Dr Tom Davis
- 01202 965133
- tdavis at bournemouth dot ac dot uk
- Deputy Head of Department for Media Production
- Weymouth House W208, Talbot Campus, Fern Barrow, Poole, BH12 5BB
- Keywords:
- Arts
- Digital art
- Human-computer interaction
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Biography
Tom Davis is a Associate Professor in Music and Audio Technology. In addition to PhD supervision he teaches on the BA Music and Sound Production degree. Davis is also a practicing artist working mainly in the realm of sound installation and live performance. Davis has exhibited and performed throughout Europe and in the United States and holds a PhD from the Sonic Arts Research Centre, Belfast.
Research
Instrument building; Technologically mediated Improvisation; Enaction, Embodiment, Post-Phenomenology, Sonic Art, Participation in Music as Practice, and situations that examine the interface between music and technology.
Favourites
- Davis, T., 2024. Ambiguous devices as an example of a networked relational encounter. International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media.
- Stapleton, P. and Davis, T., 2021. Ambiguous Devices: Improvisation, agency, touch and feedthrough in distributed music performance. Organised Sound, 26 (1), 52-64.
- Davis, T., 2019. Instrumental intentionality: an exploration of mediated intentionality in musical improvisation. International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media, 15 (1), 70-83.
- Davis, T., 2017. The feral cello: A philosophically informed approach to an actuated instrument. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression, 279-282.
- Davis, T., 2011. Towards a Relational Understanding of the Performance Ecosystem. Organised Sound, 16, 120-124.
- Davis, T. and Reid, L.. Gemmeleg.. Performance for the Feral Cello. Sound Music Computing Conference, Helsinki. 5-8 July 2017.
Journal Articles
- Challéat, S. et al., 2024. A dataset of acoustic measurements from soundscapes collected worldwide during the COVID-19 pandemic. Scientific Data, 11 (1).
- Davis, T., 2024. Ambiguous devices as an example of a networked relational encounter. International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media.
- Garcia, D. and Davis, T., 2024. From telepresence to teletrust. International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media, 20 (2), 163-168.
- Ferraris, C., Davis, T., Gatzidis, C. and Hargood, C., 2023. Digital Cultural Items in Space: The Impact of Contextual Information on Presenting Digital Cultural Items. Journal on Computing and Cultural Heritage, 16 (4).
- Stapleton, P. and Davis, T., 2021. Ambiguous Devices: Improvisation, agency, touch and feedthrough in distributed music performance. Organised Sound, 26 (1), 52-64.
- Ward, A., Davis, T. and Bevan, A., 2019. Music technology and alternate controllers for clients with complex needs. Music Therapy Perspectives, 37 (2), 151-168.
- Davis, T., 2019. Instrumental intentionality: an exploration of mediated intentionality in musical improvisation. International Journal of Performance Arts and Digital Media, 15 (1), 70-83.
- Davis, T., 2012. Complexity as Practice: A Reflection on the Creative Outcomes of a Sustained Engagement with Complexity. Leonardo, 45 (2), 106-112.
- Davis, T., 2011. Towards a Relational Understanding of the Performance Ecosystem. Organised Sound, 16, 120-124.
- Davis, T., 2010. On Listening to Installation. Performance Research: A Journal of the Performing Arts, 15, 66-71.
- Davis, T., 2010. Complexity as Process: Complexity Inspired Approaches to Composition. Organised Sound, 15 (2), 137-146.
- Davis, T. and Ward, N., 2010. Ordnance Survey: Exploring Activity through Large Scale Topologies and Auditory Mappings. Parsons Journal for Information Mapping, 2.
- Davis, T., 2010. The Ear of the Beholder: Ecology, Embodiment and Complexity in Sound Installation. Leonardo Electronic Almanac.
Books
- Stapleton, P. and Davis, T., 2022. Ambiguous Devices: Improvisation, Agency, Touch and Feedthrough in Distributed Music Performance. Porto: i2ADS - Research Institute of Art, Design and Society.
- Hammersley, J., O'Reilly, S. and Renaud, A., 2012. LIVENESS. EMERGE -Experimental Media Research Imprint.
