Newsletter no. 9
Analysis, Creation, and Teaching of Orchestration Project
June 2021
Hello all, and thanks for reading! As usual, lots of great news to share from ACTOR members, and we are especially excited to be gearing up for the upcoming Year 3 Workshop, July 12–16. We are pleased to announce the student members who have been selected to present at the workshop, along with the strategic projects and research creation projects recently funded by ACTOR. In this newsletter, you’ll also find information on new compositions, publications, and projects by ACTOR members. Please enjoy, and we look forward to seeing our members virtually in July!
Lindsey Reymore, Newsletter Editor & ACTOR Analysis Postdoc
Newsletter Menu
ACTOR Outcomes
CREATIONS & PRODUCTIONS
Trajets/Tendances
Dominique Lafortune’s latest piece, trajets/tendances for one multi-percussion player, was premiered on May 18th by percussionist David Therrien-Brongo during his Doctoral Recital and performed on June 6 at the Prix d'Europe competition. The piece was written specifically as an experiment on dynamic forms, as well as on the effects of timbre on streaming and layer formation.
Jorge Ramos has had three pieces recently premiered:
“Paysage” for headphones
May 24–30 at Galerie Sans Nom in Moncton, Canada and Online. Commissioned by RE:FLUX Festival and Galerie Sans Nom.
Jorge writes that this piece emerged from a “self-reflection on my sonic somatic knowledge [that] led to a broader perspective on what I, as a composer and researcher, should consider being sound as music. Hence, I wrote Paysage, a soundscape piece based on the processing of the sounds that surrounded me during the writing process. This effect was enhanced by the imposed limitations during confinement, which meant that I had to share the same house to work and to live in, which made me realize how musical sound is constantly all around us.”
“Perception” for harp and electronics & “in between” for tuba in C and electronics
May 29 at RMC 2021 [c08] NMpNM II in GrETUA (Grupo Experimental de Teatro da Universidade de Aveiro) by Carolina Raposo (Harp), André Crespo (tuba in C), and Nádia Carvalho (electronics); commissioned by the Associação Arte no Tempo for Nova Música para Novos Músicos.
Since the first edition of Reencontros de Música Contemporânea in 2017, the New Music for New Musicians project brings students from various schools in the country to interpret and premiere works for solo instrument and electronics by Portuguese composers.
PUBLICATIONS
Fischer, M., Soden, K., Thoret, E., Montrey, M. & McAdams, S. (2021). Instrument timbre enhances perceptual segregation in orchestral music. Music Perception, 38(5), 473–498. https://doi.org/10.1525/MP.2021.38.5.473
Fraisse, V., Wanderley, M., & Guastavino, C. (2021). Comprehensive Framework for Describing Interactive Sound Installations. Multimodal Technologies and Interaction. 5(4), 19. doi.org/10.3390/mti5040019
Steele, D., Guastavino, C. (2021). Quieted city sounds during the COVID-19 pandemic in Montreal. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 18: 5877. doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18115877
Research on urban soundscapes and quiet city sounds during the pandemic (funded by a SSHRC-PDG grant) was recently featured on TV:
Société Radio-Canada (2021, April 28). A l’écoute de la ville [interview with C. Guastavino] – Emission Découverte. Retrieved from https://ici.radio-canada.ca/tele/decouverte/site/episodes/520848/covid-ghgsat-methane-lune-pollution
PRESENTATIONS
Hans Tutschku - Interactivity in my compositions for piano and electronics
Hans Tutschku has posted a new video on the integration of real-time sound and symbolic score processing, in which he considers the interactive relationship between piano and real-time live electronics. The video includes excerpts of previous compositions and a series of examples in Max/MSP. This presentation communicates current research towards the new work sparks, to be premiered in July 2021.
