Designed by George Rahi

Variable
Wood and Metal

This project explores the acoustic, cultural, and symbolic resonances that emerge when instrumental forms from the pipe organ and the Indonesian gamelan are physically and conceptually joined. At the heart of this prototype is the shared resonator. In gamelan instruments, metal bars are suspended over resonator tubes; in the organ, pipes are resonating columns of air. By uniting these systems, the gamelan’s percussive strikes from above and the organ’s airflow from below activate a common chamber of air for each pitch. The resulting hybrid instrument creates a dynamic interaction between metal and air—foregrounding air as a shared medium of vibration.

About the Artist

George Rahi is an artist and composer based in Vancouver, unceded Coast Salish territories. He works with experimental instruments and technologies as a method of exploring acoustic and digital anomalies, modes of listening, and spatial and architectural thinking. His work includes installations, instrument making, solo + ensemble performance, and works for radio, theatre & public spaces.