Conferences
- Brett, J., Gatzidis, C., Davis, T. and Amelidis, P., 2022. The Crypt of Notation: Rote Learning through Video Games For Adult Beginner Keyboard Learners. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series.
- Brett, J., Gatzidis, C., Davis, T. and Amelidis, P., 2022. The Crypt of Notation: Rote Learning through Video Games For Adult Beginner Keyboard Learners. FDG, 76:1 ACM.
- Ferraris, C., Gatzidis, C., Davis, T. and Hargood, C., 2021. Capture, Processing and Presentation of Digital Cultural Items. In: EUROGRAPHICS Workshop on Graphics and Cultural Heritage (2021) 4-6 November 2021 Bournemouth, UK.
- Brett, J., Gatzidis, C., Davis, T., Amelidis, P., Xu, N. and Gladwell, T., 2021. Learning through Play; A Study Investigating How Effective Video Games Can Be Regarding Keyboard Education at a Beginner Level. ACM International Conference Proceeding Series.
- Ferraris, C., Gatzidis, C., Davis, T. and Hargood, C., 2021. Capture, Processing and Presentation of Digital Cultural Items: Feedback from Cultural Heritage Practitioners. GCH, 1-9 Eurographics Association.
- Brett, J., Gladwell, T., Xu, N., Amelidis, P., Davis, T. and Gatzidis, C., 2020. Developing Games for the Purposes of Rote Learning for Keyboard and Piano. IEEE Conference on Computatonal Intelligence and Games, CIG, 2020-August, 724-727.
- Davis, T. and Reid, L., 2020. Taking back control: Taming the feral cello. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression, 416-421.
- Davis, T., Pierson, D. and Bevan, A., 2019. Increasing access to music in SEn settings. Proceedings of the Sound and Music Computing Conferences, 281-286.
- Davis, T., 2017. The feral cello: A philosophically informed approach to an actuated instrument. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression, 279-282.
- Ward, A., Woodbury, L. and Davis, T., 2017. Design considerations for instruments for users with complex needs in sen settings. Proceedings of the International Conference on New Interfaces for Musical Expression, 216-221.
- Davis, T., 2016. Resitive Intentionality: Examining the instrumental interface. In: Sonorities Symposium 2016 26 November 2016 Queen's University Belfast.
- Davis, T. and Stapleton, P., 2016. Ambiguous Devices: Improvisation, agency, dialogue and touch in technologically-mediated performance. In: Interagency In Technologically Mediated Performance 29-30 January 2016 Bournemouth University.
- Davis, T., 2015. An exploration of technological agency in improvisational contexts. In: DMRN+10: Digital Music Research Network One-day Workshop 2015 22 December 2015 Queen Mary University of London.
- Davis, T., Geistweidt, J., Renaud, A. and Dixon, J., 2012. Interfacing the Network: An Embedded Approach to Network Instrument Creation. In: International Computer Music Conference, ICMC 2012 9-14 September 2012 Ljubljana, Slovenia.
- Davis, T., 2012. The Loop: A distributed instrument approach to networked performance. In: Symposium for Performance of Electronic and Experimental Music 6-7 January 2012 University of Oxford.
- Davis, T., 2008. Cross-Pollination: Towards an aesthetics of the real. In: ICMC 2008. International Computer Music Conference 24-29 August 2008 Sonic Arts Research Centre, Queens University, Belfast, Northern Ireland.
- Davis, T. and Karamanlis, O., 2007. Gestural control of sonic swarms: Composing with grouped sound objects. In: 4th Sound and Music Computing Conference 11-13 July 2007 Lefkada, Greece.
- Davis, T. and Rebelo, P., 2007. Environments for sonic ecologies. In: Evoworkshops Valencia. , 508-516 Springer-Verlag.
- Davis, T. and Rebelo, P., 2005. Natural Selection: A Stethoscopic Amphibious Installation. In: GA2005: Generative Art Conference 15-17 December 2005 Milan, Italy.
- Davis, T. and Rebelo, P., 2005. Hearing Emergence: Towards Sound-Based Self-Organisation. In: Proceedings of ICMC2005: International Computer Music Conference September 2005 Barcelona, Spain.
