Szely works in the fields of sound-architecture and -installation, intermedia art, composition, radio art, sound environments for theatre, concerts and performances, and acoustic interventions in public space. Since 2003, he has been in charge of the sound architecture and the sound direction for the series TONSPUR for a public space, a project by TONSPUR Kunstverein Wien (www.tonspur.at).
His works were several times prize-winning (honorary mention Prix Ars Electronica 2010 TONSPUR für einen öffentlichen raum, , support price of the city of Vienna for composition in 2004). CD releases on mosz, sabotage records, one drop of blood records. Numerous grants, e.g.: Mexico City, Fujino Japan, Istanbul. His works, as well as concert installations were shown and heard in Europe, the USA, in Asia and in Canada as well as in Russia
“My projects can be understood as a form of sculptural architecture on a acousmatic basis, an extended Sculpture concept, which always refers to the space itself and is always tuned to the performance room or exhibition space. It is a three-dimensional sound sculpture that re-codes the space and is projected within the virtual and fluid Medium of sound. “
https://soundcloud.com/szely/sets/set-one
Typical for Szely’s process is the combining of diverse artistic methods, which, despite the seemingly highly conceptual approach and the technical demands of a live setup, an installation, a composition, still allows for an acoustic investigation and therefore also for new interpretations of his raw material.
Original field recordings are the basic framework. Combined with these, sound fragments composed earlier join with live improvisations in different timbres. In this way, he does a new take on his own earlier idea, in which musical communication, in the form of an acoustic-electronic jam, leads to a piece that completes itself anew. Szely on his own method notes that, ’I collect sound environments. I meet people and record their instruments. Then I take parts of these recordings and work them into my music. By adapting and manipulating the material, I fashion it into my own.’ This shows that the exercise of freedom to experiment when developing a work is not necessarily precluded by a conceptual approach, and that the latter does not necessarily have to result in pretentious heaviness. Like Szely says, ’The end result has to rock, groove and make sense.’