The IT, or "How I passed the Intelligence Test"

The idea that anyone in this day and age could invent a completely new instrument is a confirmed impossibility. Here goes with story about my attempt to solve a few music performance problems by altering, or manipulating some known sound sources into shapes that I could make music with.

Armed with a picture of my "limited sound resources" I began experimenting with coils and end-mounted rods screwed into a percussion instrument rack, like those used for mounting temple-blocks. The small bits of bent wood, metal, and debris were amplified with a small diaphragm condenser mic. The sounds were not loud enough to be useful, but they were intriguing.

I began attaching the rod to thick interior grade plywood and

glued a piezo to the board. The thing worked, and it could be

loud, semi-acoustic, or completely wacked out by adding effects.

I thought the Intelligence Test might be a charming name, and that the family of instruments might be the

IT-struments. (soon to be a registered trademark!) All ITstruments are designed and handmade by Ray Kaczynski.

The IT2

Here are some of my other ITstruments:

(top row L to R): Sun Pa’s Hat, Lazer Cactus, Babylon Chimes

(middle row L to R): Nana, Stone It, Sun Pa’s Hut

(bottom row) 5 Combs No Waiting

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On CD

 

SOLOX: compositions of Ray Kaczynski 2004

Drausen Sehe' Ich Grüne Hügeln, Gruppe Sound Espace 2003

FRESH: compositions of John Duncan, x-tract 2002

LÄRM / NOISE: Zeitkratzer 2001

The Lunics France 2001

Movies For Your Head, volume two 2001

 

IN CONCERT

NOSFERATU: FILM musik duet with Günther Heinz. Greifswald and Stubbnitz Museum Rostock 2011

WORDMUSIC: Theater Freiburg Esther Dischereit and Ray Kaczynski 2011

GEGENÜBER ZWEI tour: Tosterglope, Faust Theater Kunsthalle, Göttingen Tanztage V 2011

KOKI - Hannover Silent Films mit Zeitgenossische Musik: Die Bergkatze, Der Golem. Ensemble Megaphon 2011

KUNSTRAUM-Tosterglope: COLORS with sounDance 2011

CoCarts Festival Torun, Poland March 2011

EXPOSED Club Festival March 2011 Cheltenham, England

LINIEN - Festival für Neue Musik Göttingen, Germany 2010

DOCK4 Kassel, Germany with the RYNG quartet 2010

KUNSTRAUM-Tosterglope Pfingstfestivalchen 2010

FAMILY STORIES: a duet program from Anja Tuckermann and Ray Kaczynski 2010

  Gallerie Zeitzone Berlin-Kreuzberg

SPRING USA concert lecture tour: ECA, Yale, Union College, Hope College, Alma College, CMU. 2010

Fechthalle Dance Festival 2009

9. November Pogrom Remembrance Day NRW embassy Berlin 2009

W. A Murnau’s FAUST 1923 Göttingen 2009

Meeting Ground Earth Ulm 2009

APEX: Shopping Music with Ove Volquartz 2009

  sound examples at: www.myspace.com/raykaczynski

Seeing Sounds "WITHIN YOU AND WITHOUT YOU" 2008

MenschMaschineKlangMaschine, from Sigune von Osten in:

  Mainz-Weisenau Zement Fabrik 2008

  Sibiu, Romania Milling Factory 2007

  Belval-Esch Foundry, Luxebourg 2007

Fraulein MOXA from and with Anja Tuckermann in Villa Waldbertha 2008

Wordmusic: Esther Dischereit/Ray Kaczynski USA tour 2007

Seeing Sounds "A Different Betty" 2006

Tanz Zeit Festival, Roxy November 2002

Festival des Rauschen Podewil Oct. 2001 in compositions from

   John Duncan, Zbgneiw Karkowski, Christina Kubisch, Ray Kaczynski.

Bern Bienalle 2001 Wort/Musik with Esther Dischereit

The Open Strings Festival; Osnabruck 2001 with The Shin

Jüdische Kultur u. Kunst: Coesfeld 2001 with Ester Dischereit

Jüdische Museen Dorsten 2001 with Esther Dischereit

Podewil March 2001 w/John Duncan, Francisco Lopez, Lou Reed.

Akademie de Künste March 2001