Theocharis Papatrechas, co-creator
Theocharis Papatrechas is a Greek composer and sound researcher. His music has been praised for its "intimate narrative" and "beautiful instrumental intensity" (il giornale della musica). His work draws inspiration from underwater soundscapes and uses delicate, vulnerable, and fragile sound material, which unfolds in ever-slowing narratives, seeking to manipulate the perception of time and create immersive auditory experiences.
His works have been presented by notable groups such as Ensemble Intercontemporain, Nouvel Ensemble Moderne, Divertimento Ensemble, Ensemble Multilatérale, and Mivos Quartet, at renowned institutions such as IRCAM, Harvard, and Stanford, Berklee, University of Montreal, New York Electroacoustic Music Festival. Theocharis has worked as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (CalIT2), the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, and the Center for New Music & Audio Technologies at UC Berkeley. His research focuses on acoustic data from underwater environments, aiming to understand the impact of climate change through acoustics and sound engineering.
He holds a Ph.D. in Music Composition from the University of California San Diego.Since 2015, he has been the Artistic Director of the ilSUONO Contemporary Music Week, which takes place in Italy. Currently, he is a Lecturer in Music Technology and Music Theory at Griffith University and at the University of Queensland in Brisbane, Australia.
Sasha Ishov, co-creator
Praised by The San Diego Union-Tribune for his “well-sounded and lucid” playing and impressive musicianship, Sasha Ishov is an innovative flutist specializing in 20th and 21st century music, devoted to the co-creation of new acoustic and electroacoustic works, as well as showcasing repertoire that challenges perceptions of the historical canon.
Sasha holds the Aspen Contemporary Ensemble flute fellowship position and has been featured at venues including Carnegie Hall; BBC Proms; Ojai Music Festival; June in Buffalo; soundSCAPE; Neofonía–Festival de Música Nueva de Ensenada; MOXsonic; SPLICE Institute; Transplanted Roots Percussion Festival, collaborating with contemporary and classical artists including John Adams; John Luther Adams; Irvine Arditti; Miranda Cuckson; Renée Fleming; Karen Gomyo; JACK Quartet; Brad Lubman; Anthony McGill; Ensemble Signal; Steven Schick; Augusta Read Thomas; Wilfrido Terrazas; Pamela Z, among others.
As a committed researcher, Sasha explores the intersection between interface design, pedagogy, and electronics, engaging with issues of design in the practice room, the classroom, and the concert hall. Together with Theocharis Papatrechas, he is the co-creator of PrismaSonus, an artistic research initiative exploring how microphone placement transforms the perception of flute technique. Their work has been featured at Calit2’s Qualcomm Institute, Harvard University, and the Missouri Experimental Sonic Arts Festival.
Sasha holds a Doctorate in Musical Arts in Contemporary Music Performance from UC San Diego, is a graduate of the Eastman School of Music and Interlochen Arts Academy, and is a Miyazawa Emerging Artist.