王曉嵐 Hsiao-Lan Wang
Posts Tagged laptop ensemble
Electric Monster Concert at D-22, Beijing
The first performance of Electric Monster Laptop Ensemble in Beijing took place on 5/18 (9-11 PM) at D-22, home of China’s underground. What a fun experience!
Electric Monster's performance at D-22 in Beijing, May 2010. photo by Benoit Granier
Program:
SoundCloud (2010) Hsiao-Lan Wang
OM (2009) Kyong Mee Choi
Awake (2010) Daniel Zajicek
Baffin Bay (2008) Adam Scott Neal
I Will Play the Swan and Die in Music (2010) Elizabeth Hinkle-Turner
Will Hartley on trombone
RadioGamelan (2010) Greg Surges
Wind Farm (2009) John Gibson
WaveDrag (2010) by the Electric Monster based on Jeff Morris’ Max patch
Kent Johnson on guitar
Total improv jam session with special guest performer Bruce Gremo on Cilia, the flute controller, and Max.
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
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.
