Performing the Immersive: Electroacoustic Music at the Threshold of Technology

César Rennó-Costa; Alyson Souza; Stefane Orichuela; João Anisio da Nobrega; Leonardo Pereira; Jonatas Manzolli; Cleber Campos

doi:10.33871/vortex.2026.14.11748

Authors

César Rennó-Costa Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0417-8108
Alyson Souza Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2706-7400
Stefane Orichuela Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte https://orcid.org/0009-0008-6827-4282
João Anisio da Nobrega Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0599-8227
Leonardo Pereira Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0483-3010
Jonatas Manzolli Universidade Estadual de Campinas https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4257-7118
Cleber Campos Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2666-916X

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33871/vortex.2026.14.11748

Keywords:

Interactive Systems Design, Human-AI Co-creation, Embodied Interaction, Interpretive Ecosystems, Audience Agency

Abstract

This discussion examines the emerging characteristics of immersive performance within the context of electroacoustic music, resulting from the integration of immersive technologies. The transformation of fixed-media (tape) compositions into interactive, explorable, and performable environments redefines creative roles and the notion of authorship between composer and performer. In this framework, the audience becomes an active participant, shaping the musical work in real time. Performance becomes an emergent process arising from the interaction between human agency and generative systems. These unpredictable outcomes open doors to new forms of aesthetic engagement. The focus shifts from the concept of a final product or finished work toward the dynamic development of the creative process itself. Each piece acquires its character through the creative possibilities it offers, its interactive design, and the quality of the experience it delivers. In this model, the artist's primary role is to design a world for collaborative musical performance.

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Author Biographies

César Rennó-Costa, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

César Rennó-Costa is an Associate Professor at the Digital Metropolis Institute (IMD) of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), where he coordinates the Bioinformatics Multidisciplinary Environment (BIOME). A computer engineer with an extensive background in sound engineering and cognitive sciences, he has spent over two decades developing theoretical and technological paradigms at the intersection of music and artificial intelligence. He is a researcher at the Advanced Knowledge Center in Immersive Technologies (AKCIT-IMD/UFRN) and a former member of the Interdisciplinary Nucleus for Sound Studies (NICS) at UNICAMP. His work spans computational neuroscience, health technologies, and AI ethics, with a focus on designing multisensory experiences and interactive museum installations.

Alyson Souza, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Alyson Souza is an Associate Professor and researcher at IMD/UFRN, specializing in immersive technologies within the fields of arts and innovation. He serves as the coordinator of AKCIT-IMD/UFRN and leads the Adaptive Realities Lab at UFRN. He currently heads the project "Investigation of Immersive Technologies for the Development of New Experiences in the Arts," an initiative focused on pioneering creative paradigms in Virtual and Mixed Reality. With an extensive portfolio at the intersection of aesthetics and technology, Souza has developed several prominent immersive exhibitions, including MedusoZoa, Peixes do Semiárido, and Navegar Impreciso.

Stefane Orichuela, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Stefane Orichuela is a Master’s student in Software Engineering at UFRN and holds a Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology with an emphasis on digital games. She is a researcher at AKCIT-IMD/UFRN, focusing on developing Virtual Reality applications for music and culture. Previously a cellist in the Brazilian Navy Youth Orchestra (2015–2018), she is currently researching human-computer interaction, multi-user immersive environments, and the application of VR in educational and cultural contexts.

João Anisio da Nobrega, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

João Anísio Marinho da Nóbrega is a researcher, game developer, and Master’s student in the Bioinformatics Graduate Program (PPGbioinfo) at UFRN. He serves as a team leader at AKCIT-IMD/UFRN, where he drives the creation of spatial interaction frameworks. His research explores perception and embodiment in virtual reality, with technical expertise in pseudo-haptics, bare-hand tracking, and level design using Godot and Unity engines. In 2026, his work was recognized at IEEE VR in Daegu, South Korea, where it was shortlisted for the best technical demonstration award.

Leonardo Pereira, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Leonardo M. Pereira is a Master’s student at UFRN and a collaborator at AKCIT-IMD/UFRN, Lab TEAM, and the 10 Dimensões project. Holding a degree in Arts/Music and a certification as a guitar technician, he is active in performance, composition, and cultural production, with works performed across Brazil, Argentina, Colombia, and Spain. His research and publications focus on the intersection of music and technology, composition, performance, and music education.

Jonatas Manzolli, Universidade Estadual de Campinas

Jônatas Manzolli is a Full Professor, composer, and researcher working at the intersection of art, science, and technology. He is a senior researcher at NICS (UNICAMP) and collaborates with the Department of Informatics Engineering at the University of Coimbra and INET-md (DeCa) at the University of Aveiro. His work focuses on computational creativity, machine listening, and multimodal performance. Notable projects include Ada: Intelligent Space (Expo.02) and the Multimodal Brain Orchestra. A Rockefeller Fellow and Zeferino Vaz Award recipient, he is the 2026 composer-in-residence for the Creative Europe SHORES project.

Cleber Campos, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte

Cleber de Silveira Campos is a Full Professor at UFRN and Lead Researcher at AKCIT-IMD/UFRN, specializing in musical performance and technological mediation for percussion. Recipient of the CAPES Thesis Award (2013), his research investigates models of recursivity in technology-supported performance. He is the coordinator of LAPER2ME (Laboratory of Percussion and Performance Mediated by Technological Resources) at EMUFRN and leads international initiatives, such as the I-Jazz project, which analyzes the impact of technological innovation on contemporary and Brazilian jazz.

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