D//Am0re

D//Am0re is an artistic research project exploring
the augmentation of the viola d’amore (or other
instruments with sympathetic strings) through
electromagnetic resonance and custom hardware.
Led by Leslee Smucker (violinist and composer),
Johan van Kreij (composer and creative coder),
and Siavash Jafari (composer and hardware
developer), the project investigates how historical
instruments can be adapted for contemporary
performance practices. By developing a device that
activates and manipulates sympathetic strings in
real time, the team explores new possibilities for
polyphony, interactive performance, and hybrid
musical approaches. The methodology involves
hands-on hardware experimentation, iterative
testing, and performative demonstrations,
contributing to discourse on
acoustic augmentation and digital lutherie.
D//Am0re ultimately seeks to establish a
framework for future instrument augmentations,
expanding the sonic and expressive potential of
historically rooted instruments in digital culture.