The Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center at Modesto M. Maidique Campus. Photo courtesy of FIU via Creative Commons’ flickr.
Carolina Barreto/Contributing Writer
Daniel Yellin, senior in music technology and percussion performance, said he was inspired by “Guitar Hero” to create his own video games – his first, “Escape from Mr. Piguin” and his second titled “No Exit” which is a maze played by a laptop ensemble of six members.
With their laptop pads, each performer goes through the maze that contains parameters that affect the sound of the tape. With each movement from the laptop, the tape experiences frequency shifts; this piece is known as electro-acoustic music.
“The idea of the piece is that I have a visual graph that each performer uses,” Yellin said.
This year, music enthusiasts can listen to student’s electro-acoustic music pieces on Nov. 15 and 16 at the Electro-Acoustic Research Society’s two-day Florida Electro-Acoustic Student Festival at the Herbert and Nicole Wertheim Performing Arts Center Concert Hall.
“Spearheaded entirely by students, this festival is a culmination of their research, creative work and initiative to collaborate with others,” said Yellin, president of EARS. “FEAST is very academic. It is a way for students to get their works out there by helping new composers premier their works.”
According to Yellin, electro-acoustic music is any music that uses electronics as a means to create the final result. However, acoustic instruments aren’t necessary.
“You can’t just say something is electronic anymore because there’s trance, dubstep, jungle music, drum and bass. You can’t really classify it. Composers nowadays tend to spread into different genres,” Yellin said.
The majority of the pieces are made using object-based computer programs such as MaxMSP. Because the tracks are object based, pieces focus on installations and sound sculptures.
The works showcased will consist of live-electronics, laptop ensemble and performers with fixed media. Works with a video component were also considered.
“Each year, a call for works is sent out giving students an opportunity to send in their works for the festival,” Yellin said. The call for works was sent out to various international electronic newsletters and news sites such as Seamus Online.
The submissions are chosen by a of five students from EARS.
“We actually came here on a Sunday and we listened for about four hours to each piece to give it a ‘yay’ or ‘nay’ approval,” Yellin said.
Pieces are a maximum of 10 minutes long. However, the leading factor as to whether a piece is chosen or not really depended on the aesthetic value and taste of the individual listening, Yellin said.
“We wanted it to be eclectic in terms of electro-acoustic music. You don’t want a whole concert to be of one thing,” Yellin said. “The purpose is exploration and experimentation in music. If someone sent in dubstep like Skrillex, we would not have accepted it.”
In previous years, the festival was solely open to Florida students, but now it includes international participants. The panel was overwhelmed with submissions.
Applicants this year include students from the University of Florida, University of Illinois, Catholic University of Portugal and University of Potsdam.
Yellin said the call for works was extended outside of FIU to provide variety in the festival. There was even a submission that featured insect noises.
“It makes us really listen to other works outside of what we’re used to. Different schools mean different thoughts of composing and creating these pieces, so we get to hear the differences of someone from Florida versus someone from Germany or Portugal,” Yellin said.
Each day of the festival will feature performances by different students.
“Each concert night will feature a completely different array of student artists and their unique works and performances,” said Michelle Vires, marketing coordinator for the School of Music.
Both days feature a laptop performance by the FIU Laptop and Electro-Acoustic Ensemble. This is the first year laptop ensemble pieces are allowed.
The festival ends with an EARS special guest – Paul Koonce, composer and University of Florida music professor. He will give a lecture on music and present his works.
In inviting Koonce, EARS aims to share its initiative: “to explore the boundaries of electro-acoustic music through research, collaborations, compositions and performances.”
For ticket information contact the WPAC box office at 305-348-0496 or wpac@FIU.edu.
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