Posted on April 28, 2011
Clarence Barlow
Approximating π (2007)
A Sound Installation
Construction Method
Point of departure: the converging series π = 4 – 4/3 + 4/5 – 4/7 + 4/9 ∙∙∙
Each convergence gets a time window of 5040 samples (double the LCM of the numbers 1 to 10), in which ten square wave partials of frequencies 8¾n Hz and amplitude 2^dn are set up, ‘8¾’ deriving from the 5040 samples, ‘n’ being the partial number and ‘dn’ the nth digit in the convergence’s decimal representation; e.g. for ‘3.141592654’, the ten partials’ amplitudes are 23, 21, 24, 21 ,25, 29 etc., thereafter rescaled by the arbitrary sawtooth spectral factor 2π/n, where ‘n’ is still the partial number. The convergences make the digits stabilize from left to right to a value approaching π, the resultant timbre moving from turbulence to constancy over 4 x 109 x 5040 = 20.16 x 1012 samples or ~14½ years. The installation can be pitch-transposed (by sample dropping) and/or time-truncated. Here the eight sound channels are transposed from 8¾ Hz to frequencies 9, 28, 50, 72, 96, 123, 149 and 175 times higher (= [9 x π(1+½+⅓+ ∙∙ +⅟χ))], χ being the channel number plus one); the duration is truncated to a millionth of the total, i.e. 7′ 37″, the highest transposition thereby reaching the 700,000th approximation of π, where the first six digits are already stable.
Clarence Barlow (1945): born into the English-speaking minority of Calcutta, going there to school and college, studying piano, music theory and natural sciences. 1957: first compositions. 1965: graduated in science at Calcutta University, thereafter active as conductor and music theory teacher at the Calcutta School of Music. 1968: moved to Cologne, studying (until 1973) composition and electronic music at Cologne Music University. 1971-1972: studied also at the Institute of Sonology, Utrecht University. 1971: began to use computers as a compositional aid. 1982: initiated, 1986 co-founded, 1986-1993 and 1996-2002 chaired GIMIK: Initiative Musik und Informatik Köln. 1982-1994: in charge of Computer Music at the Darmstadt Summer Courses for New Music. 1984-2005: lecturer on Computer Music, Cologne Music University. 1988: Director of Music, XIVth International Computer Music Conference, held in Cologne. 1990-1991: visiting professor of composition, Folkwang University Essen. 1990-94: Artistic Director, Institute of Sonology, Royal Conservatory, The Hague. 1994-2006: Professor of Composition and Sonology at the same conservatory. 1994-2010: member of the Académie Internationale de Musique Electroacoustique in Bourges. 2005-2006: visiting professor of composition, School of Music and Performing Arts ESMAE in Porto. Since 2006: Corwin Professor and Head of Composition, Music Department, University of California Santa Barbara; concurrently also Affiliate Professor, Media Arts and Technology as well as College of Creative Studies, UCSB. www.rlow.org/
Posted on April 20, 2011
Preliminary Program
First draft of the RAFLOST+Pikslaverk 2011 program. (subject to change)
Thursday, May 5th
18:00 Festival Opening – Hafnarhúsið, Reykjavík Art Museum
- drinks, chats and rituals
20:00 S.L.Á.T.U.R. Performance – Grandaskáli
- various artist from the SLÁTUR collective
Friday, May 6th
13:00 Lectures – Iceland Academy of the Arts
- to be announced…
18:00 Installations
- Anders Monrad
- Halldór Heiðar Bjarnason & Lilián Pineda
- Clay Chaplin
- Clarence Barlow
20:00 Performances and fixed media – Sölvhóll
- Tom Williams
- Bradford Blackburn
- Clay Chaplin
- Hreinn Bjartsson
Saturday, May 7th
13:00-17:00 Workshop / LornaLab – Hafnarhúsið
18:00-22:00 Installations – Grandaskáli, Grandagarði 16-18
- David Strang
- Michiel van Bakel
- Erla Axelsdóttir
- Julius Bucsis
20:00 Performances – Grandaskáli, Grandagarði 16-18
- Softday (Mikael Fernström & Sean Taylor)
- Jean-Pierre Mot
- Þorbjörn G. Kolbrúnarson
Sunday, May 8th
13:00 Audio-Visual works
- Halldór Heiðar Bjarnason & Lilián Pineda
- Björk Viggósdóttir
- Paolo Girol
- Aldo Rodríguez
- Matthew Dotson
- Bret Battey
- Joao Pedro Oliveira / Takagi Masakatsu
- Emmanuel Mailly
- Moon Young Ha
- Timothy Polashek
- Madelyn Byrne
- Norm Skipp
- Dennis Miller
Posted on April 19, 2011
Getting closer
RAFLOST+Pikslaverk 2011 is approaching. We received quite many proposals for art works in different forms and have done our best to facilitate as much as we can. The scheduled program will be released soon.
