Harvestworks and Experimental Intermedia Present Alex Chechile
Harvestworks is pleased to partner with Experimental Intermedia to present Alex Chechile in a performance exploring the psychoacoustics of spectrally complex difference tones. Drawing from his research on auditory perception, Chechile will perform works from his On the Sensations of Tone series, investigating the spatial depth of tones generated within the ear and their perceived localization within the head.
The concert will be accompanied by an artist/research talk on difference tones and otoacoustic emissions, offering insight into the phenomena shaping the auditory experience.
📅 Date: Monday, March 24, 2025
📍 Location: Harvestworks Studio
Harvestworks, 596 Broadway, Suite 602, New York, NY 10012
A partnership with Experimental Intermedia.
Suggested donation $10
On the Sensations of Tone: A Performance and Artist Talk by Alex Chechile
On the Sensations of Tone is a series of performances and installations that explore the physicality of sound and spatial depth through research in psychoacoustics and the biomechanics of hearing. By provoking the ears to generate sounds of their own, these works create a unique and immersive auditory experience.
At the core of Chechile’s work are difference tones—sounds produced by auditory hair cells in response to specific acoustic frequency combinations. These “ear tones” do not exist in the external environment but are perceived as localized within the head. Once activated, they introduce an expanded depth of field, blurring the boundary between external sound in the room and the internally generated sound within the ear.
Through behavioral research studies, Chechile investigates the audibility of spectrally complex difference tones. Using his findings, he designs custom instruments known as the Ear Tone Toolbox, which precisely evoke these tones. With these instruments, he composes immersive multichannel works that transform the listening space into a dynamic field where movement alters the perception of sound—causing difference tones to appear, disappear, and shift in character. This invites both microscopic and macroscopic listening, allowing the audience to explore the interaction between acoustic tones, ear tones, and all audible sound.
At this event, Chechile will present a selection of works from his On the Sensations of Tone series, accompanied by an artist and research talk on the perception of spectrally complex difference tones.
About the Artist: Alex Chechile
Alex Chechile is a sound artist, composer, and electronic artist whose work develops in parallel with research in neuroscience, psychoacoustics, and the biomechanics of hearing. Focused on the relationship between sound and the body, his immersive compositions, installations, and performances reveal otherwise invisible processes in biological and technological systems. His artistic explorations frequently lead to formalized research, creating a cyclical exchange between science and sound.
Chechile is a leading researcher in the psychoacoustic study and creative application of difference tones, which are generated in the inner ear and perceived as spatially localized within the head. His work expands the layers of sonic material beyond the physical acoustic space, introducing a new dimension of spatial depth between loudspeakers and the listener’s ears.
As a performer, Chechile was a founding member of Pauline Oliveros’ band Tintinnabulate, collaborated with Mercury Rev, and opened as a solo act for Primus. His projects have been supported by the Mellon Foundation, New York State Council on the Arts (NYSCA), Harvestworks, Issue Project Room, Experimental Television Center, Deep Listening Institute, and the American Embassy, among others. His work has been presented worldwide at institutions and festivals including IRCAM, MoMA, ICMC, Electronic Music Midwest, EMPAC, the New York Electronic Arts Festival, and Cité Internationale des Arts.
Chechile is currently a Research Fellow at the Rhode Island School of Design’s Studio for Research in Sound and Technology (SRST). He holds a PhD from Stanford University’s Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA), an MFA in Electronic Art from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, and a BA in Music from Tufts University.
For more details:
🔗 Website: alexchechile.com
📷 Instagram: @alexchechile
📘 Facebook: Alex Chechile