王曉嵐 Hsiao-Lan Wang
Interview at KTRU
Hsiao-Lan and Scordatura radio host Hsin-Jung in the studio of KTRU on the Rice University campus
Over the winter break, I was invited for an hour-long interview with Scordatura radio show host Hsin-Jung Tsai at 91.7 FM KTRU, Houston. I talked about my musical works, working with performers, women in music issues, the Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble, my country Taiwan, and my collaboration with visual artists and filmmakers. It was a tour de force interview that touched on many of the things that I have been putting a lot of effort into. It was also a wonderful opportunity for me to reunite with my dear friend Hsin-Jung, who is also a composer and performer.
SCORDATURA is the Houston area’s source for new directions in contemporary classical music and sound. Broadcasted on 91.7/91.5 FM KTRU, this program offers a wide variety of genres from the concert music of the early 20th century to the current trends in sound ecology. Here is KTRU’s website.
Segment 1: talking about chamber work Tale of an Unborn Child:
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Segment 2: talking about Refrain for yangchin (Chinese dulcimer) and tape:
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Segment 3: talking about women in music issues and IAWM:
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Segment 4: talking about tape piece Green Potato II and Taiwan:
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Segment 5: talking about the Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble:
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Segment 6: talking about collaboration with artists and advice for young composers:
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Dance Premiere with Made in…
A group of young choreographers presented eight miniature dance works in Coburg, Germany last weekend. The show is titled: Das Paradies entsteht aus dem Nichts. My music was featured in one of the pieces:
Title: Das Paradies befindet sich am Ende der Welt (2010)
Choreographer and Dancer: Po-Sheng Yeh 葉博聖
Music: Hsiao-Lan Wang 王曉嵐, Made in… (2008)
Location: Landes Coburg Theater, Coburg, Germany
Date: Sunday, 1/17/2010
Debut Concert, Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble
Time: Friday 12/04/2009, 7:30 PM
Location: Reynolds Recital Hall, Montana State University
Free admission
What exactly does a laptop ensemble sound like? How can people get together to make music on their laptops? The answer is: it can be pretty much anything you want it to be. Come experience the latest sensation in music technology with the Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble. In our premiere performance, Electric Monster will be joined by talented musicians from the Montana State University, Department of Music.
Coming of age at the turn of the 21st century, laptops, with their ease in mobility and connectivity, have revolutionized the way music is made. Taking full advantage of the laptop’s plasticity, the Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble is currently playing pieces written in the programming languages Max/MSP, PureData, Java, Flash, and PowerPoint (you heard that right!). Unlike compositions written for more traditional instruments, the members of the ensemble contribute musical ideas to each composition. In addition, the synchronization of each laptop sometimes relies on a wireless network, while other times it relies on old-fashioned ears and eyes. Because laptop ensembles are technologically intense, the musical compositions tend to call for improvisation as a way to balance the demand that the technology requires.
The Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble is the premiere laptop ensemble at Montana State University. Founded by professor Hsiao-Lan Wang in fall 2009, it brings together the tradition of ensemble music playing and the computational power of the latest laptops at the crossroads of human-machine performative experience. Electric Monster actively commissions new pieces written specifically for the ensemble. This Friday, you will hear three world premieres of commissions from the Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble.
Concert Program
Five Pieces for Laptop Quartet by Adam Scott Neal
“Presets” & “Baffin Bay”
OM (premiere) by Kyong Mee Choi
Spider Fugue by Freed Hartmann
Hsiao-Lan Wang, piano; Kent Johnson, inside piano
Clean Slate (premiere) by Cole Ingraham
Solid State by Greg Surges
Lissette Norman, flute
Wind Farm (premiere) by John Gibson
joined by Will Hartley and Zac Wallace
WaveDrag by Jeff Morris
Patrick McCann, electric guitar
Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble
Hsiao-Lan Wang, director
Clayton DeSimone
Justin Gannon
Stephan Gueguen
Kent Johnson
Theo Lipfert
Patrick McCann
Lissette Norman
Brass quintet Transformation at the 20th Festival of Women Composers
Brass quintet Transformation will be performed by the Indiana University of Pennsylvania’s faculty ensemble, the Hoodlebug Brass, on Friday, March 19 at our 4:45 p.m. concert in Gorell Recital Hall. The 2010 edition is IUP’s Ninth Festival of Women Composers, the 20th Anniversary Celebration of the festival featuring the works of women composers by international presenters since 1990.