The main events will be taking place in the Iceland Academy of the Arts (Sölvhólsgata 13) and the industrial space Grandaskáli (Grandagarði 18). Also, on saturday the 7th, there will be an open workshop in Hafnarhúsið, Reykjavík Art Museum (Tryggvagata 17) hosted by LornaLab ( http://reykjavikmedialab.is/ ) .
Posted on March 3, 2011
RAFLOST 2011 – Call for participants
RAFLOST will again join up with PIKSLAVERK (a part of the Pixelache Network) to organize the 2011 version of RAFLOST. The festival will be held in various spaces in Reykjavik on the 5th – 8th of May 2011.
We are calling for works of electronic art in a broad sense, be it video,
sound/sonic-art, performance art or whatever you can think of, as long as it is electronic in some sense. Preference will be given to works that have a live/interactive factor and/or that are a hybrid of two or more art forms. Also, due to the changing spaces, any kind of installation can only be exhibited for a few hours at the most.
We also welcome presentations and lectures on related subjects.
If you’re interested in participating, please send your proposal to
r a f l o s t @ r a f l o s t . i s – before the 31st of March!
For more information, either check out http://www.raflost.is/ or send us an inquiry.
Note that due to a certain financial uncertainty, RAFLOST can not support flights to/from Iceland. Possible participants are encouraged to seek other sources of travel support. However, works and lectures selected for the festival will receive some financial compensation.
Posted on December 8, 2010
RAFLOST+Pikslaverk 2011
Next RAFLOST+Pikslaverk will be held in Reykjavik around the 5th – 8th of May 2011. It will consist mainly of performances and lectures. The RAFLOSTi international workshop will not be included in the 2011 edition, but will return in 2012 stronger than before.
If you are interested in participating in RAFLOST+Pikslaverk 2011, please send mail to raflost [at] raflost [dot] is
Posted on June 22, 2010
Video from RAFLOST 2009
Posted on May 28, 2010
RAFLOST is over
Thanks to all participants of RAFLOST 2010.
It was a great experience and hope to see you again at RAFLOST 2011.
Posted on May 20, 2010
PIKSLAVERK – OPENING
The opening of Pikslaverk is on thursday the 20th of May 2010 in Hafnarhúsið (the Reykjavik Art Museum). It starts at 20:00 and includes a lecture by Pall Thayer about his Microcodes and an audiovisual performance by Servando Barreiro. Also, Goodiepal will speak about various relevant things.
Posted on May 16, 2010
Piano and Electronic Concert
Wednesday 19th, 20:00, Iceland Academy of the Arts, Sölvhóll Concert Hall, Sölvhólsgata 13 (behind the building)
Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir premiers works by Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson, Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson and Jesper Pedersen.
Program:
- Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (IS): Sonorities I (1963)
- Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (IS): Sonorities II (1968) – World premiere
- Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (IS): Sonorities III (1972)
- Karlheinz Essl (AT): Kalimba (2005)
- Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson (IS): Harsamvaða (2010) – World premiere
- Jesper Pedersen (DK/IS): Laser Cat (2010) – Vorld premiere
- Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (IS): Surtur fer sunnan (1965) – Surtsey Volcano Documentary
Miðvikudaginn 19. maí mun píanóleikarinn Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir frumflytja píanóverkið Sonorities II frá árinu 1968 eftir Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson á raflistahátíðinni Raflost í Reykjavík og er því um merkisfrumflutning að ræða. Tinna mun leika píanóverk Magnúsar Sonorities I, II og III á tónleikunum, en þau eru skrifuð á árunum 1963-1972. Magnús samdi röð verka sem bera þetta heiti fyrir mismunandi hljóðfærasamsetningar. Píanóverkin einkennast af tilraunamennsku, en í Sonorities II, sem frumflutt er á þessu tónleikum, leikur Tinna alfarið á strengi píanósins með tólum og tækjum. Þriðja verkið í röðinni, Sonorities III, er samið fyrir píanó og tónband, en Magnús var einn helsti frumkvöðull elektrónískra tónsmíða á Íslandi og þótt víðar væri leitað. Verkið er mjög frjálst í formi, þar sem píanóleikarinn spinnur m.a. yfir hljóðbandið og þar má hlýða á ýmsa tónlistarstíla undir rokk- og djass áhrifum tíðarandans. Magnús var fæddur árið 1925 og hefði því orðið áttatíu og fimm á árinu, en þessi merki maður lést árið 2005. Önnur verk á tónleikunum eru í takt við tilraunagleði Magnúsar. Þar heyrist tónverkið Kalimba frá árinu 2005 fyrir dótapíanó og rafhljóð eftir austurríska tónskáldið Karlheinz Essl og tvö píanóverk verða frumflutt eftir tvö ung tónskáld, þá Guðmund Stein Gunnarsson (Harsamvaða) og Jesper Pedersen (Laser Cat). Í kjölfar tónleikanna verður heimildarmyndin Surtur fer sunnan eftir Ósvald Knudsen frá árinu 1965 um Surtseyjargosið sýnd, en Magnús samdi tónlistina við myndina. Tónlistin samanstendur af hljóðum úr gosinu sjálfu og er því um mjög athyglisverða og merkilega hljóðmynd að ræða.Tónleikarnir hefjast kl: 20 í Sölvhóli, sal Listaháskóla Íslands og eru hluti af hinni árlegu raflistahátíð Raflost sem fram fer þessa dagana. Aðgangur á tónleikana er ókeypis.
