AN INNOVATIVE virtual cello performance in London is being produced and directed by William Todd-Jones from Chagford.

Renowned cellist Matthew Barley will be performing live in an optical motion capture suit that will drive purpose-built computer graphic representations of himself on September 26 at 9pm. It will be the climax show of a week of concerts by the musician.

The 'Matthews' will be seen against a backdrop of projected images and sequences mixed live.

The 45-minute show will include improvisation, a mixture of contemporary and classical themes, and tracks specially created for the event in collaboration with Nitin Sawhney and Duncan Bridgeman.

William said the musical journey was intended to 'give an insight to the audience of those pieces of music, which inspired Matthew to dedicate his career to being a musician, and reveal the patterns which underpin the sounds created by a virtuosic cellist.'

He said the intention was to blur the boundary between live music and block-buster cinema

'A particular ambition of mine is to strip away the multiple layers that surround digital technology . . . and reveal the precise motion that creates sounds which resonate with human emotion,' said William.

There will be a live web-cast of 'The Virtual Cellist' via Plush Music.