Portrait: Cort Lippe
Paraptra
Vereco
termites
Music for Snare Drum and Computer (s.d: Giorgos Stavridis)
Music for Flute and ISPW (flute: Myrto Korkokiou)
Paraptra (1991-14’)
Paraptra, for stereo tape, was created at IRCAM, Paris, France, using the program Max, developed by Miller Puckette, whose technical advice made this piece possible, and signal processing and control programs written by the composer and Puckette for the 4X real-time digital signal processor. The digital mix of the final tape version was done at IRCAM, Paris, with the valuable assistance of Xavier Bordelais and Franck Rossi. The material for the tape is made up solely of digitally transformed and processed harp and classical guitar sounds. The sounds were sampled and transformed in a variety of ways including: frequency shifting, spatial panning, harmonizing, random amplitude modulating, time-stretching, and granular sampling using programs written by the composer and Puckette. The piece is divided into four main sections. Tremolo-like sounds at registral extremes combined with sounds containing a high degree of noise modulation define the first section. The second section explores descending and ascending passages. Percussive sounds characterize the third section, and a return to tremolo-like sounds make up the fourth section. The piece is released on the SEAMUS Label, vol. 2.
Vereco (2009-3’)
Vereco is a short (3 minute) piece created at the request of the composer Miquel Azguime, as part of the 25th anniversary celebration of Miso Music of Portugal in 2010. Azguime directs Miso Music, which organizes the Music Viva festival, along with a multitude of other contemporary musical activities in Portugal. The is an exercise in personal musical archeology, is a tribute to the Surrealist technique of cadavre exquis, and was premiered at the Musica Viva Festival, Lisbon, Portugal, 2010.
termites (2006-9’)
The Convolution Brothers (aka Cort Lippe, Miller Puckette, Zack Settel) were recently overjoyed to learn that Pedro Carneiro, an excellent chef who specializes in Marimba, had invited them to a taste test of one of his newest creations. Recently, on a balmy spring day, the Brothers sat down to what proved to be a highly unusual treat. Mr. Carniero’s Marimba, which he serves on a special table resembling an ironing board, is an enormous meal. The meat turns out to be surprisingly tough. Mr. Carniero has made the courageous choice of serving it with little or no additional seasoning (although Convolution Brother One thought it needed ketchup, which he slathered liberally over his portion). The Marimba is eaten with four utensils resembling chopsticks with one enlarged end, which prevents them from sliding down between the hard, dark-brown morsels of Marimba. The Marimba was, nonetheless, difficult to eat. The pieces are rather heavy for picking up with chopsticks, and since they are too large to fit comfortably in the mouth, it is necessary to bite off pieces while still holding the remainder between the sticks. Brother Zero had some trouble chewing his portion, but this was not a problem for Brother One, whose technique was to lick off the ketchup (some of which landed on his shirt; next time perhaps he’ll ask for a napkin). Brother Two could not participate in the tasting. Regrettably, he had a dentist appointment that day. The piece is released on Sirr Records. (Program notes by Miller Smith Puckette)
Music for Snare Drum and Computer (2007-11’)
Music for Snare Drum and Computer was commissioned by the percussionist Pedro Carneiro and premiered by him at the Music Viva Festival in Porto, Portugal. The electronic part was created at the Hiller Computer Music Studios of the University at Buffalo, New York, using the software Max/MSP. Technically, the computer tracks parameters of the snare drum performance and uses this information to continuously influence and manipulate the computer sound output by directly affecting digital synthesis and compositional algorithms in real-time. Thus, while interacting with the computer system, the performer shapes all of the computer output. The intent is to create a certain degree of interactivity between the performer and the computer in which the performer influences the computer output based on aspects of the musical expressivity of his/her interpretation of the score. Much like chamber music playing, in which individual expressivity has a fundamental influence on the entire ensemble; the feedback loop between performer and computer should have a positive influence on the final musical result. The digital synthesis algorithms focus on frequency domain spectral processing of individual FFT channels, and include filtering, delay/feedback, spatialization, timbral snapshots, cross-synthesis, noise reduction/enhancement, and component reordering. The instrument/computer relationship moves on a continuum between the poles of an extended solo and a duo. This piece is dedicated to Convolution Brother #0 and Convolution Brother #2 (aka Miller Puckette and Zack Settel). The piece is recorded on the SEAMUS Label, Volume 20 by Pedro Carneiro.
