THE ART OF SPATIAL AUDIO: INTERVIEW WITH KATARINA GRYUL

In this short interview, we speak with Katarina Gryvul, a classically trained composer, violinist, and music producer, about her unique approach to sound. She blends the concept of holophony with avant-garde techniques to develop distinct soundscapes through instruments, voice, and analog synths.

Recently, she visited KUBER, a specialized audio unit within HEKA (PiNA) in Koper.

With her upcoming album set to be released under Subtext Records, Katarina takes us behind the scenes of her work, the challenges and excitement of spatial audio, and what this new approach means for the future of her music.

Let’s dive into the conversation.

Ana: Welcome, Katarina, and thank you for being here with us at KUBER in HEKA, Koper. It’s a pleasure to have you here, and we’re excited to hear more about your work and your experience. You’ve been exploring spatial audio in such an innovative way, and we’d love to learn more about what brought you here, your collaboration with Mauricio Valdés San Emeterio, and how this project fits into your artistic journey.

Let’s start with a bit about your background. Can you tell us about your work and what led you to collaborate with us?

Katarina Gryvul: Hi everyone. My name is Katarina Gryvul. I am a Ukrainian composer, music producer, violinist, and educator.

I came to Koper specifically to mix my album in Dolby Atmos. It’s my first album in this format. Before this, I worked more with electronic pieces or compositions for ensembles in binaural, ambisonic, and multi-channel formats, so I’m quite familiar with spatial audio. However, Dolby Atmos was a new technology that I explored here in Koper.

My next album will be released under Subtext Records, which James Ginzburg runs. Before coming here, we did the mixing and mastering, and then I brought it to KUBER to apply the Dolby Atmos spatialization.

I’ve known Mauricio Valdés San Emeterio for a few years now. We first met in Ljubljana at the MENT Festival. I’ve always been interested in finding ways to bring together my two musical styles. One side of my work is more experimental, compositions for ensembles and electronics, sometimes leaning towards cosmic soundscapes. The other side is more accessible, with harmonies and melodies that are easier for a general audience to connect with.

This is my first time working with spatial audio in this way, and I was really looking forward to exploring the possibilities of Dolby Atmos. There were a lot of discussions about how it works, about PiNA and HEKA, and I find the work being done here truly impressive. I feel lucky to be part of it.

Working with Mauricio was especially great because we just clicked and it was a very natural and fluid collaboration. We supported each other throughout the process, and it was fun as well as productive.

Ana: So you managed to start and finish the project in four days?

Katarina Gryvul: Yes, four very intense days—not full days, but still quite demanding.

Ana: For someone unfamiliar with this process, what does it actually mean to “master” an album in spatial audio?

Katarina Gryvul: Essentially, we translated the stereo mix into a 3D spatialized format, which enhances the depth and immersive perception of the music. It allows the listener to experience the sounds in a much more dimensional and engaging way.

Ana: Do you already have a release date for the album?

Katarina Gryvul: Yes, it’s coming out very soon, on the 9th of April. Before that, I am performing in Graz at Elevate festival, and after that, I will be at the Reiwre festival in The Hague, where I will have a special performance. 

Ana: So the album was already composed and mixed before coming here?

Katarina Gryvul: Exactly. The compositions and mixing were already done. What we did here was focus on spatializing the elements, making them work within Dolby Atmos. It wasn’t about composing new material but rather about enhancing the listening experience through specialized audio processing.

Ana: Understood. Thank you! It was great to hear about your process and experience. I wish you all the best with your album and future projects!

Katarina Gryvul: Thank you so much! I appreciate it. It was a pleasure to be here.

Katarina Gryvul’s exploration of spatial audio offers a fascinating look into the evolving possibilities of music production. Her time at KUBER provided an opportunity to experiment with Dolby Atmos and refine her approach to immersive sound. As she prepares for the release of her new album and upcoming performances, we appreciate the insights she shared about her creative process and technical innovations.

Photos: Marko Vivoda