STOP SOPA
On the 18th of January, tens of sites (including Wikipedia, Google and Wired) protested against SOPA (Stop Online Privacy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act).
The legislations that the US Congress is considering would seriously damage the free and open internet, setting a very dangerous precedent.
That means that websites like Twitter, Wikipedia, even YouTube and Google, as well as every small private website, would be subject to despotic censorship by one of the most morally corrupt and ethically unstable and irresponsible governments in the world.
I'd rather rub penguin poo all over my chest, to be honest!
So let's help stop SOPA by raising awareness and doing a little something to help put a stop to this silly business.
Nikolaos-Laonikos Psimikakis-Chalkokondylis was born in 1732 1989 in Athens, Greece. He is a musical activist turned wilderness guide. In 2011 he (successfully) finished his studies in composition with Paul Newland at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama in London, and piano with Helen Reid. In 2009 he studied for six months at the Sibelius Academy in Helsinki with Tapio Nevanlinna and in summer 2010 he spent ten days in Skálholt, Iceland, as part of the Joint Music Masters NAIP 2010 summer school, which he really enjoyed. His compositions include a number of pieces for various instrumentations, from solo instruments to orchestral scores, as well as electronic compositions. He is mostly interested, however, in interacting and collaborating with other artists and has worked with dancers, poets, actors, and visual artists. Not any make-up artists yet.
He reads a lot of books and his favourite Wikipedia page is by far the List of common misconceptions. A hitchhiker and couchsurfer, sometimes he does strange things such as performing magic tricks, stand-up comedy, wearing a kilt and/or pretending to be Italian.
As an instrumentalist, Laonikos has performed in venues such as Stoke Newington Library, The Shunt, ICA, The Place, The Barbican Theatre, RichMix, The King's Place, and his living room, among others. His most recent collaborations include a score written for Angélina Jandolo's choreography Aqueous Run, presented at The Place as part of Resolution! 2011; presenting or: love is not a photograph at The Shunt; and collaborating with The People Pile at RichMix.
Laonikos is a meta-buddhist and he is a little lactose-intolerant. He is also allergic to poisonous mushrooms. Laonikos likes boobies and is not ashamed of it.
He has now left London and is doing a Wilderness Guide Course in Finland. However he is still interested in collaborations and is currently working on projects to be performed in London and Finland in 2012.
We do sincerely apologise for the quite informal character of this website despite its serious appearance. Laonikos does not believe in taking life too seriously, let alone websites. If you are the kind of person who would frown upon such an attitude, then you're clearly not the kind of person Laonikos would like to work with - you should click here instead.
list of works & performances | scores (IMSLP) | soundcloud
downward pressure (2011)
for piano and live electronics (ableton)
Structured improvisation with Chris Bartholomew (live electronics). Written over half an hour in a basement room at Guildhall. Visuals made with Max/MSP/Vizzie.
MP3 
|
VIDEO
model5 (2011)
for guitar and live electronics (max/msp)
A piece inspired by a collaboration with Chris Bartholomew (live electronics) and Angélina Jandolo for her choreography Aqueous Run, performed at The Place in Jan. 2011.
MP3 |
PDF | MAX/MSP PATCH
les étoiles sont belles (2010/11)
for eight unaccompanied voices
Based on text from WeFeelFine.org and inspired by The Little Prince; workshopped and recorded with EXAUDI, directed by James Weeks on the 17th of January 2011 at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama.
MP3 (extract) |
PDF |
COMMENTARY (PDF)
ouk estin (2011)
for voice, kantele and live electronics (max/msp)
A composition written for a short choreography during Miguel Monteiro Sena's staging of Plato's Phaedrus; performed in Coimbra, Portugal, in May 2011.
Currently doing a Nature & Wilderness Guide Course in Finland, studying in-depth wilderness skills focusing primarily on the safety of the group as well as survival under any weather conditions; handicrafts; risk assessment; nature knowledge; tourism, entrepreneurship and marketing; and knowledge of human nature and culture.
"As I walk in the deep silence, it takes little imagination to realise that a forest is not just a lot of trees. A living forest demonstrates oneness, for even while embodying physical separation it is empowered by its subtle spiritual connection. […] [into my awareness] come images of a thread of connection between all life forms throughout the whole universe - a thread of endlessnes, of continuity."
- Michael J. Roads "The Soul Unearthed" (1996, p.23)
Atonement (at-one-ment) with nature and re-establishing a sustainable and healthy relationship with the wilderness without aid us in coming to terms with the wilderness within, bringing the invaluable gift of a healthier understanding of ourselves and the world around us. A journey of self-discovery and renewal, it is our duty to see it through to honour our biotic heritage.
Why do I have a section about activism on my website?
Because I believe that we live in a time where we cannot afford to live as we have lived. We cannot afford to progress as we have progressed, and we have to redefine the way we interact with the rest of the planet. I believe we are all responsible to some degree for the state we've brought our Earth into, and also that it is entirely within our abilities (and responsibilities) to achieve a state of sustainable living and symbiotic survival with other species on this planet and the planet itself.
I believe in being active and interested in the way the world works and in the ways in which as individuals we can influence that. It is evident, with the recent socioeconomic crises and the numerous revolutions around the globe over the last few years, the prevalent political systems are inadequate to deal with the real problems of the world.
The well-being of our environment is something that concerns all of us. We can't detach ourselves from it because we grow out of it and are as much part of it as it is part of us.
We must reject repression of our rights on any level and take responsibilites in our hands, embracing creativity, collaboration, communication. I firmly believe that at the deep core of the biggest problems plaguing humanity is education. We have to reframe the way we educate ourselves and the generations to come, helping people change the world through engaging meaningfully with their lives and passions. We should aim at triving away from Democracy the ideal and towards democracy the reality, a democracy which is fluid and ever-changing, adapting to meet the needs of each generation and producing free-minded individuals.
It is not fair that the degree of our influence depends on our socioeconomic status and it is certainly not democratic - however we might not get a second chance so let's make sure we're making the right choices today to the extent that we can.
We must become the change we want to see in the world.
Mahatma Gandhi
Please do get in touch if you have a project/job you think I will enjoy doing, if you want my CV, or if you just feel like saying "Hi".
On the other hand, if you want to advertise anything along the lines of penis-enlargement pills, immortality potions, instant loans and debt-cancelling, or ask for my bank details so you can give me the 1 million pounds you just inherited, then do us all a favour and kindly report yourself to an anti-spam organisation. Thank you.
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