The 14° episode dedicated to the discovery of Research Centers, Museums and Recording Studios where electronic music in all its forms is studied and practiced. First: Museo del Synt Marchigiano – Italy (here). Second: SMEM Swiss Museum for Electronic Music Instruments – Swiss (here). Third: MESS Melbourne Electronic Sound Studio – Australia (here). Fouth: Nakatsugawa Korg Museum – Japan (here). Fifth: Museo della Farfisa – Italy (here). Sixth: VSM Vintage Synthesizer Museum – USA (here). Seventh: CIM: Colloquio di Informatica Musicale XXIII – Italy (here). Eighth: SoundMit – International Synth Event – Italy (here). Nine: EMEAPP – Electronic Music Education and Preservation Project – USA (here). Ten: EMS Elektronmusik Studion – Sverige (here). Eleven: Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST) – Swiss (here). Twelve: IEM Institute for Electronic Music and Acoustics, Austria (here). Thirteen: Center for New Music and Audio Technologies (CNMAT) – University of California, Berkeley – USA (here). Today is the turn of the interview with John Chowning, Matt Wright, and Nette Worthy, respectively Founder Director, Executive Director, Administrator of the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) – Stanford – USA. I invite you to read the interview.
How did the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics come about?
(photo in home: John Chowning) In 1974, John Chowning, John Grey, James (Andy) Moorer, Loren Rush, Leland Smith, were granted the right to establish the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA). Until then, the work in computer music that I (Chowning) initiated in 1964 was known as The Computer Music Project.
At the same time, IRCAM in Paris (look it up) was in process of deciding its directions and its director, Pierre Boulez, asked CCRMA staff to advise them, as we had developed the most sophisticated hardware/software in the world.
We had NSF and NEA funding to support our efforts and needed an administrative structure that was independent of the Music department, of which we were a part, because its administration had no experience in government contracts.
How is it structured?
CCRMA is a semi-independent multidisciplinary research center within Stanford University, School of Humanities and Sciences, and the Department of Music. CCRMA’s faculty (all of whom are Professors of Music) ultimately make the decisions, led by CCRMA’s faculty Director. Supporting all this is CCRMA’s Staff, including permanent, temporary, and student workers. Student cohorts include doctoral (mainly PhD/CBMTA and DMA/Composition), Masters (MA/MST), undergraduate (BA/MST) and hundreds of non-major undergraduates taking CCRMA classes. We have regular concerts, lectures, talks, and other events throughout the academic year, and a raft of summer workshops that are attended by prospective students, professionals looking for refreshers, enthusiasts, and members of the general public.
What equipment does the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics have?
Lots. Computers, loudspeakers, video projectors…. Musical instruments. A full maker space. A neuroscience lab with EEG, audiometer, motion capture…. Laser doppler vibrometer. VR equipment. A full recording studio.
Much can be found by following links from our documentation’s list of rooms: https://ccrma.stanford.edu/docs/rooms.html
What can you do at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics?
“The Stanford Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) is a multi-disciplinary facility where musicians and researchers work together using computer-based technology both as an artistic medium and as a research tool. Areas of interest span composition and improvisation, performance, hardware and software development, synthesis and analysis, physical modeling algorithms, sensors and actuators, digital signal processing, psychoacoustics and musical acoustics, music cognition and brain science, perceptual audio coding, music information retrieval, audio networking and data sonification. The CCRMA community consists of administrative and technical staff, faculty, research associates, graduate research assistants, graduate and undergraduate students, visiting scholars, visiting researchers and composers, and industrial associates. University departments represented at CCRMA include Music, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Art, Theater, Communications, Psychology, and Medical School departments. The Center offers studies leading to bachelor, masters and doctoral degrees with a full slate of academic courses, seminars, special interest group meetings, Summer workshops and colloquia. Concerts of computer music are presented throughout the year”.
Is it possible to do research at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics?
Yes. Current students and faculty frequently collaborate amongst themselves and with colleagues across campus on various research projects. We are also able to host a small number of visiting scholars (those who have earned their doctoral degrees and have been out in the workforce, either within academia or industry), and visiting student researchers (master’s or doctoral students) to come work at CCRMA for various amounts of time on their own projects. This research is done with a combination of external funding via grants, and internal funding from several different sources within Stanford, including CCRMA’s own operating budgets. Current funders include the Templeton Religion Trust, which funded Dr. Jonathan Berger’s inquiry into sound, space, and the sacred/sublime; past collaborations have been with the US National Science Foundation (NSF), the US National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), and many other private foundations and organizations.
Is the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics on social media?
Yes:
https://www.facebook.com/planet.ccrma
https://www.instagram.com/ccrma_stanford
https://vimeo.com/user3760845
Does the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics care for the issue of gender in Electronic Music? And in the USA Musical Culture?
Yes. While we do not (and cannot) consider gender and gender expression in admissions, we welcome, honor, and support a diverse group of students from a wide variety of cultural, economic, and educational backgrounds. In addition to our overarching commitment to creating and upholding a welcoming, safe, and engaging environment for all humans, many of our summer workshop programs offer financial aid to populations that are largely underrepresented in computer and electronic music and arts in an attempt to foster participation.
What is your relationship with the US Government?
We exist within the US and within Stanford. We most often interact with the US Government by asking them for visas for non-US citizens to come here for teaching and/or research.
In the past some CCRMA research has been funded by US Government agencies such as the NSF.
Is the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics open to collaborations with institutions, associations, research centres?
Yes. As mentioned above, we have visiting researchers from a variety of institutions from North and South America, Europe, and beyond. While these are often individuals doing their own work, their visits sometimes result in more and less formal collaborations, and frequently continue over many years.
Ongoing projects and future projects?
Many.
Link: Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) Home Page
Link: Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) Facebook Page
Link: Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) Instagram Profile
