Press Release

York United Kingdom, 17th June 2003. Ambrose Field's One hell of a place to lose a cow, a music work created entirely from sound-design materials is honoured to receive the Studio Music PRIX from the 2003 Bourges International Competition (IMEB). The Bourges Festival is one of Europes' prestigious forums for new creative audio work, hosting an international creative compeition and festival encompassing 16 broadcast groups from 11 European countries. The IMEB organisation can be found online here, and this year's awards list is available here

What does it sound like? High octane designed sounds meet rock guitars in a large stadium. Whilst you're not looking, you're whisked off on a journey taking in both familiar and exotically remote spaces and places. Strap yourself in, you're in for quite a ride!

What about the title? Bryce Canyon, Utah. Amazing shapes called 'hoodoos' rise up from the arid landscape. With a bit of imagination, you can turn them into anything you like. People are reported to have seen Queen Victoria, alligators, Chinese walls, Cathedrals and even London's Tower Bridge from which the rock formations take their name. The 'rock formations' in One hell of a place to lose a cow (the musical work) have certain similarities. The phrase itself is attributable to Ebenezer Bryce, who on seeing the canyon, couldn't imagine grazing his bovine herd in such an inhospitable location.

There are seven movements:

1.Fairy Castle 2.Thor's Hammer 3.Chinese Wall 4.Silent City 5.The alligator
6.The Cathedral 7.Wall of Windows

CD Release currently in preparation on the upcoming Double Album Cultures Electroniques 17, Memnosyne Media, France

The work was originally performed in Dolby Digital Surround EX at the Los Angeles Convention Centre, Oct 6th,2002.

Acknowledgements
I'd like to thank:

The kind folk at Dolby San Francisco for helping me at the 02 LA aes in the first instance. Nagra Kudelski USA and UK for high resolution field recording of materials. Harman International: JBL for providing the replay system at the LA convention centre. The University of York UK Department of Music. Special thanks to Dave Malham and Matt Paradis on location. Waves processing.