Exhibitions
- Davis, T. and McKinney, C., 2012. Flow. Sound Installation. Tiny Tate. Tate Britain.
- Davis, T. and Stapleton, P., 2012. Ambiguous Devices. Installation. New Interfaces for Musical Expression. NIME 2012. Ann Arbor, Michigan & Bournemouth University, England. 21-23 May 2012.
- Davis, T., 2011. Working Title. Mixed Media. Working Title. Aspex Contemporary Art Gallery. Portsmouth. 5-18 September 2011.
- Davis, T., Renaud, A. and McKinney, C., 2010. Flow. Mixed. Public Domain. Bournemouth Lower Gardens. 16-18 July 2010.
- Davis, T. and Ward, N., 2009. Ordnance Survey. Mixed. Hilltown New Music Festival. Hilltown, County Westmeath, Ireland. 18-19 July 2009.
- Davis, T., 2009. Bus Stop. Mixed. Oxford Contemporary. OVADA, Oxford. 7 February-21 March 2009.
- Davis, T., 2008. Rules and Regs. Mixed. Rules and Regs. Aspace gallery, Southampton. 1 May-2 June 2008.
- Davis, T., 2007. Cross-Pollination. Mixed. FIX'07 International Performance Festival. Catalyst Arts, Belfast. 26-29 November 2007.
- Davis, T. and O'Modhrain, S., 2007. Radio Streams. Mixed. Enaction in Arts. Enaction in Arts, Fort de la Bastille, Grenoble. 19-24 November 2007.
- Davis, T., 2006. Cycle Sonic. Bring the Noise. Catalyst Arts, Belfast. 16-29 October 2006.
- Davis, T., 2006. Excuse Me!. International Conference on Auditory Display. ICAD, Queen Mary University, London. 20-23 June 2006.
- Davis, T., 2005. Natural Selection. Musica Viva. Musica Viva, Lisbon, Portugal. 17-24 September 2005.
- Callus, P., Davis, T., Callus, P. and Rega, I.. Chembamba kina siri kubwa. Installation. In/Visible Margins. Lees Gallery, Bournemouth University. 1 December 2018-28 February 2019.
Performances
- Davis, T., Geistweidt, J., Renaud, A. and Dixon, J.. The Loop. NIME 2011, Oslo, Norway. 30 May-1 June 2011.
- Davis, T., Geistweidt, J., Renaud, A. and Dixon, J.. The Loop. arts.on.wires, Oslo, Norway. 25-29 May 2011.
- Davis, T. and Stapleton, P.. Ambiguous Devices. Performance. NIME 2012, Ann Arbor, Michigan and Bournemouth University. 21-23 May 2012.
- Davis, T., Geistweit, J., Renaud, A.R. and Dixon, J.. The Loop. Network Music Festival, Birmingham. 27-29 January 2012.
- Davis, T. and Stapleton, P.. Ambiguous Devices. Stanford USA & Bournemouth UK. 27 April 2012.
- Davis, T. and Stapleton, P.. Ambiguous Devices. Performance. INTIME, Coventry University. 19-20 October 2013.
- Davis, T. and Stapleton, P.. Ambiguous Devices. Performance. Re-New 2013, Copenhagen. 28 October-3 November 2013.
- Davis, T., Troisi, A., Seddon, A., Thompson, B., Canning, R. and Chiaramonte, A.. NonRecursive. Performance. Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe: The Engine Room. 15 October 2015.
- Davis, T., Troisi, A., Seddon, A., Canning, R., Thompson, B., Chiaramonte, A. and Borgo, D.. NonRecursive @ Symposium on Interagency in Technologically-Mediated Performance. Performance. Bournemouth University. 29 January 2016.
- Davis, T. and Reid, L.. Gemmeleg. Performance for the Feral Cello. NIME 2017, Black Diamond, Copenhagen. 18 May 2017.
- Davis, T. and Reid, L.. Gemmeleg. Performance for the Feral cello. Noisefloor 2017, Staffordshire University, Stoke On Trent. 4 May 2017.