Journée de l’environnement sonore
Catherine Guastavino co-organized the “Journées de l'environnement sonore” presented by the Ordre des Urbanistes du Québec, which took place June 2–3. With speakers from Quebec and France, the event included two half-days of conferences, panels and discussion workshops combining learning and multidisciplinary knowledge transfer on a subject that is still little explored—environmental noise.
Awards and Honours
Impasto
Jorge’s composition Impasto for large wind orchestra has reached the final stage of the IX International Composition Competition of the Portuguese Symphonic Band at the Casa da Música, Porto, Portugal.
ACTOR Y3 Workshop – Student Presentations
Congratulations to the student members selected to present at the plenary session (July 12) of the Y3 ACTOR Workshop:
Anqi Liu (University of California, San Diego): A psyche space – possibilities of incorporating psyche into compositional process
Jorge Ramos (Royal College of Music): Technology and timbre – An autoethnography on the influence of electronics on the composer’s orchestration practice
Joshua Rosner (McGill University): Timbre and orchestration of big bands and jazz orchestras
Showan Tavakol (Université de Montréal): Exploration contemporaine du concept du monde oriental: Vers la notion d’amodalité
Victor Rosi (IRCAM): Acoustic and perceptual characterization of subjective sound attributes using Best-Worst scaling
Jithin Thilakan (Detmold University of Music): Evaluation and reconstruction of a blended string ensemble: Recent developments & findings
Kathleen Ying-Ying Zhang (McGill University): The anatomy of a mix: Creating sound recording pedagogical material for TOR from ODESSA musical excerpts
Strategic and Research-Creation
Project Funding
At Round 2 of the Strategic and Research-Creation Project Funding, three proposals were evaluated (2 research-creation and 1 strategic project) by a jury consisting of Yuval Adler, Philippe Esling, Stephen McAdams, Catherine Guastavino, Robert Hasegawa, Malte Kob, Indiana Wollman, and Nathalie Hérold. None of the evaluators were involved in any proposal. The evaluation criteria used included the nature of the project, potential for training, benefit for ACTOR, budget justification, and feasibility of the timeline. The funded projects are listed below. Congratulations to all awardees!
Strategic Project
Lindsey Reymore (McGill University) [PI] with Nicole Biamonte (McGill University), Matthew Zeller (McGill University), Leigh Van Handel (University of British Columbia), Ben Duinker (University of Toronto), Jade Roth (McGill University), Jeremy Tatar (McGill University), and external collaborator Christopher White (University of Massachusetts Amherst). “Interactions of timbre, genre, and form in popular music.” $8,000
(Note: Student members at partner institutions—see the Open Calls section of this newsletter for info about paid opportunities to work on this project!)
Research-Creation Projects
Caroline Traube (Université de Montréal) [PI] with Martha de Francisco (McGill University), Jason Noble (Université de Montréal), and external collaborators Steve Cowan (McGill University), Denis Martin (McGill University), and Simon Rouhier (Université de Montréal). “Recording of an album for guitar and electronics in 3D audio, with a 3D video for one of the tracks.” $8,000.
Gilbert Nouno (Haute École de Musique de Genève) [PI] with Luis Naón (HEM), and external collaborator David Poissonnier (HEM). “Short geometric pieces (A geometry of sound and music).” $4,000.
For more information on Awards received by ACTOR members, see our new page here
Upcoming Events
Guillaume Bourgogne announces two upcoming concerts:
June 15: Concert with l'ensemble 21 of the Haute école de musique de Genève (Le Palladium, Genève, Suisse), in collaboration with the Centre de musique électroacoustique de la Haute école de musique de Genève.
