Contact: Lauren Marshall For immediate release

(212) 854-6595 March 17, 1999

lm420@columbia.edu

 

 

Computer Scientists, Researchers, Artists Perform

At Columbiaâs Interactive Arts Festival April 6-9

The Latest in Computer Technology: ãArt Tools of the Futureä

 

Ground-breaking art made possible by the latest developments in interactive technologies and cutting-edge applications will be featured at Columbia Universityâs Interactive Arts Festival, to be held April 6 through April 9, on the Columbia campus, 116th St. & Broadway, at Cunningham Dance Studio, 55 Bethune St., and The Kitchen, 512 W. 19th St. The events are free and open to the public. For reservation information, call (212) 854-9267.

The festival features the newest collaborations between computer scientists, researchers, and artists, and presents their experiments and creations in a series of interactive multimedia concerts, lectures and workshops. Featured are performances by members of the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio; aerial hand painting by the Italian performance group CNUCE; a composition using Yamahaâs wearable synthesizer, the MIBURI Suit; the performance of an interactive composition, taking place simultaneously in Oregon and New York City; and the Columbia University developed virtual-sonic software, Rtcmix. Not only a celebration of the latest in the ãreal-timeä creation of art, the cutting-edge interactive arts technologies and applications demonstrated during the festival also have practical applications in arts education, cognition and perception projects, and even medical projects (i.e. movement rehabilitation).

Technologies unveiled during the festivalâs three concerts include interactive multimedia programs, movement-sound and real-time music performance technologies. Multi-media applications explore the interaction of performers with digital video and sound to create computer graphics and three-dimensional ãsonic imagesä projected on a big screen and fitting sonic environments. Included among these technologies are Machine Child Ensemble software (National Center for Supercomputer Applications in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois), PD and GEM (University of California-San Diego) and Imagine (STEIM, Holland). With Big Eye (STEIM, Holland), Very Nervous System (USA) and Aerial Painting Hands (CNUCE, Italy), digitized video tracks the movement of performers giving the artists the ability to control and create sound. Other featured devices that enable dancers to produce real-time sound through motion include the DIEM Digital Dance Interface (Denmark), the Yamaha MIBURI Suit, a wearable synthesizer (Japan) and the MIDI Dance Floor (USA) Software such as Rtcmiz (Columbia University) and Rbow, a 21st century virtual violin bow (Princeton University), facilitate the creation of interactive sonic environments.

A festival highlight, Concert II: A Concert of Diverse Interactive Works, will be held at Columbiaâs Miller Theater, 116th St. & Broadway on Thursday, April 8. Included among the concert selections, ãLema2,ä will demonstrate the use of the Internet in a performance context. The interactive composition will be performed concurrently in 2 different geographic locations: Miller Theater, and the new Intel Conference Center in Hillsboro, Oregon. Images and sounds produced in NYC will merge with the performance in Oregon, giving audiences in both locals a rare glimpse of new, networked performance paradigms currently under development in high-technology research labs.

At the conclusion of ãConcert II,ä the entire Miller Theater will be transformed into a virtual reality ãspace,ä allowing the audience to participate directly in the creation of a sound and image virtual reality environment through interactive sensors and devices spread throughout the theater. Computer projection systems will allow the walls of the theater to ãmelt away,ä revealing a new, audience performance playground. Technology and hardware were made possible by the National Center for Supercomputer Applications in Champaign-Urbana, Ill.

Among festival performers and participants are Miller Puckette, author of the language MAX and renowned computer music programmer; Anthony Davis, keyboardist/composer; Steven Stich, percussionist; Robin Bargar, innovative creator of ãvirtual-realityä computer music applications; Vibeke Sorensen, computer graphics expert; and a handful of Manhattanâs best improvisation musicians, Kathy Supove, Eve Beglarian and Kitty Brazelton.

In addition to showcasing the latest in ãhigh-endä interactive arts technologies, festival participants will hold information sessions on the software packages and devices used during Interactive Technologies Day at Columbiaâs Prentis Hall, Wednesday, April 7th, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. Workshops are free and open to the public.

The Festival is organized by the Columbia University Computer Music Center, the Fritz Reiner Center for Contemporary Music, and the Alice M. Ditson Fund with support from the Intel Corporation, YAMAHA Corporation of America, IBM, EMU, Instituto Italiano di Cultura, Beckman Institute of Advanced Science and Technology, the National Center for Supercomputing Application, Microsoft Corporation, The Japan Foundation, DIEM, Miller Theater, STEIM, the Barnard Dance Department, and the Digital Media Center. For more information, consult http://www.music.columbia.edu/fest99 or contact Thanassis Rikakis, festival director at the Computer Music Center of Columbia University at (212) 854-9267 or fest99ts@music.columbia.edu. For images, consult the festival website or contact Lauren Marshall at (212) 854-6595 or email: lm420@columbia.edu.