Posted on May 15, 2010
Goodiepal Lecture
Monday 17th, 12:30-13:30, Iceland Academy of the Arts, Laugarnesvegur 91
Radical Computer Music
Danish/Faroese composer, Goodiepal (Gæoudjiparl van den Dobbelsteen) will talk about various radical excursions into computer technology and media art.
Posted on May 11, 2010
FINAL PROGRAM
The Raflost+Pikslaverk festival is taking place in Reykjavik on the 14th – 22nd of May 2010.
All events are free of charge.
- Friday 14.5, 10:00-17:00, Systematic Understanding of Music – SUM, IAA Visual Art Building
- Friday 14.5, 20:00-22:30, Concert – Lars Graugaard & Tímahrak, Útgerðin
- Saturday 15.5, 14:00-17:00, Arduino workshop – Hakkavélin, Útgerðin
- Saturday 15.5, 21:00-22:00, Dance, Music and Electronics – Hnoð, Kópavogur Computer Music Studio and others, Útgerðin
- Monday 17.5, 12:30-13:30, Radical Computer Music – Goodiepal, IAA Visual Art Building
- Monday 17.5, 16:00-16:45, Interactive Cinema – Chris Hales, IAA Visual Art Building [Postboned]
- Monday 17.5, 17:00-18:00, Max, Arduino, Maxuino – IAA Students, IAA Visual Art Building
- Wednesday 19.5, 16:00-16:45, Interactive Cinema – Chris Hales, IAA Visual Art Building [New time]
- Wednesday 19.5, 20:00-21:30, Píanóraftónlist – Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir, Sölvhóll
- Thursday 20.5, 20:00-21:30, Pikslaverk Opening – Páll Thayer and Servando Barreiro, Hafnarhúsið
- Friday 21.5, 13:00-16:00, Pikslaverk Lectures – Linda Hilfling, Marco Donnarumma, Martin Howse, Servando Barreiro, Juan Parra og Rafael Hidalgo Múgica, Hafnarhúsið
- Friday 21.5, 20:00-21:30, RAFLOSTi Workshop Performances – RAFLOSTi participants, IAA Visual Art Building
- Saturday 22.5, 21:00-23:00, Grand Finale – Haraldur Karlsson, Juan Parra, S.L.Á.T.U.R., Monika Frycova, Martinka Bobrikova, Oscar de Carmen and more, Útgerðin
Addresses:
- Útgerðin is at Grandagarður 16
- The IAA Visual Art Building is at Laugarnesvegur 91
- Sölvhóll (IAA Concert Hall) is at Sölvhólsgata 13 (on the Skúlagata side)
- Hafnarhúsið is at Tryggvagata 17
RAFLOSTi Workshop Leaders:
- Chris Hales
- Ilpo Kari
- Teijo Pellinen
- Áki Ásgeirsson
- Jesper Pedersen
- Margrét Elísabet Ólafsdóttir
- Sigrún Harðardóttir
- Ríkharður H. Friðriksson
Raflost+Pikslaverk is sponsored by:
- The Cirrus Network
- Iceland Academy of the Arts
- Iceland Ministry of Culture
- Office for Contemporary Art Norway
- SUM – Systematic Understanding of Music
- Nordisk Kulturfond
- Iceland Society of Electronic Art
- Lorna
- S.L.Á.T.U.R.
