- Ben Fuhrman—Blue Echoes, Reflected—9:30 (8)
- Brett Masteller—BowMu STUCK MoBue—8:30 (s)
- Chi Wang—AEON—6:30 (4)
- Connor Scroggins—Max Q—8:00 (s)
- Eunji Lee—Memories in Summer Night—6:00 (s)
- Everett Wimberly, CJ Strathman—Ephemera—7:00 (4)
- Ian O’Neill—Untitled 002: Collaboration—8:00 (s)
- Yao Hsiao—Consort Yu—7:00 (s)
Ben Fuhrman—Blue Echoes, Reflected—9:30 (8)
Blue Echoes, Reflected was conceived as a fully interactive piece that explores exactly how far I can push my technique as a performer. Using the full extent of the mandolin’s range, it’s basically an extended solo that’s been heavily influenced by heavy metal guitar techniques and pedalboards, but it’s also fully interactive. Using MaxMSP and the PnP library, the computer is listening for timbral cues; for example, which string is being played in addition to the pitch and volume to create and spatialize the effects. Spatialization is mapped to IRCAM’s SPAT5 library, positioning different effects around the audience based on these timbral traits, as well as the position in the score.
The title is a reference to my earliest experiments when prototyping the Max patch and the rippling effect of harmonics with delays and reverb against a frozen background harmonic.
Ben Fuhrman, is a composer, musician, programmer, and coffee aficionado. As a result, he writes music with a focus on technology, including acousmatic, interactive, and improvisatory works. His degrees are from Michigan State University (D.M.A and M.M in composition), and Hope College (B.Mus in violin performance). His teachers include Ricardo Lorenz, Mark Sullivan, Steve Talaga, Rob Lunn, and Mihai Craioveanu.
He has had works commissioned from a number of performers, including Drake Dantzler, Violet, Jeffrey Loeffert, Nathan Boggert, the H2 Quartet, the East Lansing High School Orchestra, REACH Studio Art, and the MSU National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and Facility for Rare Isotope Beams, and has been performed throughout the world. He was also the recipient of a billboard dedicated to his music from the Arts Council of Greater Lansing – possibly the first composer in the US to receive one. His solo albums Concrete Oasis and Synthesizer and Computer Works are available online, among others on the Albany Records, Argali Records, Blue Griffin, Elmstreet, and SEAMUS labels.
He maintains an active role as a performer and teacher of composition and music technology at Oakland University. For more information, check out www.benfuhrman.com
Brett Masteller—BowMu STUCK MoBue—8:30 (s)
Julie Licata, percussion
The performer is allowed to choose the instruments used in this piece. The sections of the piece define the instrumentation that can be used based on how the performer can interact with the instruments. The sections are: Bowed, Muted, Struck, Muted, Bowed. The performer is given a generative graphic score to view and interpret during performance. The sonic results of the performance are sent to a computer for analysis. The computer resynthesizes some of the data obtained during the analysis, in addition to some real-time transformation on the input provided by the performer. The computer processes the sounds created by the performer’s interpretation in a variety of ways. The performer is also encouraged to react to and modify their interpretation of the graphic score based on the sonic results, which will vary for every performance of the piece.
Brett Masteller (b. 1975) uses titles such as sonic artist, composer, performer, audio engineer, producer, programmer, hacker, maker, and borrower. The use of technology plays a vital role in his work. Algorithmic process, chance procedure, and structured improvisations inform the sonic results.
Currently an Assistant Professor at SUNY Broome Community College, Brett teaches courses in the Music and Theater Arts Department. His music has been heard in North America, Europe and Australia at conferences such as the Society for Electro-acoustic Music in the United States, the International Computer Music Conference, the New York City Electronic Music Festival, Electronic Music Midwest, and the Australian Computer Music Conference. He studied composition and computer music at SUNY Buffalo and Northwestern University with Cort Lippe, Christopher Allen Mercer, Richard Dudas, Gary Kendall, and Jonathan Golove.
Julie Licata (b. 1980 in Ashtabula, OH) is a percussionist/drummer, noisemaker, collaborator, and educator. Her performances range from improvisational soundscapes and works with computer processing, to solo marimba and percussion, chamber ensembles, orchestras, theater pits, Indonesian gamelan and West African drum ensembles. Julie recently accepted the position of Assistant Professor and Director of Percussion at Capital University in Columbus, Ohio.
Chi Wang—AEON—6:30 (4)
The symbolic abstraction of origin, motion of circle, and the reflection of evolution can be
implemented in numerous forms and timespans and can inspire provocative insights into
everyday life. The composer designed and assembled Yuan, a bamboo round-shaped interactive
data-driven controller and connected the sensors and the bamboo frames using conductive
thread. In this piece, the composer performs with four Yuan controllers of two different sizes.
Each Yuan can be performed individually or together with the other three, creating an
immersive musical experience.