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FESTIVAL SCHEDULE

 

 

 

 

Concert I: An Evening Focusing on Movement-Sound Interaction

when: Tuesday-Wednesday, April 6-7, 9 p.m.

where: Cunningham Dance Studio, 55 Bethune Street, NYC

what: Four compositions using movement-sound interactive technologies, featuring the DIEM digital dance interface, the MIDI dance floor, and "Wirelessä gesture tracking systems

ãMovement Study IIä-With the DIEM digital dance interface. A solo dancerâs movement creates sound through a wireless system linking sensors placed on the dancerâs body to a computer, resulting in the control and creation of sound. Composition by Wayne Siegel, performed and choreographed by Mata Sakka. Suit developed at DIEM, Denmark.

ãSong for the Living, Dance for the Deadä-A work realized through the MIDI dance floor, which permits dancers to control and affect both music and lighting by their precise positions on the floor and the amount of pressure that they exert. Developed by Russel Pinkston, acclaimed composer and computer researcher, University of Austin, Texas. Choreography by Mata Sakka, performance by members of the Merce Cunningham Dance Studio.

ãOrizzonte Degli Eventiä-A trio performance of aerial painting, where movements are digitized and used for the creation of real-time video paintings and accompanying sounds. Composition by Marco Cardini; music by Leonello Tarabella and Massimo Magrini; performers include L. Tarabella, M. Magrini, M. Cardini. Gesture-tracking wireless devices developed at the Computer Music Lab of CNUCE/C.N.R.- Pisa, Italy.

ãSarrasineä-An interactive multimedia chamber opera based on Balzacâs Sarrasine in one act for a solo performer. Big Eye technology is used, enabling the control and creation of sound through digitized video movement tracking. Also featured, Imagine , an interactive multimedia program resulting in the real-time realization of video images from music and sound. Both technologies developed at STEIM, Holland; performed by Matthew Suttor.

Concert II: A Concert of Diverse Interactive Works

when: Thursday, April 8, 8 p.m.

where: Miller Theater, Columbia University, 116th St. & Broadway

what: Four performances involving real-time video and sound, concurrent networked concerts, and the creation of a virtual environment for audience participation. Features Yamaha MIBURI suit, Machine Child Ensemble software, PD, GEM, Rtcmix.

ãLemma 2ä-A duel location, concurrent, networked performance featuring musicians, technicians and real-time sound processing in New York and at the new Intel Conference Center in Hillsboro, Oregon. Performed by Steven Schick and Anthony Davis in New York. Musicians in Oregon include Tomlinson, percussion; Scot Walton, piano; and Mark Danks, computers.

ãPing-Bang IIä- A composition created by the motion of a dancer wearing the Yamaha MIBURI suit, a wearable synthesizer developed by Yamaha. The performance involves video, sound, and dance; performers include Saburo Hirano, Hanachi Otani and Shinsuke Ina.

ãI am dyingä- The music of the mandolin is transformed and modified by Rtcmix, a computer music language, resulting in a musical ãcharacterä that travels in a virtually-created sonic medium created by the background sounds of the piece. The software is developed by Columbiaâs Computer Music Center (CMC) Director, Brad Garton and Dave Topper. The piece is performed by internationally acclaimed mandolinist, Terry Pender, technical director of the CMC.

ãConey Islandä- A virtual environment performance in which the theater becomes a virtual reality ãspaceä through interactive sensors and devices spread throughout the theater. Through technology, the audience can participate directly in the creation of sound and image. Computer-projection systems allow the walls of the theater to ãmelt away,ä revealing a new, audience performance playground made possible with technology and hardware from the National Center for Supercomputer Applications in Champaign-Urbana, Illinois. Performed by the Machine Child Ensemble, including Insook Choi, Robin Bargar, Alex Betts, Juhan Sonin and members of the audience.

Concert III: Interactive Technologies in Jazz, Rock and Improvisation

when: Friday, April 9, 10 p.m.

where: The Kitchen, 512 West 19th Street, NYC

what: A concert featuring interactive technologies in jazz, rock, and improvisatory works at one of the top modern art locations in NYC.

Interactive Technologies Day: Talks, Demos, Open House

when: Wednesday, April 7, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

where: Columbiaâs Prentis Hall, 632 West 125th Street, NYC

what: Festival artists, composers, technicians in a series of presentations and workshops on software featured during the festival. Open house follows presentations. Free and open to the public.

" Miller Puckette on PD

" Vibeke Sorenen and Rand Steiger on video-music interaction

" Saburo Hirano on controlling video and sound through the MIBURI dance suit

" Wayne Siegel on the DIEM dance suit

" Leonello Tarabella on the ãWirelessä technologies from CNUCE

" Russel Pinkston on his MIDI dance floor

" Brad Garton on using Rtcmix for interactive work

" Danny Oppeinheim on Music Sketcher and other projects for the IBM Computer Music Center

" Insook Choi on Composition and the Aesthetic Dimension of Engineering

" Perry Cook on ãbuilding your own interactive systemsä