Chris Brown Presentation "Bringing Digital Music to Life"
Date:
Wed, 11/16/2011 - 10:30am - 12:00pm
Location:
CCRMA Classroom, Knoll Rm. 217 and the CCRMA Stage
Event Type:
Guest Lecture Chris Brown will describe concepts from his Computer Music Journal article "Bringing Digital Music to Life" and relate them to his work and interactive new music. The presentation will include the following examples:
• a recording of the Hub, featuring six composer/performers electronically coordinating the activity of their individual systems through a computer network, as well as manually through ears, eyes, and hands. The Hub seeks surprise through the lively and unpredictable responses of their systems, and instead of trying to eliminate the imperfect human performer, uses the electronic tools from Computer Network Music to enhance the social aspect of music making. The Hub is John Bischoff, Tim Perkis, Chris Brown, Scot Gresham-Lancaster, Mark Trayle, and Phil Stone.
• a recording of interactive improvisation ensemble with Frank Gratkowski, reeds and Willliam Winant percussion, and Brown from the SWR2 studio in Baden-Baden prior to the group's performance at the Donaueschingen festival in 2009
• a demonstration of part of the "Branches - Invention #7" interactive Disklavier piano and electronics piece
CHRIS BROWN, composer, pianist, and electronic musician, creates music for acoustic instruments with interactive electronics, for computer networks, and for improvising ensembles. Collaboration and improvisation are consistent themes in his work, as well as the invention and performance of new electronic instruments. These range from electro-acoustic instruments ("Gazamba", 1982), to acoustic instrument transformation systems ("Lava", 1992), and audience interactive FM radio installations ("Transmissions", 2004, with Guillermo Galindo). As a performer he has recorded music by Henry Cowell, Luc Ferrari, José Maceda, John Zorn, David Rosenboom, Larry Ochs, Glenn Spearman, and Wadada Leo Smith; as an improvisor he has recorded with Anthony Braxton, Pauline Oliveros, Fred Frith, Rova Saxophone Quartet, Ikue Mori, Alvin Curran, William Winant, Biggi Vinkeloe, Don Robinson, and Frank Gratkowski, among many others. Recent recordings of his music include "ICONICITIES", just released on New World Records; "Music in the Air", duets with Pauline Oliveros, released last year on Deep Listening; "ROGUE WAVE" (on Tzadik); "TALKING DRUM" (on Pogus); a duet with Fred Frith titled "CUTTER HEADS" (on Intakt); and "SUSPENSION", with the CBD Trio, on Rastascan. He is also a member of the pioneering computer network band "The Hub", which has just released "BOUNDARY LAYER" a box set recording celebrating over 20 years of music on Tzadik. He is also a Professor of Music and Co-Director of the Center for Contemporary Music (CCM) at Mills College in Oakland, California. http://www.cbmuse.com
FREE
Open to the Public