Posted on April 23, 2010
Other Events
During the days of RAFLOST there will be other interesting things in Reykjavik as well:
On tuesday the 18th there is a concert of electronic music by students of Kopavogur Computer Music Center. The concert takes place in Salurinn, Kopavogi, about 20 minute bus trip just outside of Reykjavik. [ Sorry, this concert was moved to the previous week, and is not a part of the festival. Two pieces from that concert were featured on the Saturday 15.5. happening at Útgerðin. ]
The Iceland Art Academy music student concerts will be happening during 17.4 – 30.5 2010. An overview of the concerts can be found here. Its in icelandic but you see that people are marked by their instrument names, except “tónsmíðar” means composition and “nýmiðlar” means new-media.
Also, check the Reykjavik Grapevine for various events in the city.
Posted on April 21, 2010
Eruption
As you may know, the volcanic activity is decreasing so we hope all flight transportation will be back to normal in time for RAFLOST.
In the meantime, here is a live webcam from the eruption.
Posted on March 22, 2010
Preliminary Program
Pre-festival workshops:
Friday the 14th of May
10:00-17:00 SUM Workshop, Iceland Academy of the Arts, Lauganesi
20:00 Concert, Tímahrak (IS) together with Lars Graugaard (DK) and Aki Asgeirsson (IS), Útgerðin, Grandagarði 16
Saturday the 15th of May
14:00-16:00 Arduino Workshop – Hakkavélin (Hackerspace Reykjavik)
20:00 Performance ***, Útgerðin, Grandagarði 16
The RAFLOSTi Workshop
Monday the 17th – Friday the 22nd of May
Iceland Academy of the Arts, Laugarnes, Visual Art building.
http://raflost.is/?page_id=70
RAFLOST Lecture
Goodiepal (DK/Fø)
Monday the 17th, 12:30-13:30, Iceland Academy of the Arts, Laugarnes, Visual Art building.
RAFLOST Lecture 2
Christopher Hales (UK/FIN)
Monday the 17th, 16:00-16:45, Iceland Academy of the Arts, Laugarnes, Visual Art building.
RAFLOST Concert – Piano and Electronics
Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (IS): Sonorities I (1963)
Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (IS): Sonorities II (1968) – world premiere
Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (IS): Sonorities III (1972)
Karlheinz Essl (AT): Kalimba (2005)
Guðmundur Steinn Gunnarsson (IS): New work
Jesper Pedersen (DK/IS): New work
Magnús Blöndal Jóhannsson (IS): Surtur fer sunnan (1965) – Surtsey Volcano Documentary
Piano: Tinna Þorsteinsdóttir (IS)
Wednesday the 19th, 20:00-21:30, Iceland Academy of the Arts, Sölvhóll, Concert Hall
Pikslaverk Opening
Páll Thayer (IS/USA) – Microcodes, lecture
Servando Barreiro (SP) – audiovisual performance
Thursday the 20th, 20:00-21:30, Reykjavik Art Museum / Hafnarhúsið
Pikslaverk Lectures
Linda Hilfing (DK) – Fjernstyring, lecture
Martin Howse (ENG) – island2
Servando Barreiro (SP) – presentation
Marco Donnarumma (SCT) – Golden Shield Music
Rafael Hidalgo Múgica (Tenerife) – Personal Weather Sensation
Friday the 21st, 13:00-16:00, Reykjavik Art Museum / Hafnarhúsið
RAFLOSTi Performance
Projects from the workshop will be presented
Friday the 21st at 20:00, Iceland Academy of the Arts, Laugarnes, Visual Art building
Pikslaverk Workshop
RIXC: Solar Music Workshop and discussions
Saturday the 22nd of May, 11:00-14:30, Útgerðin, Grandagarði 16
RAFLOST/PIKSLAVERK Grand Finale!
Short performances of different artists and art forms
Monika Frycova (CZ)
Juan Parra Cancino (CHL/NL)
Martinka Bobrikova (SVK/SWE) and Oscar de Carmen (ESP/SWE)
Goedipal (DK)
Teijo Pellinen (FIN)
Chris Hales (ENG/FIN)
S.L.Á.T.U.R. (IS)
Marco Donnarumma (SCT) – performance
Haraldur Karlsson (IS/NO) – Creating the now, or does it add something?
Netsky (IS)
Saturday the 22nd of May at 21:00, Útgerðin, Grandagarði 16
Posted on March 1, 2010
RAFLOSTi WORKSHOP
RAFLOSTI – a multimedia performance workshop as a part of the electronic art festival RAFLOST.
