Henrique Vaz
Henrique Vaz is a researcher-creator and professor at the Graduate Program in Arts, Culture, and Languages at the Federal University of Juiz de Fora (UFJF). At UFJF, he coordinates two research groups: "Creative Programming as a Pedagogical Key" and "Gambiolutherie: From Hack-Oriented Programming to the Carving of Post-Digital Lutherie". His work merges composition, computer science, and pedagogy to explore the societal impacts of digital technology, cybernetics, and algorithmic systems.
Vaz's artistic practice is defined by "gambiolutherie," a method of creating custom instruments through hardware hacking and repurposing obsolete technology. His compositions create a hybrid dialogue between contrasting worlds: Traditional instruments, such as the accordion and indigenous fiddles, are processed through generative algorithms; analog modular synths are combined with live-coding; technical "flaws" like glitches, feedback, and cassette tape degradation are embraced as core compositional material.
Vaz’s work has achieved significant international recognition. Vaz's 2024 album De Silenti Natura received the prestigious Coup de Cœur award from the Académie Charles Cros in France. His compositions and installations have been presented at prominent international venues, including the Inkonst Cultural Center (Sweden), Veem House for Performance (Amsterdam), and Lisbon's Museum of Art, Architecture and Technology (MAAT). As a composer for film, he has designed custom digital signal processing (DSP) algorithms for award-winning films, including director Anna Muylaert's O Clube das Mulheres de Negocios, which premiered at the Gramado Film Festival.
Vaz holds a Ph.D. in Music from the Federal University of Paraíba and a Bachelor's degree in Music Education, and is completing a Bachelor's in Computer Science, grounding his interdisciplinary research in both artistic and technical domains.
Instagram: henrique_vazzz