STEIM
Encyclopedia
STEIM is a center for research and development of new musical instruments in the electronic performing arts, located in Amsterdam
, Netherlands
. Electronic music in STEIM's context is always strongly related to the physical and direct actions of a musician. In this tradition, STEIM supports artists in residence such as composers and performers, but also multimedia and video artists to develop setups which allow for improvisation and performance with individually designed technology.
, Louis Andriessen
, Peter Schat
, Dick Raaymakers
, Jan van Vlijmen, Reinbert de Leeuw, and Konrad Boehmer
. This group of Dutch composers had fought for the reformation of Amsterdam's feudal music structures; they insisted on Bruno Maderna's appointment as musical director of the Concertgebouw Orchestra and enforced the first public fundings for experimental and improvised electronic music in Holland.
They were offered a budget for their collective multimedia opera "Reconstruction" which was premiered in the Holland Festival in 1969.
The technology used in this opera was then taken to Amsterdam's Prinseneiland which was STEIM's first location. Soon, in 1971, the studio moved to the Groenburgwal in the city center, where there was more space for workshops and concerts. Since 1986, STEIM has been at the Achtergracht in the city center's southern area. Its premises include three studios, a concert hall, hard and software workshops, offices, and a guesthouse for artists in residence.
Black Box System (Zwarte Dozen), by Rob van de Poel (1972)
Eemnes Machines, by Victor Wentink (1975-79)
Crackle Box (Kraakdoos
), Crackle Synth, by Michel Waisvisz, Geert Hamelberg, Peter Beyls and Nico Bes (1975)
The Hands, by Michel Waisvisz
(since 1984). One of the world's first gestural MIDI controllers. Two wooden frames for the hands with switches, potentiometers, tilt sensors, and ultrasound.
Hyperstring Project, by Jon Rose
. Extending a Violin Bow with Sensors. (since 1985)
STEIM Sensor-Lab. Portable Mini-Computer which translates analogue Sensor data into MIDI Code. (1989)
The Web, by Michel Waisvisz (1990)
The Sweatstick, by Ray Edgar (1990)
The Lady's Glove, by Laetitia Sonami (1991)
Nic Collins: Midi Concertina (1992)
Chromasome, by Walter Fabeck (1994)
Lick Machine, by Frank Baldé (1989-1995). MIDI Macro-Controlling Software
LiSa
, by Michel Waisvisz and Frank Baldé. Realtime software instrument for live sampling and realtime audio manipulation (since 1995) LiSa info
Big Eye, by Tom Demeyer. Video to MIDI converter (1995-2001)
Image/ine, by Steina Vasulka and Tom Demeyer. Software instrument for realtime video manipulation (1996-2001)
MIDI Joy, by Frank Baldé. Mapping game controllers to MIDI Code (1997-2002)
JunXion, by Michel Waisvisz and Frank Baldé. Mapping game controllers, audio, video and sensor data to MIDI and OSC (since 2003) junXion info
— theoretically subsumes several stages of STEIM's developments, from the analogue touchable "Crackle" surfaces in the 70s to today's experimental Gestural MIDI Interfaces.
Peter Schat
, 1971-1981
Michel Waisvisz
, 1981-2008
Takuro Mizuta Lippit; Dick Rijken, since 2008
George Lewis
; Joel Ryan; Clarence Barlow
, 1985 - ca. 1990
Nicolas Collins
, 1992-1995;
Steina Vasulka, 1996-1997;
Sally Jane Norman, 1998-2000;
Daniel Schorno; Netochka Nezvanova
, 2001-2003
Daniel Schorno, 2003-2004;
Jan St. Werner, 2004-2006;
Takuro Mizuta Lippit; Mazen Kerbaj; Atau Tanaka,
2006-2008
Tarek Atoui; Tina Blaine, 2008.
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. Electronic music in STEIM's context is always strongly related to the physical and direct actions of a musician. In this tradition, STEIM supports artists in residence such as composers and performers, but also multimedia and video artists to develop setups which allow for improvisation and performance with individually designed technology.