Iceland Electronic Arts Society (Raflistafélag Íslands) in collaboration with the Iceland Academy of the Arts organizes the RAFLOSTI workshop.
The RAFLOSTI workshop is open for all nationalities and is free of charge.
The workshop takes place in Reykjavik on May 17th – 21th, where participants will work together in groups, leading to a performance. During this week, lectures and performances on the RAFLOST festival (14th – 22th of May) will be available to workshop participants.
The workshop is intended for students of performance based art (real-time art): music, dance, video, experimental theater, multimedia etc as well as professional artists of any age. The goal is to provide a platform for artists of different diciplines to work together using their domain-specific skills in a multimedia environment.
Time
17.5.2010 – 21.5.2009
Place
Reykjavik, Iceland
Duration
5 days
Participants
max 30 participants
Level
Intermediate / Advanced
Working language
English
Workshop coordinator
Áki Asgeirsson, teacher of Electronic Music and New Media, Iceland Academy of the Arts.
Workshop Group Leaders
Sigrún Harðardóttir, Ríkharður H. Friðriksson, Margrét Elísabet Ólafsdóttir, Jesper Pedersen, Áki Ásgeirsson.
Goal
Participants get acquainted with the technical possibilities of connecting different art forms. Special emphasis will be on electronic and non-electronic interactivity and multimedia. Groups of 5-6 people of different backgrounds will work together with guidance from the workshop leaders in creating new works performed on the RAFLOST festival.
Content and methods
Participants will be presented with various tools for controlling, monitoring and connecting areas of different art forms. Workshop leaders will discuss relationships of different media and introduce their own work and multimedia performances by known artists. The leaders will also provide technical and aesthetic assistance if needed. Participants will share their knowledge of different fields within the group and contribute to the groups documentation of the new work.
Documentation
Make a short description of your group’s work during RAFLOSTI, including pictures and discussion of ideas and technology used. This material should be uploaded to the Raflost webpage after the final performance.
Acknowledgement
Students of the Iceland Academy of the Arts will get 2 ECTS for their participation.
All participants will get a certificate stating their participation upon completing the workshop.
Application procedure
Send mail to raflost@raflost.is explaining your motivation to participating in the workshop before march 12th. The email should include a short CV.
Selection criteria
-
Background knowledge in music, visual art, media, theater or other art forms.
-
Interest in cross-disciplinary work.
-
Ability to work in a collaborative and international group.
Prerequisite
Some skills in new media tools and technologies are beneficial.
Timeline
21.3.2010 Application deadline
28.3.2010 Information about the selection
16.5.2010 Arrival to Reykjavik, accommodation etc.
17-21.5.2010 The course itself
21.5.2010 Final performance
22.5.2010 Documentation and review.
23.5.2010 Departure from Reykjavík
Accommodation
Visiting participants will have to arrange their own accommodation.
Please bring with you:
-
If possible, a laptop computer and audiovisual equipment (digital camera, video camera, sound recording equipment, sensors, etc.)
-
Good ideas
-
Ability to work and live in an international group
Costs
The workshop is free of charge for all selected participants. The RAFLOST festival or the Iceland Academy of the Arts cannot pay for travel and accommodation for international participants. However, there are various funds that might support participation in the RAFLOSTI workshop. Participants have to be prepared to pay for meals or cook on their own.
More information
Send mail to raflost@raflost.is
Links
RAFLOST – www.raflost.is
Iceland Academy of the Arts – www.lhi.is
Reykjavik News – http://www.grapevine.is
Bus info – http://www.straeto.is/media/vetur2009-2010/HEILDARKORT_vetur_2009-10.pdf
Reykjavik Webcamera – http://www.or.is/UmOR/Vefmyndavel/
Slátur – www.slatur.is
Lorna – www.pikslaverk.org
Telephone numbers
Iceland Academy of the Arts: +354 5524000
Áki Ásgeirsson: +354 6619731
Ríkharður Friðriksson: +354 8646382
Emergency: 112
Posted on February 19, 2010
Confirmed dates
The RAFLOST workshop will start on monday the 17th of May 2010 and end on saturday the 22nd of May.
The application deadline for the RAFLOSTi workshop is the 21st of March 2010.
Posted on December 11, 2009
RAFLOST 2010
The RAFLOST 2010 festival will take place in Reykjavik around 14-22 of May in collaboration with Pikslaverk.
Students interested in the RAFLOSTi workshop should apply before March 21st 2010.
Through Pikslaverk there is an open call for performances, lectures etc. Information will be announced soon.