview" - Prxludes magazine LINK
Jul 2021 - “Remote Overlap: Sound and Space” - NMC records discover article LINK
Nov 2019 “Activating Audiences: How Spatial Music Can Help Us To Listen” – Cambridge Uni. Press,Organised Sound Journal LINK
May 2019 “Construction 005: Similis” – for the Musicity Global, Culture Mile London and the Barbican Centre LINK
Mar 2018 "Female Composers, International Women’s Day” – Interview with British Music Collection LINK
Jun 2018 “The Art of Window Design and Display: Feature on RSW Grace project” – Published by Sandu (Project: Grace)
Jan 2018 “Window Display – Grace” – published by KONSEPT PROJELER, Istanbul (Project: Grace) LINK
Jun 2017 “British Music Collection – Emma-Kate Matthews on Architectural Influences” – LINK
Jun 2017 “The Architectural Instrumentalist” – Design Ecologies Journal, published by Intellect Books: (Project: The Spatialised Score) LINK
Oct 2014 “Educating Architects” – Neil Spiller – Thames & Hudson Ltd: (Project: The Augmented Instrumentalist) LINK
Sep 2014 “London Design Festival 2014” – Dezeen: (Project: Grace) LINK
Jul 2012 “Royal Academy Awards:Celebrating 30 years”-The Architects’ Journal: (Project: The Augmented Instrumentalist) LINK
Jul 2012 “Pews and Perches” Wallpaper* Magazine: (Project: The Whistling Stop) LINK
Jun 2012 “StripHouse” SuckerPUNCH Magazine: (Project: StripHouse) LINK
Mar 2012 “Higher Integration in Morphogenetic Design:AD” Achim Menges John Wiley & Sons(The Augmented Instrumentalist) LINK
Jun 2010 + Jun 2011 “Bartlett School of Architecture Summer Catalogue” UCL: (Project: MArch) LINK
Jun 2008 “Treptow Crematorium: Bursary Article” SCALA Journal: (Project: Travel Bursary Building Analysis) (Pp 31-33) LINK
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[EXHIBITIONS + INSTALLATIONS]
Nov - Jan 2022/23 - Works + Words at the Royal Danish Academy, Copenhagen (Project: Resonant Bodies)
Oct 2022 "Drift" - @Sonic Cartography: Soundscape, Simulation and Re-enactment (installation) Chatham Dockyard, Kent
Jun - Aug 2022 - Canary Wharf Summer Lights Festival (Project: Kaleidozones, collaboration with Martin Richman)
Jun 2022 - Aesthetica Art Prize Exhibition at York Art Gallery (Project: Dreams Again)
Apr 2019 - Research as Art / Art as Research at UCL (Project: PhD)
Feb - Mar 2019 - In Permanent Readiness for the Marvellous at The Bartlett (Project: PhD)
Apr 2018 - Research as Art / Art as Research at UCL (Project: PhD)
Dec 2017 - Time Making Space at the Royal Academy of Arts London (Project: The Spatial Instrumentalist/Construction 002)
Dec 2017 - British Music Collection – Graphic Scores (Project: Construction 001)
Jun – Sep 2017 - Harley Open, Harley Gallery, Nottingham (Project: Dorsal Falls)
Jun 2017 - Edge to Edge at Shoreditch Church, London (Project: Dorsal Falls)
Jun - Aug 2016 - The Royal Academy of Arts Summer Exhibition (Project: Dorsal Falls – Sketch for a spatialised score)
Nov 2014 - Stars on Canvas for the Willow Foundation (Project: Grace)
Jun - Aug 2013 - The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (Project: The Big Egg hunt (with WEA))
Oct -Nov 2012 - RIBA, London, Open Exhibition (Project: The Split Studio)
Jun - Aug 2012 - The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition (Project: The Augmented Instrumentalist)
Mar 2012 - The Big Egg Hunt, Canary Wharf, London (Project: The Big egg hunt, with Wilkinson Eyre Architects)
Jun / Jul 2010 + Jun /Jul 2011 - Bartlett School of Architecture Summer Show (Project: Various)
2008, 2009, 2012 - Nottingham School of Architecture Show (Project: Various)
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[RECENT AWARDS]
May 2023 - Sound of the Year Awards, Category: Composed with Sound: HIGHLY COMMENDED
Jan 2022 - Aesthetica Art Prize: NOMINATED
May 2022 - Sound of the Year Awards, Category: Most unpleasant sound: HIGHLY COMMENDED
July 2021 - Lumen Prize for Art + Technology, Moving Image Category: NOMINATED (Project: Dreams Again, audiovisual)