Léo Albisetti - petite aube pour 7 instruments et bande*
Benjamin Gueit - En finir avec cette merde pour clavier MIDI, saxophone baryton, violoncelle et trombone basse solistes, ensemble et électronique*
Sergei Leonov - cute and shiny for 3 female voices, 3 flutes, 2 violins and electronics*
June 26 : Concert with the Sond'Ar-te Electric Ensemble (O'Culto da Ajuda, Lisbonne, Portugal)
Nuno Peixoto de Pinho – Lutar contra a voz que esmorece
Pierre Jodlowsky – Coliseum; Miguel Azguime – D’un Horizon Tendu
Bruno Gabirro – I’ll know my song well *
Nicolas Brochec – The Eye *
* denotes world premiere
Music Theory Midwest
Three ACTOR members have presentations and will be participating in virtual panels in the upcoming 32nd annual conference for Music Theory Midwest from June 10–13:
Lindsey Reymore: “A Timbral-Motivic Analysis of Obermüller’s different forms of phosphorus for Solo English Horn”
Joshua Rosner: “Opening the Door: A Multifaceted Approach to the Analysis of Text Setting in Kate Soper’s Door (2007)”
Jeremy Tatar: “Emergent Timbres in Screw Music”
ACTOR Business
PROJECT UPDATES
Éveil Musical Workshops
On May 28, Dominique Lafortune began a series of 5 "musical awakening" workshops, using Aural Sonology tools, for adults with mental disabilities, in collaboration with Maison de la Culture du Plateau Mont-Royal and Parrainage Civique Montréal.
Timbre and Orchestration Taxonomies Workshop Newsletter Report
The first Timbre and Orchestration Taxonomies Workshop was held virtually 29–31 May. Organized by ACTOR Postdocs, Lindsey Reymore, Kit Soden, and Matthew Zeller, the workshop brought together eleven scholars actively working to develop a variety of timbre and orchestration taxonomies. Over the first two days, participants gave presentations using Maurice Ravel’s Alborada del gracioso as the shared reference for each method. This pluralistic approach brought up engaging questions and facilitated discussions about the unique qualities of each taxonomic system. The third day was devoted to group discussion and proved to be intellectually stimulating and invigorating for all. Presentations included:
Félix Baril “Orchestration Techniques
Victor Cordero “Metatimbre and Orchestration”
Nathalie Hérold “Timbre Analysis of Piano Music”
Dominique Lafortune “Aural Sonology”
Fabien Lévy “Functional Orchestration”
Stephen McAdams “Taxonomy of Orchestral Grouping Effects”
Kit Soden “Orchestrational Combinations and Transformations”
Matthew Zeller “Timbral Function in Music”
Additional participants included Lindsey Reymore (moderator), Bob Hasegawa, and Jade Roth, and research assistant Holly Faria taking notes. Discussion topics included how we define taxonomy and how taxonomies are useful in timbre research, areas of methodological overlap, and where each method is situated among the pillars or axes of timbre and orchestration research. We discussed a number of terms and concepts that occur frequently in a variety of meanings and made a collective effort to determine how we can best move forward as practitioners in a complimentary fashion. Finally, we initiated discussions on how to collectively move forward, potential research outputs, and the development and expansion of the Timbre and Orchestration Taxonomies Workshop. We look forward to sharing future plans with all of ACTOR.
Puckette-Reynolds Project (2019–2022)
We are happy to share updates on a research project led by Roger Reynolds and Miller Puckette, funded by UC San Diego’s Committee on Research. The project has two primary goals: the ability to accurately track a timbrically complex, two-part continuity, that was constantly varying while being generated from the same physical source, a cello. The ability to differentiate the two “parts” of a performed succession of double-stops that continuously alter their pitch, their dynamic balance, and their timbral profile will, in-turn, allow the composition of a musical composition for live cellist and a duo partner who is a computer musician managing the constant transformation of live events by selected algorhythms.
The research team, which includes two collaborative graduate students, Jacob Sundstrom and cellist Peter Ko, has recorded a set of six “etudes” composed by Reynolds. On deciding that the 6th of the etudes was the best path forward, Reynolds composed an extended continuity which was then reviewed and optimized. Ko’s realization was recorded by capturing one segment at a time, each repeatedly performed, selecting the optimal takes and editing them into a serviceable continuity. Many factors will enter into the final product (as music), refinements that respond to and test both the technical aims of Puckette’s routines and the musical impact of Reynolds’ compositional aims.
