Intensive PLOrk/ChucK Summer Workshop

[ge]

Stanford | CCRMA Summer Workshop:
Composing and Coding for Laptop Ensemble (CCL)
2 weeks
July 23 - August 3, 2007
Dan Trueman and Ge Wang, with Perry Cook

Emphasizing hands-on approaches, this workshop will address the challenges of making music in laptop ensembles. At the core of the workshop will be a set of meta-instruments (laptops with 6-channel hemispherical speakers, associated audio gear, sensors, and controllers) from the Princeton Laptop Orchestra (PLOrk, see http://plork.cs.princeton.edu/). Together, we will act as performers, researchers, composers, and software developers, focusing our attention on instrument design, composition, and music making with these instruments. The challenges are many: what kinds of sounds can we create? how can we physically control these sounds? how do we compose with these sounds? There are also social questions with musical and technical ramifications: how do we organize ourselves in this context? with a conductor? via a wireless network? And so on.

Morning sessions will focus primarily on instrument design, composition, and coding issues using the languages ChucK and Max/MSP. Experience with these languages, or programming languages in general, is not required but will be beneficial; depending on the makeup of the group, we may at times divide into smaller groups to teach experience-appropriate skills as needed. We will look at how various composers and engineers have addressed the challenges posed by laptop ensembles and brainstorm new approaches. Afternoon sessions will emphasize music-making of already existing pieces and new pieces created by workshop members. Graduates of both the PID and DSP workshops may find this a useful workshop for applying what they have learned.

http://ccrma.stanford.edu/workshops/2007/
http://plork.cs.princeton.edu/
http://chuck.cs.princeton.edu/

[play]

Wish I lived closer. You guys rock! Just to meet you in person and say "thanks for the great software" would be nice.

[jefftimesten]

Would you recommend this workshop for beginners? I have a fair amount of programming experience, but little experience with ChucK or musical composition. But I really want to learn, and fast.

[ge]

[jefftimesten]

Well this is very unfortunate for those of us with non-refundable plane tickets, which I guess is just me.

Please contact me if you'd like to hold this workshop at Eyebeam in NY. We could probably work something out.

http://www.eyebeam.org

[chuckles]

Really cancelled? Where was that announced?

c.

[jefftimesten]

I got an email yesterday from Tricia Schroeter. Were you also registered?

[ge]

Dear all,

Sorry for the confusion. We've just decided earlier this week to very regretably cancel the Composing and Coding for Laptop Ensemble workshop this summer. The reason is that we needed at least 6 students to make the ensemble work, and we only ended up with 4 before one student had to cancel as well. We are very sorry about this. We definitely hope to try again next summer, when we will ramp up the PR for the workshop. Also, I am going to join the faculty at CCRMA this year, and plan to initiate a laptop orchestra at Stanford - hopefully this will also increase interest out west. Finally, very sorry for those with nonrefundable costs (e.g., plane tickets). Anyone else in this situation?

As for an eyebeam event, I and others would be more than happy to give a presentation as well as a workshop on ChucK/programming sometime this summer, if there is interest. Please let me know!

[soundcyst]

Is there any word on a workshop for this year?

the CCRMA website has some things, but nothing that seems to be related to ChucK.

[kijjaz]

Ahh.. I live quite far from the source -_-
I'll look forward to hearing the band's pieces and shows from the internet.
Fight fight!

[Inventor]