ODESSA IV
Composition Competition for ACTOR Student Members
Deadline for the Call for Scores: November 1st, 2021.
Submit your score here.
Section I: Composing and the Perception of Blends
The blending of sound sources is a multi-dimensional phenomenon that is influenced by musical and acoustical factors. Previous investigations have already been undertaken in the earlier parts of the Orchestral Distribution Effects in Sound, Space and Acoustics (ODESSA) Project.
To investigate the relationship between the musical attributes and the impression of blending, recordings of performances of specialized compositions that feature these musical attributes are needed. This current Research-Creation Project is part of ODESSA IV: New orchestra recordings – measurements – systematic analysis.
The ODESSA IV research team is launching a Composition Competition for ACTOR Student Members* to compose a theme and variations for a Violin Ensemble (nine violins), and which incorporates the musical attributes detailed in Section II. Duration of the work can be 5 to 7 minutes. For research purposes, the theme statement and at least one of the variations must be a unison line (tutti), the other variations can and should contain other layers/textures/harmonies etc. The composition will first be recorded by a solo instrument, then each subsequent take will add one performer, up to the full section of violins. In this way, the differences in amount of blend/heterogeneity (in the unison line) or blend/integration/segregation (in the textured sections) can be analyzed and interpreted.
By extracting potentially relevant acoustic parameters from these newly created sound samples, and by correlating them with the perceptual rating of blending, one of the final goals is to propose a blending parameter as a function of relevant audio cues and musical features.
This project is also part of the VRACE project (https://vrace-etn.eu).
Section II: Acoustic and score-based factors to be considered in the creation of the work
Throughout the variations, one or more of these attributes needs to be highlighted:
Different articulations (staccato, legato, etc.)
Different registers
Dynamic variations (ppp through fff)
Variations in tempo
Varied attributes (micro-modulations) (e.g. non vibrato/smooth vibrato/molto vibrato, grain, sul tasto/sul ponticello, bow pressure changes, etc)
Section III: Award
The winner** will be selected for recording and analysis by a jury consisting of members of the ODESSA IV research team. A commission of $1400 CAD will be awarded to the winner. As well, the top five compositions will be selected for a concert performance at an ACTOR partner institution (Winter/Summer 2022 or 2022/23 school year) and a live recording.
The composition must take into account that a student ensemble will be recording this, and that there is limited rehearsal time; the playability of the score is therefore one on the factors in the jury’s decision.
The winner’s work will be cited in multiple peer-reviewed papers and on multiple modules and pages on ACTOR’s Timbre and Orchestration Resource. As well, the winner is welcome to collaborate with the ODESSA IV research team on further publications, i.e. exploring the relationship between creative and scientific practices.
The recording sessions will take place in Detmold, Germany, and/or in Montreal, Quebec, during the 2021/22 academic year. Currently there is no travel funding in place, but if desired, the ODESSA IV team will provide letters of recommendation and/or invitation to aid the winners in their requests for travel funding.
All students creating a work for this call for scores are welcome to and encouraged to create an article for the peer-reviewed Research-Creation Series published on the Timbre and Orchestration Resource.
Submission Process:
Please submit an anonymized score and midi/mockup recording with a pseudonym on this form.
Deadline for the Call for Scores: 11:59 EDT, November 1st, 2021
Winners announced: November 22nd, 2021
Parts for the winning score due: November 29th, 2021
Questions? email Kit Soden at kit.soden[at]mcgill.ca and/or Jithin Thilakan at jithin.thilakan[at]hfm-detmold.de
* Under SSHRC guidelines, postdocs are eligible to apply.
** The jury reserves the right to choose a second and third place winner(s), if the composition(s) demonstrate a quality that would be helpful for the recording session and experiments. These runners-up will be given a monetary prize/commission as well, the amount to be determined depending on budgetary constraints.