Laetitia Sonami in concert

Award ceremony & concert of the Giga-Hertz Award for Lifetime Achievement with Laetitia Sonami

The Giga-Hertz Lifetime Achievement Award goes to French sound artist and performer Laetitia Sonami. Since the late 1980s, her visionary contributions have radically expanded the boundaries between sound and technology. A pioneer of sensor-based music performance and experimental electroacoustic composition, Sonami's work explores gestural curiosity and creates unprecedented sounds. The jury's statement reads: "Sonami's work transcends and challenges the conventional boundaries between performer, composer, and instrument maker, redefining the concept of virtuosity in electronic music. Her practice articulates a critical approach to technology – she rejects dominant paradigms of control and mastery, preferring embodied knowledge and unpredictability instead."

Using unique instruments such as the "Lady's Glove," the "Lady's Ball," and the "Spring Spyre," Sonami explores the intersection of the body, gesture, technology, and the listening experience. These custom-made interfaces are equipped with motion sensors that enable fluid gestural control of sonic and mechanical parameters. Sonami's work illustrates her vision of electronic music as a fully embodied experience. The evening features three works by Laetitia Sonami: "What Happened III – Now" (2025) for voice, live electronics, CodeCell sensor, Max/MSP and the Lady’s Ball (world premiere, ca. 20’), "A Song for Two Mothers" (2023) for live electronics and the Spring Spyre (ca. 22’), and "The Lady’s Glove" (2025), a 10-minute piece based on audiovisual archival footage.