Marta De Pascalis’ sonic world acts as an uncanny translator that freezes and expands emotions, conveying them into unique soundscapes. Her solo works employ analog, fm synthesis, and a tape-loop system, whereby she carves waveforms to shape cathartic sound bodies. She has performed internationally at several festivals, venues and museums, notably Berlin Atonal, Museo Reina Sofia, Berghain, Volksbühne, Café Oto, Mutek Festival, Haus der Kulturen der Welt, Auditorium San Fedele. Her music has been published on The Tapeworm, Morphine Records, Canti Magnetici, Caterina Barbieri’s label light-years and Mute Records.
She was awarded the Marcello Lotti Italian Fellowship in Music at the American Academy in Rome for the academic year 2025/2026.
How has your time at the Academy shaped or shifted the direction of your project so far?
Upon arriving at the Academy, I found a space of peace and calm, to which I adapted with ease, as if this place had been waiting for me all along. If art is a mirror of feeling and action, having the mental space to truly listen to oneself is essential, and this experience has certainly granted me that in abundance. Being able to observe, day after day, from this hill, the city where I was born (Rome), and where I have not lived for many years, became a profound inner journey that encouraged a deep reflection on my artistic path and illuminated possible directions, suggesting the next steps.
Alongside this contemplative dimension, I kept a disciplined studio routine, balancing harmonic study, hands-on practice with the devices I brought with me, and extensive reading, including texts I found in the Academy’s wonderful library, which opened doors to new horizons within my research.
What part of your daily routine or environment at the Academy has most influenced you and your work?
Besides the cityscape contemplation and the practice cycles mentioned above, some of the most inspiring elements of my daily routine were small moments: listening to the sound of fountains when I opened my eyes each morning, catching the sunlight threading through the portico, gazing at the pines, following their gracious profile until they are swallowed by the sundown. I was given a studio with a fantastic view of the garden from above, and observing it made me feel deeply in tune with everything. Attunement, after all, is fundamental when working with sound, not only in a strictly harmonic sense, but in the sense of tuning oneself to the breath of the universe.
Have any encounters – with people, places, new information – opened up new paths in your research or practice in the past months?
Absolutely! The time shared with the other fellows has been invaluable: feeling part of a community of people dedicated to research, each in their own field, was both exciting and encouraging. Every encounter has been precious, bringing insights, inspiration, or simply the joy of exchange. For example, listening to the work of composer fellow Oswald Huỳnh, I found the ever-shifting forms of his orchestral compositions fascinating and deeply engaging. It was also very inspiring to encounter the elegant Indigenous knowledge of Chuna McIntyre, fellow in Environmental Arts & Humanities, who generously gave me a precious CD of traditional Yupik music. More generally, this experience has represented a profound moment of re-attuning for me, one that will continue to guide and shape my creative journey.