- Davis, T. and Reid, L.. Gemmeleg.. Performance for the Feral Cello. Sound Music Computing Conference, Helsinki. 5-8 July 2017.
- Troisi, A., Davis, T., Amelidis, P. and Seddon, A.. nonRecursive. Bournemouth Emerging Arts Fringe: The Engine Room, The Old Fire Station. 1 May 2018.
- Davis, T. and Reid, L.. The Feral Cello: A collaborative cello and electronics practice.. Feral Cello. Cello & Live Electronics. Birmingham Conservatoire, Birmingham. 3 December 2019.
- Reid, L. and Davis, T.. Feedback Musicianship Network Concert. Improvisation with the Feral Cello and Cello + DSP. The Meeting House, University of Sussex, Falmer, UK. 12 May 2022.
Artefacts
- Davis, T. and Ward, N., 2022. Small Voice. Sonorities Festival, Belfast.
PhD Students
- Vicky Isley. Body as Landscape: A Visual Aesthetic Model for Sensual Awareness of Challenges on our Environment, (In progress)
- Asha Ward, 2020. MAMI Tech Toolkit Utilising Action Research to Develop a Technological Toolkit to Facilitate Access to Music-Making, (Completed)
- Lucy Childs, 2022. The Quest for Life and Intelligence in Digital Puppets., (Completed)
- Katy Connor. Untitled_Force: 3D Print as Poetic Praxis
- Liam Birtles
Invited Lectures
-
Ambiguous Devices Book Launch, University of Porto, 14 Dec 2023 more
Invited Talk: Ambiguous Devices Book Launch at University of Porto with Paul Stapleton -
The Feral Cello, Birmingham Conservatoire, 03 Dec 2019 more
Presented a talk at the Technology In Music Performance Symposium, (TIMP) -
Connecting Communities of Music Technology, Bournemouth University, 05 Dec 2018 more
Connecting Communities of Music Technology practice in Special Educational Settings was a invited lecture as part of the evoices Creativity and Marginality Symposium http://evoices.cemp.ac.uk/uk-creativity-and-marginality-symposium/ -
Intervention, CGP London – Dilston Grove, 09 Dec 2017 more
Research Symposium. Generative Environments | LCC Postgraduate Shows 2017, Show 2: MA Sound Arts -
A sense of being ‘listened to’, University of Sussex, 15 Sep 2017 more
Humanising Algorithmic listening Workshops. AHRC network funding. with Nick Ward -
Temporal and fluid agency in improvised music, Sonic Arts Research Centre, Belfast, 01 Aug 2017 more
Humanising Algorithmic listening Workshop 2. AHRC Network
Grants
- Shared Post-Human Imagination Human-Ai Collaboration in Media Creation (Arts and Humanities Research Council, 01 Feb 2024). In Progress
- Improving educational outcomes for SEN students through technological innovation) (HEIF, 01 Aug 2017). Completed
- Increasing access to Music: Music Technology in Special Educational Needs (SEN) settings. (HIEF5+1+1, 01 Aug 2016). Completed
External Responsibilities
- UKRI ARHC, Member of Peer Review College (2022-)
- London College of Communication UAL, External Examiner MA Sound Arts (2020-2025)
- Middlesbrough College (UCU), External Examiner (2018-2021)
Journal Reviewing/Refereeing
- AHRC Peer Review College, Anonymous peer review, 01 May 2022
- Journal of New Music Research, Anonymous peer review, 29 Jul 2020
- Leonardo, Anonymous peer review, 01 Sep 2014
Public Engagement & Outreach Activities
- The co-creation of unit assessments based on the principles of ‘backward design (10 Jun 2017)
Conference Presentations
- Technology in Music Performance, The Feral Cello: A collaborative cello and electronics practice., 03 Dec 2019, Birmingham Conservatoire
Qualifications
- PGCert in Education Practice (Bournemouth University, 2015)
- PhD in Sonic Art (Queen's University Belfast, 2008)
- MA in Communication Media: Creative Sound Production (University of the West of England, 2004)
- BSc (Hons) in Physics with Music (University of Edinburgh, 2001)
Website Links
- Personal Website, http://www.tdavis.co.uk/