Chi Wang is a composer and performer of electroacoustic music. Her research and compositional interests include sound design, data-driven instruments creation, musical composition, and performance. Chi’s compositions have been performed internationally including presentations at the International Computer Music Conference, New Interfaces for Musical Expression, Musicacoustica-Beijing, the Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States Conference, the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival, Kyma International Sound Symposia, Electronic Music Midwest Festival, Third Practice Electroacoustic Music Festival, Electroacoustic Barn Dance, Portland Biennial of Contemporary Art, I. Paderewski Conservatory of Music in Poland, International Confederation of Electro-Acoustic Music, and WOCMAT in Taiwan. Chi’s compositions were selected for SEAMUS CD, Best Composition from the Americas from International Computer Music Conference, and Award of Distinction from MA/IN festival. Chi has also served as a judge for international electronic music competitions including Musicacostica-Beijing, Society for Electro-Acoustic Music in the United States national conferences and International Computer Music Conference. Chi is also an active translator for electronic music related books, including Kyma and the SumOfSines Disco Club and Electronic Music Interactive. Chi received her D.M.A. at the University of Oregon in the Performance of Data-driven Instruments and is currently an assistant professor of music (composition: electronic and computer music) at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music.
Connor Scroggins—Max Q—8:00 (s)
Max Q refers to an aircraft’s or spacecraft’s moment of maximum dynamic pressure in the atmosphere during flight. This is a significant value to evaluate in determining the limits of what maneuvers the vehicleis capable of handling. This piece illustrates an aerospace vehicle’s navigation into and out of Max Q while also portraying other aerodynamic or natural forces such a vehicle may become subject to in flight.
Connor Scroggins is a composer who is currently seeking a PhD of Music Composition from University of North Texas. He recently completed a Master of Music from Bowling Green State University in 2022 and previously received a Bachelor of Music from Arkansas State University in 2020. He was a finalist for the 2023 ASCAP/SEAMUS Student Commission. At Arkansas State’s Create@State research symposium, he presented on musique concrète instrumentale and won awards for his presentations on spectralism and musical logic. His current research interests include phenomenology and acoustic ecology. His works have been read and performed by Robin Meiksins, Chiara Franceschini, Ensemble Suono Giallo, The Rhythm Method String Quartet, Hypercube, New Thread Quartet, Apply Triangle Trio, Parker String Quartet, Unheard-of//Ensemble, The _ Experiment, and Transient Canvas. His music has been performed in the United States and Europe at ilSUONO, ICMC, NYCEMF, SEAMUS National Conference, SPLICE Institute, NSEME, and the Saarburg Music Festival. He has participated in masterclasses from Ann Cleare, Clara Iannotta, Jason Eckardt, Augusta Read Thomas, Mari Kimura, Greg Wilder, Marina Kifferstein, and Stephanie Lamprea. He currently studies with Panayiotis Kokoras and previously studied with Elainie Lillios, Timothy Crist, Drew Schnurr, Mikel Kuehn, Marco Buongiorno Nardelli, Christopher Dietz, Derek Jenkins, and Carrie Leigh Page.
Eunji Lee—Memories in Summer Night—6:00 (s)
“Memories of Summer Night” is inspired by warm summer evenings, when the days are hot but the nights are cool. I have many fond memories of spending summers in the countryside, looking up at the starry sky, and listening to the delightful sounds of grasshoppers and the occasional shooting star. Even last summer in Bloomington, I was enchanted by the fireflies that filled the forest. By listening to my piece, you can immerse yourself in the atmosphere of warm summer nights and recall your own cherished memories.
Born in South Korea, Eunji Lee is a composer and pianist. She crafts musical compositions by incorporating nature and daily life sounds, shaping them into intricate sound spectrums. Her music features dynamic rhythms, ranging from fast-paced to slower tempos, and includes diverse layers that unfold within a broader musical context. Lee’s exploration also encompasses Korean sounds and Asian microtonality, where she delves into the rich traditions of traditional instruments, seamlessly blending them with Western music. Furthermore, she maintains a strong interest in environmental issues, actively seeking ways to contribute as an artist. This fall, she was commissioned by Ensemble Black for “Earth: The Color of Trash,” and she presented “Debris in the Ocean” for instruments and live electronics.
Everett Wimberly, CJ Strathman—Ephemera—7:00 (4)
e·phem·er·a
/əˈfem(ə)rə/
plural
paper items (such as posters, broadsides, and tickets) that were originally meant to be discarded after use but have since become collectibles
Ephemera is a quad surround piece for piano, trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion, and technology. Using Ableton, the instruments are looped and processed through several means of techniques (reverse delay, spectral delay, surround panning, envelope followers, etc) that are then sent into the surround field. The surround experience is elevated by mapping certain parameters (ie. envelope followers) to the surround panner. Each sound fills the room in different ways, creating an ambient experience. Although much of the form is “composed”, each section peels into the next by allowing current and previous elements to be looped backward, slower, or processed differently. The piece sounds familiar each time, but it is never the same again.
Using MIDI devices, Everett and CJ are able to manipulate the live processing and loops in real time, creating an engaging experience that evolves. Each element added on by the trumpet, flugelhorn, percussion, and piano are looped and changed based on how they are played and the changes they make during the performance.