The 4-person San Diego-based team will be working through the Summer and plans that French cellist Alexis Descharmes will join the team during the summer of 2022 for concluding stages of the project. For further detail and a description of Reynolds’ sixth etude, click here.
WEBSITE UPDATE
The ACTOR team is constantly looking for ways to better serve the ACTOR community. With this in mind, we have added a General Information page to our website where you can now find important details about the various membership categories of ACTOR as well as instructions on how to apply for membership. The page also includes information on the Internal Pages, the Data Repository, Slack, and more. If you are a new member, you should definitely check it out!
Y3 WORKSHOP
We would like to invite all ACTOR members to participate in the ACTOR Y3 Workshop wrapping up our third year of activities. The event will take place virtually via Zoom, July 12-16. The complete schedule, including the list of student presentations and the Zoom link, is available online. This year, we want to focus our time on active discussions among our members, so our workgroup leaders will soon be uploading materials for you to peruse beforehand. We have also created dedicated webpages and Slack channels for each of the workgroups, so you can learn about them and start your discussions even before the workshop. Not a member yet? Visit our General Information page and learn how to apply for membership.
NEW MEMBER SPOTLIGHT
Kai Siedenburg is principal investigator of the Music Perception & Processing Lab at the Department of Medical Physics and Acoustics, University of Oldenburg, Germany. Kai studied Mathematics and Musicology at Humboldt University Berlin, the University of California at Berkeley, and the University of Vienna. He received his PhD in Music Technology from McGill University under the supervision of Dr. Stephen McAdams. Kai’s research interests include timbre perception and cognition, auditory scene analysis, music perception of hearing-impaired listeners, acoustical and auditory modeling, and the perception and cognition of contemporary music. Current research projects of his address the relationship between pitch and auditory brightness perception, context effects in timbre perception, and the ways in which listeners parse complex musical scenes. Kai has received various fellowships and awards, including the Lothar-Cremer Award from the German Acoustical Society, a Freigeist Fellowship from the Volkswagen Foundation, and European Union Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship. He is co-editor of Timbre: Acoustics, Perception, and Cognition (Springer Handbook on Auditory Research series) and co-organizer of the international conference Timbre2020.
OPEN CALLS
Call for Applications Popular Music Corpus Study
Want a part-time summer job listening to popular music and encoding timbre traits? ACTOR has three openings for student members at partner institutions for summer employment. The Diversity/Popular Music working group is developing a new popular music corpus that both addresses issues of representation and creates an opportunity for new timbre research. This is a modular project with potential for renewed employment as the corpus is expanded. Phase 1 genres include: country, hip-hop, heavy metal, and pop.
You will be trained to encode musical traits in a proprietary annotation system and will be responsible for encoding songs as assigned by the team leaders. Work on a flexible schedule from June–September 2021, get paid CA$20/hour, listen to music, and learn cool stuff about timbre and corpus studies.
To apply: Send your CV and a 250-word letter of application telling us why you are a good fit for this job to both matthew.zeller@mcgill.ca and lindsey.reymore@mail.mcgill.ca by June 20. Contact Matt and/or Lindsey with questions about the position.
Call for papers: “Perception and Cognition in Music Technology”
A Special Issue of IET Cognitive and Computational Systems on "Perception and Cognition in Music Technology", is being guest edited by ACTOR members Zijin Li of the China Conservatory of Music and Stephen McAdams of McGill University in collaboration with Xiaobing Li of the Central Conservatory of Music. Special topics of interest to ACTOR members include computational musicology, musical timbre and perception, music and emotions, cognitive modeling of music, and music information retrieval. The submission deadline is June 30, 2021. https://digital-library.theiet.org/files/IET_CCS_CFP_PCMT.pdf