By Stacie Boyls | Arts and Life Writer
Inside Alinea, Baylor University’s electronic sound lab tucked away in the Marrs McLean Science Building, two student composers are wiring together an entirely new kind of concert experience.
Dallas senior Carson Iltis and Austin junior Dylan Plant are set to debut “Genesis,” their first full-length electronic music production created in the lab, at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday in Jones Concert Hall. The one-night-only performance blends live instrumentation, immersive sound design and curated lighting effects into what the pair calls an “audio-cinematic journey.”
Iltis and Plant began their project in a small course on electroacoustic composition, where the two were introduced to synthesizers, sound design and digital composition tools. As each composer developed their own electronic music style, they began to gravitate toward each other’s unique compositional style.
“By the time we got to our end-of-semester project, I told him, ‘Hey, I really like what you did,’ and he said, ‘Well, I really like what you did,’” Iltis said. “Then we decided to try something together — and now we’re doing a whole production.”
Their new work, “Genesis,” serves as both a title and a theme.
“We settled on the name ‘Genesis’ as the beginning of something,” Iltis said. “We think this could be the start of a long-term collaboration, something that grows beyond Baylor.”
Both musicians began working with electronic sound systems only about a year ago. The process was full of trial and error, they said.
“There were a lot of fails,” Iltis said while laughing. “Lots of screeching, lots of buzzing, lots of weird stuff that came from these things. But learning how to refine that was a challenge and [is] slowly becoming more successful.”
Plant said he agreed with Iltis, stating the collaboration they developed helped keep them focused on creating great music.
“You get in front of all these knobs, cables and cords, and you make something you think is great until someone walks in and says, ‘That sucks,’” he said. “Having each other helps us stay honest and push it to where we both like it.”
Their creative process involves as much sensitivity and collaboration as traditional composition.
“Sometimes one of us will play the same melody while the other just changes stuff at random until we hit a sound we love,” Plant said. “It’s like painting with sound.”
For instance, during one section of the program, Iltis said he plans to perform live piano using contact microphones that will feed into a computer, allowing Plant to alter the sound in real time.
“I’ll play something, and what comes out of the speakers will be completely altered,” Iltis said.
With inspiration from electronic music pioneers Daft Punk, Nine Inch Nails and the German music group Moderat, the duo aims to make electronic music accessible and engaging for all listeners.
“We want to bridge the gap between people who hear electronic music and think either club beats or weird noise,” Iltis said.
The performance will incorporate lighting and surround-sound elements to create what Plant described as “a cinematic experience,” all delicately programmed to combine full sensory engagement with immersive storytelling.
“We want it to feel like you’re walking into a movie theater,” he said. “You walk in not knowing what to expect and walk out feeling like you’ve gone on a journey.”
Both students credited Senior Lecturer in Composition & Computer Music Dr. Ben Johanson for his support. He was their electroacoustic professor.
“He literally gives us the key to the room and says, ‘Go mess with stuff,’” Iltis said. “When something breaks, he comes and fixes it and lets us keep learning.”
And mess with stuff they did. Together, they created a production that not only showcases their artistry but also expands audience perception of what’s possible for modern composition projects.
“Most people here don’t even know this technology exists,” Plant said. “So it’s exciting to show that electronic music can be just as expressive as anything else we perform.”
For now, “Genesis” signifies the start of a fulfilling and vigorous artistic development — one both Iltis and Plant plan on refining for future projects.
“This has been one of the best experiences I’ve had at Baylor,” Iltis said. “We’re just excited to show everyone what electronic music can be.”