Everett Wimberly is a current student at the University of Central Missouri, studying music technology with an emphasis on percussion. Through his music, he hopes to take the audience on an ambient, evolving, and emotional journey. Much of his inspiration comes from events in his life that are spiritual in nature, which he hopes to translate into the sound.
CJ Strathman is a current student at the University of Central Missouri, studying trumpet performance. Although she is classically trained, she is interested in pushing what is sonically possible with trumpet.
Ian O’Neill—Untitled 002: Collaboration—8:00 (s)
“Untitled 002: Collaboration” is the second piece of Ian O’Neill’s “Untitled” series for improvisational instrumentalists and Creative Code. Using Max MSP, the sounds of the instrumentalists’ music are translated into visual data that drives the projection, like that of an abstract painting onto a canvas or other surface. As the musician plays, this digital painting comes to life, creating an interactive and generative visual experience for both the performer and the audience. The result is a visual artifact that showcases the true beauty in moments. Only those who are present can actually experience the moment of creation and participate while anyone after the creation is left to gather context on their own. The goal is the projections final design to then be showcased as a visual print, only those who experienced the creation of the work at the time truly understand the piece’s process.
This performance will see “Untitled” series collaborator Seth Andrew Davis (Electronics) , Shante Clair (Guitar) , and Aaron Tyler Osborne (Bass and Electronics) collaborate on a painting together as a trio. Each performer will be generating their own individual channel of art that then corresponds to the greater work. Together their sounds will paint across a digital canvas and develop an image unique as the experience of their improvisational performance.
Ian O’Neill is a Kansas City based New Media artist using creative coding and video art to explore self-image, human experiences, and the relationship between digital and physical realities. Ian studied Video Art at the University of Missouri’s Digital Storytelling program while pursuing his degree. Ian’s work has been featured in the University of Missouri’s Visual Art and Design Showcase, the Charlotte Street Foundation’s ProdoLab series, and the New York City Electroacoustic Music Festival. Ian is often a visual collaborator for the Extemporaneous Music and Arts Society, an experimental music and art collective based in Kansas City.
Yao Hsiao—Consort Yu—7:00 (s
I was inspired by the traditional Chinese Opera “The Hegemon-KingBids His Lady Farewell,” which is about the fight between two kings, Xiang Yu and Liu Bang. In the opera, Xiang Yu is surrounded by Liu Bang’s forces and on the verge of total defeat. Realizing the dire situation that has befallen them, Xiang Yu’s wife, Consort Yu, begs to die alongside her husband, but he strongly refuses her wish. Afterwards, as he is distracted, Yu commits suicide with Xiang Yu’s own sword.
Text:
My lord is now sleeping quietly. I can go out of the tent for a walk to let go of my sorrow.
看⼤王和衣睡穩，我出帳外且散愁情。
Oh, hold on! Why is there the singing of the state of Chu in the enemy’s village? What is the
reason for this? Oh, my lord, my lord! I’m afraid that my lord is on the verge of total defeat!
哎呀且住！
怎麼敵⼈寨內竟有楚國歌聲，這是甚麼緣故︖ 哎呀⼤王啊⼤王！ 只恐⼤勢去矣！
Oh, my lord, my lord! So be it! I would like to use the sword of my lord to kill myself, so as not
to become your burden!
⼤王啊！⼤王啊！也罷！願以⼤王腰間寶劍，⾃刎君前，免得掛念妾⾝哪！
Han soldiers have captured my territory, Besieged on all sides singing. The king’s spirit is
exhausted, How can I survive!
漢兵已略地，
四⾯楚歌聲。
君王意⽓盡，
妾妃何聊⽣！
Yao Hsiao, born in 1997, is a composer, a singer, and a pianist from Taiwan. She learned dancing and acting when she was young. Since she was 7 years old, she started to learn the piano and the violin. In the graduation concert of junior high, she played Piano Concerto Op. 54 by R. Schumann with the CKSO(Cheng-Kung Symphony Orchestra)
Hsiao was enlightened when she began to study composition as her major in high school. First of all, Hsiao was drawn to Chinese music culture after taking a class on the Chinese national orchestra and learning to play erhu. Afterwards, she tried to compose for Chinese instruments and was deeply touched by Chinese music. Since then, she have decided to learn more about combining different cultures into my compositions.
During Hsiao’s undergraduate studies in National Taiwan Normal University, she held a piano recital and had plenty of compositions performed. Also, she took different classes to learn dancing, theater and Chinese opera. In 2018, she participated in the music drama ”The Merry Wives of Windsor” from an adaptation of the script by Shakespeare during a composition master class to learn the connection of music and acting. Moreover, she participated in her own musical “Magic Of Little Riding Hood” as a playwright, singer and composer. Besides, Hsiao seek inspiration from Chinese poetry, western poetry, Japanese haikus and photography. She always feel joyful learning different kinds of arts and walking into the natural world because She believes it’s necessary to have a fulfilling life in order to create great art.
In 2020, Hsiao won the “Academic Merit Award” when she graduated from college. From 2021 August, she start to pursue a MM degree in Composition at Indiana University Jacobs School of Music