Pierre-Luc Senécal
October - November 2023
During the residency in HELLERAU the composer and sound designer Pierre-Luc Senécal from Montreal is working on two projects :
“MegaGrowl” and “Bones of the Earth”. Both are related to his unique approach to voice, specifically “growled vocals”. This distorted throat singing technique is commonly used in Growlers Choir, a unique choir of heavy metal singers that he founded in 2018. The Growlers Choir created a repertoire at the crossroad of experimental, contemporary, electroacoustic and metal music. The upcoming project is the “MegaGrowl” concert, a 60-minute spectacle for Growlers Choir, classical choir, organ and percussion. Assembling almost 50 musicians, the project will be presented in October 2024 in a Montreal church, with the intention of bringing this on tour in Europe in 2025. The work of Pierre-Luc Senécal during the residency in Dresden is revolving around the writing and composition of the remaining 35 minutes of music.
“Bones of the Earth” is a one-man act for voice, electric guitar and electronics. Acting as the sole musician of the group, Pierre-Luc Senécal intends to sketch out the first piece of music of this new project. Taking inspiration from Sigur Ros, Lingua Ignota, Haxan Cloak and sludge metal, he creates soundscapes and lyrical melodies that slowly evolve into a cathartic climax. To do so, manipulate a processed baritone guitar and explore vocal techniques such as fry vocals, inhale and growl. While Pierre-Luc Senécal is not a professional vocal performer, he is passionate about vocal sounds and wishs to develop his own practice and musical language using voice. This will be performed in April 2024, in Quebec, as an opening act to Growlers Choir’s album launch.