Michael Baker

About

I have been the audio director at Daily Tous Les Jours for almost 10 years. Responsible for composition, real-time audio software and system design, interaction design and many strange and specific tasks that come up in such interdisciplinary, collaborative processes. I’ve designed and installed many projects in many different places across North America, Europe, Australia and the Middle East.

My dream projects are the ones where music, software, interaction and interface are inseparable, with a similarly interdependent design process. Projects where the link between gesture and music feels both surprising and intuitive. As such, I’ve come to think of myself more and more as a type of strange instrument builder.

Lately, in my personal practice, I have been interested in designing for accessibility and progressive ability, with low physical and cognitive barriers of entry, that nonetheless respond to deeper/subtler levels of interaction.

CV

Education

  • 2010 — BFA (distinction), Concordia University, Montréal, QC, Canada

Employment

  • 2017–Current — Audio Director, Daily Tous Les Jours
  • 2012–2017 — Creative Technologist, Daily Tous les Jours

Production Work (Daily Tous Les Jours)

(Selected)

  • Creative Direction
  • 2026 — Fans Can Dance, The Bentway, Toronto, ON, CA (forthcoming)
  • Audio Direction, Software Development
  • 2025 — Perchoirs Humains, UQROP, St. Jude, QC, CA
  • 2025 — Esquisse, Angus Métropole, Montréal, QC, CA
  • Concept Development, Audio Composition, Interaction Design and Software Development
  • 2025 — Forest Mixer, Hornby Island, BC, CA
  • 2024 — Spaghetti Chorus, National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, ON, CA
  • 2024 — Nuages, North Boulder Library, CO, USA
  • 2024 — Duetti, Milan, IT
  • 2023 — River Lines, Gaslight District, Cambridge, ON, CA
  • 2023 — Whistle Two Ready, Nashville Davidson County, TN, US
  • 2022 — Daydreamer, City of South Bend, IN, US
  • 2022 — Cimbalom Circle, Budapest House of Music, HUN
  • 2021 — Walk Walk Dance, The Bentway, Toronto, ON, CA
  • 2021 — Balancing Act, First Ward Park, Charlotte, NC, USA
  • 2019 — The Pearl Divers, Dubai Creek Harbour, Dubai, UAE
  • 2017 — I Heard There Was a Secret Chord, Musée d'art contemporain de Montréal, QC, CA
  • 2017 — Hello Trees, Discovery Green, Houston, TX, USA
  • 2016 — Mesa Musical Shadows, Mesa Arts Center, Mesa, AZ, USA

Events and Exhibitions (Daily Tous Les Jours)

(Selected)

  • 2025 — Hello, Hello, Sanremo Festival, IT
  • 2024 — Walk, Walk, Dance, Detroit Design Month
  • 2023 — Secret Chord, Canal Connect, Madrid, ES
  • 2022 — Secret Chord, Biennale Nemo, Paris, FR
  • 2019 — Secret Chord, 24/7 A Wake-Up Call of Our Non-Stop World, Somerset House, London, UK

Publications (on behalf of Daily Tous Les Jours)

Performance

  • Personal (Selected)
  • 2024 — Tidal Pool, Devenir(s) Corps, Montpellier, QC
  • 2013 — Inuvik Sky Synth, Black box theatre, Soka University of America, CA (Max/MSP program/composition)
  • 2012 — Inuvik Sky Synth, 60x60 Canada BC Creative Hub, Vancouver, BC (Max/MSP program/composition)
  • 2011 — Wire Forest, Wooden Sea, 60X60 Canada: Toronto Electroacoustic Symposium (Electro-Acoustic composition)
  • 2011 — Wire Forest, Wooden Sea, Livewire Festival: UMBC, Maryland (Electro-Acoustic composition)
  • 2011 — CLOrk (Concordia Laptop Orchestra), CEC Symposium: Concordia, Montréal, QC

Workshops

  • Personal
  • Instrument Building for Kids — Batiment 7, Aug 22, 2022
  • Making and Using Contact Mics — Pop Montréal, Sept 2012
  • Making and Using Contact Mics — CKUT kids' radio, July 2012
  • Making and Using Contact Mics — Concordia ARTX guest lecture, February 2011
  • Daily Tous Les Jours
  • Designing sound for Interactivity — NOBO Library, June 29, 2024
  • How We Make Shadows Make Music — Montréal Maker Faire, Nov 16–17, 2018

Grants, Residencies and Scholarships

  • Personal
  • 2024 — Canada Arts Grant development, Tidal Pool
  • 2024 — Residency, 1 week, Devenir(s) Corps, Montpellier, QC, Summer 2024
  • 2012 — Campaign for a New Millennium Student Contribution Scholarship (Concordia)

Awards

Daily Tous Les Jours (selected)

  • 2022 — Best artwork in public space, Hub Montréal, Daydreamer
  • 2022 — TOP10 Public Space Project, Azure Magazine, Cimbalom Circle
  • 2022 — Winner Interaction Award, Core 77, Cimbalom Circle
  • 2021 — Best Optimizing – IxDA, Pearl Divers
  • 2017 — Americans Association for the Arts Award, Americans for the Arts, Musical Shadows