Mar 2020 - Mar 2021 - Panufnik Composers’ Scheme: Awarded by the London Symphony Orchestra (Project: Construction 007)
Sep 2019 - Mar 2023 - Doctoral Scholarship: Awarded by the London Arts & Humanities Partnership (LAHP) / (AHRC) (Project: PhD research)
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[PAST AWARDS]
Dec 2018 - Dec 2019 - Funding for SoS symposium: Awarded by Australian Research Council (co-applicant with Profs. Mark Burry + Jane Burry)
Sep 2018 - Sep 2019 - Doctoral Network Funding: Awarded by UCL for Sound|Making|Space (co-applicant with Ruth Bernatek)
Sep 2017 - Sep 2018 - Doctoral Network Funding: Awarded by UCL for Sound|Making|Space (co-applicant with Ruth Bernatek)
May 2017 - Sep 2017 - New Voices Portfolio Residency with the London Graduate Orchestra: Awarded by Sound and Music
Sep 2017 - Sep 2019 - Staff award for MPhil/PhD tuition fees: Awarded by the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
Sep 2016 - Sep 2017 - Small projects grant for Cassini's Funeral. Awarded by the UK Arts Council (co-applicant with Ella Frears)
Jul 2016 - Jul 2017 - Architecture Research Fund - project Dorsal Falls: Awarded by the Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL
Mar 2014 - RIBA: Regent Street Windows (Project: Grace, for Karen Millen)
Jan 2013 - London Festival of Architecture/Groucho Club: Make a Stand Bike Rack (Project: Ribbon Rack)
Mar 2012 - RIBA: Pews and Perches Bench Design and Fabrication (Project: the Whistling stop)
Aug 2012 - ISE: Graduate Engineer’s Competition, Shortlisted (Project: Castlemeads Bridge, with Buro Happold)
Jul 2011 - UCL: Dean’s list for ‘students achieving distinction in design and thesis’ (The Augmented Instrumentalist)
Jul 2007 - SCALA (now SPACES): Student Travel Bursary (Project: Brixton Railside CPUL)
Jul 2006 - Uni. Nottingham: Portfolio Prize (Project: Various)
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[INVITED TALKS + CONFERENCES]
*DUE* 5th Oct 2023 - “Architecture and the Ear” - (Panel discussion member at “Sounds of the Earth”) Solus Ceramics, London
*DUE* 22nd Sep 2023 - “Resonant Bodies” - (presenter at “Createch 2023” conference) Uni. Westminster
15th Jun 2023 - “Conversations at the edge of the world” - (performer and presenter at “Everyday is Spatial Conference”) Uni. Gloucester
5th April 2022 - "Opera in Edwardian Baths" - (presenter and organiser for “Sound Making Space”) UCL Here East
23rd Apr 2021 - “Composing for Extreme Spaces” - (presenter at "World Wide Music Conference”) Prague WWMC
8th Sep 2021 - “Spatial Typologies” - (presenter at “Royal Music Association 56th Annual Conference”) Goldsmiths Uni.
28th Feb 2019 - “Spatial Typologies in Music Composition + Henry Brant" - (presenter, seminar series) Royal Academy of Music
11th Dec 2019 - “Composing for The Sagrada Familia” - (organiser + speaker, “Sound Of Space” symposium) UCL Here East
29th Nov 2019 - “Spatiosinic Constructs" - (presenter, seminar series) Royal Academy of Music
05th Oct 2019 - “Calibrating Spatial Typologies" - (presenter, “Spatiality and Music” conference) Uni. of Arts, Belgrade
15th Jul 2019 - “Simulation + Sonic Realities” - (respondent, organiser and presenter for interactive event) Max Fordham
19th May 2019 - “Sound Unbound”- (performance and presentation) Barbican Centre
20th Mar 2019 - “Implied Rhythms” - (performance) “New music/new technologies” conference at the Guildhall School of Music
18th Feb 2019 - “Spatiosonic Constructs” - (conference presentation) PhD conference at the Bartlett School of Architecture
19th May 2019 - “Similis” (performance/Q and A) for Musicity, Culture Mile London and the Barbican Centre
24th Jan 2019 - “Construction 003 - Regional/Axial” - (pre-performance talk) Southbank Centre
22nd Sep 2018 - “Activating Audiences”- (presenter/performer) “New Audiences” conference at Leicester De Montfort Uni.