Background
STEIM has existed since 1969. It was founded by Misha MengelbergMisha Mengelberg
Misha Mengelberg is a Dutch jazz pianist and composer. He won the Gaudeamus International Composers Award in 1961.-Biography:...
, Louis Andriessen
Louis Andriessen
Louis Andriessen is a Dutch composer and pianist based in Amsterdam. He teaches composition at the Royal Conservatory of The Hague...
, Peter Schat
Peter Schat
Peter Schat was a Dutch composer.Schat studied composition with Kees van Baaren at the conservatories in Utrecht and The Hague from 1952 until 1958, and then went on to study in London with Mátyás Seiber in 1959 and with Pierre Boulez in Basle in 1960–61...
, Dick Raaymakers
Dick Raaymakers
Dick Raaymakers is a Dutch composer, theater maker and theorist. He is known as a pioneer in the field of electronic music and tape music but he has also realized numerous music theater pieces and has published many theoretical essays.-Biography:Raaymakers studied the piano at the Royal...
, Jan van Vlijmen, Reinbert de Leeuw, and Konrad Boehmer
Konrad Boehmer
Konrad Boehmer is a Dutch composer and writer of German birth.Boehmer was born in Berlin. His music reflects his Marxist political agenda, which is made explicit in many of his writings from the late 1960s and 1970s...
. This group of Dutch composers had fought for the reformation of Amsterdam's feudal music structures; they insisted on Bruno Maderna's appointment as musical director of the Concertgebouw Orchestra and enforced the first public fundings for experimental and improvised electronic music in Holland.
They were offered a budget for their collective multimedia opera "Reconstruction" which was premiered in the Holland Festival in 1969.
The technology used in this opera was then taken to Amsterdam's Prinseneiland which was STEIM's first location. Soon, in 1971, the studio moved to the Groenburgwal in the city center, where there was more space for workshops and concerts. Since 1986, STEIM has been at the Achtergracht in the city center's southern area. Its premises include three studios, a concert hall, hard and software workshops, offices, and a guesthouse for artists in residence.
Hardware
Kraakdoos
The Kraakdoos is a custom made battery-powered noise-making electronic device.It is a small box with six metal contacts on top, which when pressed by fingers will generate all manner of unusual sounds and tones...
), Crackle Synth, by Michel Waisvisz, Geert Hamelberg, Peter Beyls and Nico Bes (1975)
Michel Waisvisz
Michel Waisvisz was a Dutch composer, performer and inventor of experimental electronic musical instruments...
(since 1984). One of the world's first gestural MIDI controllers. Two wooden frames for the hands with switches, potentiometers, tilt sensors, and ultrasound.
Jon Rose
Jon Rose is an Australian violinist born in the UK in 1951. Rose began playing violin at age 7 after winning a music scholarship to King's School in Rochester. For over 35 years, Rose has been at the sharp end of new, improvised, and experimental music and media...
. Extending a Violin Bow with Sensors. (since 1985)
Software
Lisa
-People:* Lisa * Lisa , Japanese singer and producer* LiSA, Japanese singer* Esteban Lisa, Argentine painter-Information technology:* Apple Lisa computer, the precursor to the Apple Macintosh* Lisa assembler, a 6502 assembler for Apple II...
, by Michel Waisvisz and Frank Baldé. Realtime software instrument for live sampling and realtime audio manipulation (since 1995) LiSa info
STEIM Touch philosophy
As a headline for most of STEIM's instrumental developments it can apply that "Touch is crucial in communicating with the new electronic performance art technologies" http://www.steim.org/steim/about.html. As in traditional musical instruments, it is believed here that also in contemporary developments the physical touch of a musician contains essential aesthetic factors. These qualities tend to get lost in the non-realtime use of studio technology, in which the process of music production gets rather rational but bodily involved. The Touch philosophy — which can be considered as STEIM's interpretation of the widely used term interactivityInteractivity
In the fields of information science, communication, and industrial design, there is debate over the meaning of interactivity. In the "contingency view" of interactivity, there are three levels:...
— theoretically subsumes several stages of STEIM's developments, from the analogue touchable "Crackle" surfaces in the 70s to today's experimental Gestural MIDI Interfaces.