The festival web page is HERE.
Transformation was composed in 2001, and premiered at University of North Texas under the direction of Tony Baker in 2002.
Beauty, Horror and Silence: The Electronic Arts and Music Festival
Hsiao-Lan and Benoit’s collaborative video work Made in… is included in the “Beauty” program (December 4) at the Electronic Arts and Music Festival this year, at Harold Golen Gallery in Miami, FL from December 4-6. See below the official announcement.
We have received more than 200 submissions! The works reached us from five different continents. It was inspiring to see the multitude of artistic expressions. Most importantly, the review process reminded us once again how exciting our world of electronic music and arts is.
– Juraj Kojs, curator
The festival program can be found here:
Beauty (December 4): http://www.12nights.org/Night11.html
Horror (December 5): http://www.12nights.org/Night12.html
Silence (December 6): http://www.12nights.org/Night13.html
Made in… plays at Lewis University
My video collaboration Made in… will play on the Music BYTES video concert at Lewis University on 10/30/2009. Works on the concert are:
Graveshift
Per Bloland, music
Arie Stavcheansky, video
Confined-10-01-2
Paul J. Bohelho, music
Russell J. Chartier, video
Made In…
Hsiao-Lan Wang, music
Benoit Granier, video
NGC-1999
Samuel Pellman, music
Miranda Raimondi, video
Becoming3-2
Evan Merz
flutter arrhythmias
Charles Norman Mason, music
Sheri Wills, video
Boop Boop Beep
David Morneau
Refrain airs on radio show Martian Gardens
Refrain airs on radio show Martian Gardens on 10/04/2009
WMUA FM 91.1
Amherst, Mass. 01003
wmua.org
live webcast
MARTIAN GARDENS
Sundays 21:00–24:00 EDT
Host: Max Shea
online playlists: Martian Gardens blog
Electric Monster’s first couple of weeks
Posted by hlwang in conducting, teaching on 09/15/2009
The Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble started rehearsing a couple weeks ago at Montana State University. We have 7 members, plus myself. Sometimes I facilitate the ensemble, and sometimes I join in. As this is a medium unfamiliar to many, I like to put in a few nice words–It is really fun! Well, at least when things work right. I have been asked at various occasions: What exactly does a laptop ensemble sound like? Well, that is completely up to the composers and performers. The Electric Monster is currently playing pieces written in Max/MSP, PureData, Java, and PowerPoint (you heard that right!). Our setup is minimal for rehearsals: 2 mixers and 2 Eon speakers. We each use a Hosa cable and plug right into the mixer from headphone jacks.
Because laptop ensembles are technologically intense, the musical compositions tend to rely more on improvisation, maybe as a way to balance the rigid technology that composers wrestle with so much. To make communication and improvisation easier, I am starting to employ hand gestures to direct the players, similar to conduction. John Zorn’s game pieces also have a strong influence on the way we perform.
Thanks to the following composers for contributing their music or instruments for us this fall:
John Gibson
Kyong Mee Choi
Greg Surges
Adam Scott Neal
Cole Ingraham
Freed Hartmann
Jeff Morris
More update on the Electric Monster soon.
Star Gazer airs on radio show Martian Gardens
Star Gazer airs on radio show Martian Gardens on 8/02/2009
WMUA FM 91.1
Amherst, Mass. 01003
wmua.org
live webcast
MARTIAN GARDENS
Sundays 21:00–24:00 EDT
Host: Max Shea
online playlists: Martian Gardens blog
Fractal
Hsiao-Lan’s latest music scored for this natural science short film Fractal by filmmaker Scott Wiessinger.
