Master of Music in Electronic and Computer Music

The Peabody Master's program has been created for students seeking a graduate degree in applied Electronic and Computer Music, with concentrations in conservatory-level composition, performance/concert production, or research/technology. Students in all three concentrations work closely with one another. Composers have access to hundreds of conservatory-level performers, including large ensembles, to perform their music. Performers work with composers and researchers in developing new real-time performance techniques. Researchers and technologists regularly interact with composers and performers by providing scientific support for musical undertakings. All students utilize the musically-rich resources of Peabody Conservatory and the abundant scientific resources of The Johns Hopkins University (more...)

Ballet Mécanique (Feb. 17, 7:30 p.m.)

Which piece takes a tam-tam, seven electric bells, a siren, three airplane propellers and a pair of earplugs to be performed? The answer is Georges Antheil's Ballet Mécanique which will be presented at Friedberg Hall on February 17, at 7:30 p.m.. Composed in Paris in 1924 by the 24-year-old American, Georges Antheil, Ballet Mécanique was the first piece ever written solely for percussion orchestra. Combining sounds of the industrial age, atonal music, and jazz the original version calls for four bass drums, three xylophones, a tam-tam, seven electric bells, a siren and three different-sized airplane propellers (high wood, low wood, and metal) as well as two human-played pianos and 16 player pianos. Synchronizing player pianos however, was beyond the technology of the day, forcing Antheil to scale down the instrumentation. As a result, Antheil never heard his magnum opus the way in which it was originally envisioned. The Ballet Mécanique was intended to be more than a piece of music; it was conceived
as a soundtrack for a film of the same name by cubist artist Fernand Leger, photographer Man Ray and cinematographer Dudley Murphy. Tragically, the synchronization issues were never resolved (to further complicate things, Antheil's score turned out to be twice as long as the film). The two works were premiered separately, and have had separate lives. Thanks to Prof. Lehrman's (Tufts University) realization of the Ballet Mécanique, the live performance synchronized to the film was premiered on the 13 of November at the Percussive Arts Society International Convention in Columbus, Ohio, by the Peabody Percussion Ensemble under Julian Pellicano. The Percussion Ensemble, with the aid of the Peabody Computer Music Department, will present this extraordinary work at Peabody's Friedberg Hall on the 17 of February (7:30 p.m.). Admission is free.

Bassist Robert Black (Feb. 27, 7:30 p.m.)

The Peabody Computer Music Consort is proud to present bassist Robert Black to the Peabody Community for a solo recital on Thursday February 27 (7:30 p.m. in Griswold Hall; admission is free). Perhaps best known for his pursuit of contemporary music, Robert Black's 1996 O.O. Discs recording State of the Bass saw the artist performing with computer-controlled delays, electric, electric-upright, and MIDI Bass. His current program should include Iannis Xenakis's 1976 work Theraps as well as Christian Wolff's 1991 Look, She Said. Black will also be hosting a Bass Department Master class on February 25 (time/location TBA). For more information on Black's groundbreaking solo work or his ensemble work with the genre-defying Bang on a Can All-Stars look for Mike Giuliano's piece in the January/February 2003 Peabody News.


PCM Welcomes New Faculty Member

The Peabody Computer Music Department is happy to welcome Craig Sapp as a new member of the department.
Craig is completing his Ph.D. in Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, Stanford University. His dissertation work is on computational music harmony analysis, enabling computers to extract the underlying harmonic structure of Western music for applications in interactive computer music composition and simulated musical performance. He holds an M.A. degree in Music Composition and Piano Performance as well as a B.A. in Physics and Music from the University of Virginia. (more...).

PCM courses, Spring 2003
350.464   Introduction to Computer Music II   (Boyle)
350.466   Introduction to Programming (in Java)   (Wright)
350.838   Digital Music Programming II   (Sapp)
350.840   History of Electroacoustic Music   (Wright)
350.868   Synthesis Theory II   (Sapp)
350.871   Music Notation Software   (Allen)
350.850   Intermedia Studio   (Boyle)
PCM courses, Autumn 2002
350.463   Introduction to Computer Music I   (Boyle)
350.465   Musicians, Computers and the Internet   (Wright)
350.835   Studio Techniques   (Wright)
350.837   Digital Music Programming I   (Boyle)
350.867   Synthesis Theory I   (Sapp)
350.871   Music Notation Software   (Allen)
 


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