Structure / People
STEIM is a foundation, financially supported by the Dutch ministry of Culture. It invites international artists in residence of different musical and artistic styles and scenes. Aside from offering support in theoretic and practical development of contemporary musical instruments, STEIM also hosts in-house concerts, exhibitions and workshops. The work in progress of supported artists is presented in open studio events.Artistic/ Managing Directors
Peter Schat
Peter Schat was a Dutch composer.Schat studied composition with Kees van Baaren at the conservatories in Utrecht and The Hague from 1952 until 1958, and then went on to study in London with Mátyás Seiber in 1959 and with Pierre Boulez in Basle in 1960–61...
, 1971-1981
Michel Waisvisz
Michel Waisvisz was a Dutch composer, performer and inventor of experimental electronic musical instruments...
, 1981-2008
Artistic Guest Directors
George Lewis
George Lewis may refer to:*George Lowys or Lewis , mayor of Winchelsea*George Lewis , track and field athlete from Trinidad and Tobago*George Lewis , New Orleans jazz clarinettist...
; Joel Ryan; Clarence Barlow
Clarence Barlow
Clarence Barlow is a composer of classical and electroacoustic works.-Biography:Barlow was born in Calcutta, a member of the anglophone minority, of British and Portuguese descent...
, 1985 - ca. 1990
Nicolas Collins
Nicolas Collins is a composer of mostly electronic music and former student of Alvin Lucier. He received a B.A. and M.A...
, 1992-1995;
Netochka Nezvanova
Netochka Nezvanova is the pseudonym used by the author of nato.0+55+3d, a real-time, modular, video and multi-media processing environment. Alternate aliases include "=cw4t7abs", "punktprotokol", "0f0003", "maschinenkunst" , "integer", and "antiorp"...
, 2001-2003
2006-2008
See also
- Elektronmusikstudion (EMS)ElektronmusikstudionElektronmusikstudion , formerly known as Electroacoustic Music in Sweden, is the Swedish national centre for electronic music and sound art. The research organisation started in 1964 and is based in Stockholm....
, somewhat similar organisation in Stockholm, Sweden - Netochka NezvanovaNetochka NezvanovaNetochka Nezvanova is the pseudonym used by the author of nato.0+55+3d, a real-time, modular, video and multi-media processing environment. Alternate aliases include "=cw4t7abs", "punktprotokol", "0f0003", "maschinenkunst" , "integer", and "antiorp"...
- artistic guest director at STEIM, 2001-2003
External links
- Official website
- crackle.org — Archive Site of Michel Waisvisz’ works
- Spekle, Roland and Michel Waisvisz. “STEIM — A Reconstruction.” STEIM Writings.
Artist projects realised at STEIM
- Golden, Barbara. “Conversation with Laetitia Sonami.” eContact! 12.2 — Interviews (2) (April 2010). Montréal: CECCanadian Electroacoustic CommunityFounded in 1986, La Communauté électroacoustique canadienne / The Canadian Electroacoustic Community is Canada’s national electroacoustic / computer music / sonic arts organization and as such is dedicated to promoting this progressive art form in its broadest definition: from “pure” acousmatic...
. - Nowitz, Alex. “Voice and Live-Electronics using Remotes as Gestural Controllers.” eContact! 10.4 — Temps réel, improvisation et interactivité en électroacoustique / Live-electronics — Improvisation — Interactivity in Electroacoustics (October 2008). Montréal: CECCanadian Electroacoustic CommunityFounded in 1986, La Communauté électroacoustique canadienne / The Canadian Electroacoustic Community is Canada’s national electroacoustic / computer music / sonic arts organization and as such is dedicated to promoting this progressive art form in its broadest definition: from “pure” acousmatic...
. - Scott, Richard. “Getting WiGi with It: Performing and Programming with an Infrared Gestural Instrument: A Case Study.” eContact! 12.3 — Instrument—Interface (June 2010). Montréal: CECCanadian Electroacoustic CommunityFounded in 1986, La Communauté électroacoustique canadienne / The Canadian Electroacoustic Community is Canada’s national electroacoustic / computer music / sonic arts organization and as such is dedicated to promoting this progressive art form in its broadest definition: from “pure” acousmatic...
.