Telepeasants - Remote Performances, Collaboration, and Open Source Music - The Lorenzo's Music Podcast
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In this episode of our podcast, we delve into the innovative world of Telepaesants, and remote collaboration in music with Michal Seta and Dirk Stromberg. As musicians and audio engineers, they use open-source technology to create unique performances from different geographical locations.
Michal, based in Canada, has a background in music and technology, having been a Linux user since 1997. He explores interactive sound and multimedia art, ultimately culminating in his work with telepresence at the Societe des Arts et Technologie (SAT) in Montreal. Dirk, on the other hand, is an audio engineer and teacher based in Singapore, with a passion for free improvisation and building custom instruments. Together, they create music in real-time across different locations.
We talk about the concept of telepresence, which allows artists to collaborate online in real-time, creating a shared musical experience despite being physically apart. Their collaboration has resulted in performances for different venues in multiple time zones, with musicians joining from as far as Japan to Portland, Oregon.
They discuss the challenges of creating a seamless audio and visual experience. Their performances are not just about music; they are an exploration of presence and interaction in a digital space.
The also tell me about the instruments they use, including unique ones that they created themselves.
Key Takeaways
- Remote Music: “We play remotely, but it feels like we’re together.”
- Telepresence: “is about rethinking how we exist in new spaces.”
- Open-Source Music: “We use open-source software to build our virtual environments.”
- Creative Collaboration: “We adapt our setups based on the venue’s capabilities.”
Links Mentioned
- Societe des Arts et Technologie (SAT) https://sat.qc.ca/en/
- Godot Game Engine https://godotengine.org/
- JackTrip https://www.jacktrip.org/
- Sonobus https://sonobus.net/
- SuperCollider https://supercollider.github.io/
Connect with telepaesants
This episode was recorded on January 20, 2026. Special thanks to Telepaesants for sharing his insights and experiences with me.
Listen to the full episode on your favorite podcast platform or watch the video above.