27th Mar 2018 - “Sound Space Pecha Kucha” - (organiser/presenter SMS doc.network) Event at the Bartlett, UCL
15th Feb 2018 - “Keeping Time” - (organiser/respondent SMS doc.network) Event @ the Bartlett with Asaf Sirkis + Kemal Yusuf
07th Dec 2017 - “Construction 002, Time Making Space” - (organiser/exhibitor/respondent) at the Royal Academy of Arts LDN
24th Jun 2017 - "Edge to Edge" - (organiser, presenter, composer) Festival of music and movement, Shoreditch Church, London
14th Jun 2017 - "Generation to Fabrication" - (presenter) Rhino UGM conference, London, UK
20th Apr 2016 - “Simulation to Fabrication” - (presenter) Presentation at Shape to Fabrication conference, Stratford
08th Dec 2015 - “Stop:Frame” – (presenter) 1st year lunchtime lecture at the Bartlett, UCL
26th Feb 2015 - “Plexus Open Field” - (performer / presenter) Open Field, Plexus. UCL
19th Feb 2015 - “Think, Draw, Make” - (presenter) “Digital manufacturing and engineering-led design” at uni. Canterbury
16th Sep 2014 - “Regent Street Windows” - (presenter) RIBA Pecha Kucha event at Apple Store Regent Street, London
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[CURRENT EMPLOYMENT]
Sep 2015 - Present - The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL:
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2023 - Present: Director of Fabrication & Design Collaboration, Senior Lecturer (research), Design Tutor on MSci + DFP+I (MArch)
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2022 - 2023: Senior Lecturer (research) in Architecture + MArch Unit 25 tutor + MEng Coordinator + Design for Performance and Interaction tutor .
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2020 - present: Senior Lecturer (research) in Architecture + MArch Unit 25 tutor.
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2019 - 2020: MArch Unit 25 studio leader, Design for Manufacture design tutor.
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2018 - 2019: MArch Unit 25 studio leader, Design for Manufacture MArch module coordinator.
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2017 - 2018: MArch Unit 25 studio leader, BSc Year 1 design tutor.
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2015 - 2017: MArch Unit 25 studio leader, BSc Year 1 design tutor, BSc AIS project-x tutor.
Jul 2023 - Present - Price & Myers Geometrics Group [Freelance for Remote Studio]
Sep 2012 - Present - EKM Works (London) - [Founder, Architect, Musician, Artist, Composer, Researcher]
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[PAST EMPLOYMENT]
Sep 2019 - Jun 2022 - Oxford Brookes University - [Associate Lecturer, Unit J Lead Tutor]
Sep 2016 - Sep 2021 - Weber Industries (London) - [Architect, Senior Designer, Fabricator]
Sep 2015 - May 2020 - The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL - [Senior Teaching Fellow, MArch U25 Unit Tutor]
Sep 2013 - Aug 2016 - Geometrics Group at Price & Myers (London) - [Architect]
Sep 2014 - Aug 2015 - University of Greenwich - [Visiting Critic, Unit 7]
Nov 2014 - Aug 2015 - University of Kent - [Technical Tutor for Masters Architecture, Unit 4]
Sep 2008 - Sep 2013 - Wilkinson Eyre Architects (London) - [Architectural Assistant]
Dec 2011 - Feb 2012 - Sixteen*(Makers) (London) - [Freelance Production Assistant for “55/02”]
Jun 2007 - Sep 2007 - Marsh:Grochowski Architects (Nottingham) - [Architectural Assistant]
Jun 2006 - Sep 2006 - Groundworks Architects (Nottingham) - [Architectural Assistant]
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[EDUCATION]
Sep 2017 - Present - MPhil/PhD Architecture: In progress: The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL (TBC)
Feb 2013 - Oct 2013 - RIBA Part 3, Examination in Professional Practice: London Metropolitan University (Merit)
Sep 2009 - Jun 2011 - RIBA Part 2, DipArch & MArch The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL (Distinction)
Aug 2005 - Jun 2008 - RIBA PArt 1, BArch: The University of Nottingham (First Class (with Honours))
Aug 2004 - Jun 2005 - Art Foundation Degree: Nottingham College (Distinction)
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[MEMBERSHIPS]
Oct 2017 - Present - London Symphony Orchestra Soundhub - (Associate Member + Panufnik Composer 2020/2022)
Jun 2017 - Present - Sound|Making|Space Doctoral Network - (Coordinator, Researcher, Respondent, Presenter)
Jun 2017 - Sep 2017 - London Graduate Orchestra, portfolio residency with “Sound and Music” - (Composer in Residence)
Oct 2013 - Present - Chartered Architect at the Royal Institute of British Architects
Oct 2013 - Present - Architect with the Architects’ Registration Board
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[MEDIA LINKS]
https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3781-7500
http://britishmusiccollection.org.uk/composer/emma-kate-matthews