About
Photo: Megan Jones
I build computer music environments (IRCAM), audio software (Max, UpMix), and immersive sound installations. Since 2019, I’ve been a Senior Sound Technologist at Meow Wolf for the Las Vegas and Denver exhibitions. Recently I’ve enjoyed playing with Spark AR to create Instagram filters that utilize sound.
My audio career began with radio production (KUAC-FM). That led to recording engineering (Dead Kennedys, Kronos Quartet, Heiner Goebbels), sound design for dance (Frankfurt Ballet, Lines Ballet), and touring concert sound (Frank Zappa, Ensemble Modern). I've also produced and mixed a studio recording for jazz pianist and composer, Jason Moran for the Lines Ballet piece, Refraction. At Mills College I taught electronic music and designed sound systems.
Music, Composition, Art
I perform with virtual instruments which act sonically and visually. Each performance touches upon a range of human complexities without resorting to standard archetypes of narrative.
Understanding dance taught me how to compose music and has guided my video work. Collaboration with choreographers has been one of my greatest artistic pleasures. I've worked with choreographers both as a composer and digital media artist. In 2009, I worked with Alex Ketley as joint recipients of a Gerbode grant, where choreographers are paired with artists.
Beyond performance, I have composed music for yoga and bodywork. In this type of movement, music is perceived in the body of each listener. Some of this work is available on SoundCloud.
Fluencies
I work quickly and efficiently in Max 8, Ableton Live 10, Pro Tools 12, and Da Vinci Resolve 16. I am familiar with Spark AR, Fusion, Maya 2018, Touch Designer, Unity, Node.js, and JavaScript. Je parle le français couramment. Ich spreche fließend deutsch.
“Les has the ability to make complicated stuff comprehensible, often by reducing complexity to a simple example. These attributes transcend any particular platform, making Les an invaluable artist/technologist in the digital arts.”