The last Deans’ Seminar in the 2022-23 series will be held this Friday, April 21, 2023. Ryan Olivier, Assistant Professor of Music, will present his research entitled “Mining Models for Artistic Gains: Partial Decisions for Solo Performer and Interactive Audiovisual System.”
We will meet at noon in the UCET Classroom (NS245). Feel free to bring your lunch. Soft drinks and water will be provided. If you would like to join by zoom please use this link: https://iu.zoom.us/j/93176192536
Abstract:
This piece+paper presentation will include an overview of Olivier’s work Partial Decisions a real-time, semi-improvised work for solo performer and interactive audiovisual system. Opening remarks will cover the inspiration for the work as well as the various design considerations for the algorithmic instrument. These remarks will be followed by a brief live performance of the work. The algorithmic system employs over 600 individual tones and shapes to model the results of individuals choosing to come together or strike out on their own. The performer exploits the results of those decisions to shape various sonic and visual outcomes, which in turn shape future results. While the performer can merely impose limits on the decision-making capabilities of the modeled community, imposing those limits can yield unexpected results, sometimes beautiful, sometimes chaotic, and sometimes beautifully chaotic. Each performance is unique and opens up a chance for new possibilities, a chance for newfound beauty from the partial decisions of the many. Since 2021 this work has been screened or performed in Australia, Austria, Ireland, and the US at the International Computer Music Conference; the Conference on Computation, Communication, Aesthetics & X; the College Music Society & the Association for Technology in Music Instruction National Conference; the New York City Electronic Music Festival, the SeenSound Series, and the Earth Day Art Model.