Music for Flute and ISPW (1994-13’)
Music for Flute and Computer (aka Music for Flute and ISPW) was commissioned by the French flutist François Bru and the French Section of the International Society of Music Educators, realized at IRCAM in Paris, and premiered in Tampa, Florida at the 1994 International Symposium of Music Educators. The piece was composed at IRCAM, using the IRCAM Signal Processing Workstation (ISPW), a real-time digital signal processor, and the software Signal Processing Max, which was developed by Miller Puckette, whose technical advice made this piece possible. The computer tracks parameters of the flute, such as pitch, amplitude, continuous pitch change, rests, articulation, timbre, tempi, etc., and uses this information to continuously control and influence all the electronic sounds via compositional and digital synthesis algorithms. Time-stretching, granular sampling, FFT-based cross-synthesis, and other more standard signal processing such as harmonizing, frequency shifting, phasing, spatialization, etc., are employed. Some of the sounds in the electronic part come directly from the composed flute part, and are transformed by the computer in real time during the piece. Sound material other than the flute part is also manipulated. Thus, in certain cases, the musical and sound materials for the instrumental and electronic parts are one and the same, while at other times the parts differ. This instrument/machine relationship moves constantly on a continuum between the poles of an extended solo and a duo. Such that, the computer part is sometimes not separate from the flute part, but serves rather to amplify the flute in multiple dimensions and directions; while at the other extreme of the continuum, the computer part has its own independent musical voice. This piece is influenced by and dedicated to the people and the extraordinary musical cultures of Burundi and Rwanda, which I hope will survive present conflicts. The piece is recorded on the EMF Label by Elizabeth McNutt, and the Classico Label (Denmark) by Lars Graugaard.
Cort Lippe – University of Buffalo, Director of the Lejaren Hiller Computer Music Studios
Cort Lippe studied Renaissance music in Italy for a year, composition and computer music with Larry Austin in the USA, and followed composition and analysis seminars with various composers including Boulez, Donatoni, K. Huber, Messiaen, Penderecki, Stockhausen, and Xenakis. From 1980-83 he studied and did research in The Netherlands, at the Instituut voor Sonologie with G.M. Koenig and Paul Berg in the fields of computer and formalized music. From 1983-1994 he lived in France where he worked for three years at the Centre d’Etudes de Mathematique et Automatique Musicales (CEMAMu), founded by Iannis Xenakis, while following Xenakis’ courses on acoustics and formalized music at the University of Paris. Subsequently, he worked for nine years at the Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM), founded by Pierre Boulez, where he gave courses on new technology in composition, developed real-time computer music applications, and was part of the original development team for the software Max. His research includes more than 35 peer-reviewed publications on interactive music, granular sampling, score following, spectral processing, FFT-based spatial distribution/delay, acoustic instrument parameter mapping, and instrument design.
Lippe’s compositions have received numerous international prizes, including first prizes from the Irino Competition (Japan), the Bourges Electroacoustic Music Competition (France), El Callejon Del Ruido Competition (Mexico), USA League-ISCM Competition (USA), and the Leonie Rothschild Competition (USA); second prize from the Music Today Competition (Japan); third prize from the Newcomp Competition (USA); and honorable mentions from the Prix Ars Electronica 1993 and 1995 (Austria), the Kennedy Center Friedheim Awards (USA), the Sonavera International Competition (USA), the Bourges Electroacoustic Music Competition, and the Luigi Russolo Competition (Italy). Commissions include the International Computer Music Association, the Sonic Arts Research Center (UK), the Festival El Callejon del Ruido (Mexico), the Dutch Ministry of Culture, the Zentrum für Kunst und Medientechnologie (Germany), and the E-MEX Ensemble (Germany). He has written for many internationally acclaimed soloists, including bassist Robert Black, percussionists Pedro Carneiro, Patti Cudd, and Kenyon Williams, tubists Mel Culberton and Melvyn Poore, saxophonist Steven Duke, clarinetist Esther Lamneck, sho player Mayumi Miyata, harpist Masumi Nagasawa, pianist Yoshiko Shibuya, and bass clarinetist Harry Sparnaay. Since 1993 Lippe has collaborated with the composers/researchers Miller Puckette and Zack Settel, performing as the Convolution Brothers at festivals worldwide. His music has been performed at more than 100 peer-reviewed and 150 invited festivals and conferences, including the International Computer Music Conference, ISCM World Music Days, Gaudeamus (The Netherlands), the Music Today Festival (Tokyo), the Bourges Synthese Festival (France), the Huddersfield Festival (UK), the NOW Festival (Germany), and SARC’s Sonorities Festival (UK). His compositions are recorded on more than 30 CDs, including ADDA, ALM, Apollon, Big Orbit, CBS-Sony, CDCM, CDE Music, Centaur, Classico, CMJ Recordings, EMF, Hungaroton Classic, Harmonia Mundi, ICMC2000/2003, IKG Editions, Innova, MIT Press, Neuma, Salabert, SEAMUS, Sirr, SMC07 and Wergo.
As a teacher, Lippe has given over 100 presentations and guest lectures around the world, and has been a visiting professor at the Sonology Department of Kunitachi College of Music, Tokyo (1992, 1999-2007, and 2010-present), the Carl Nielsen Conservatory of Music, Odense, Denmark (1999-2001), New York University (2007), and as recipient of a Fulbright Award in 2009, he spent six months teaching and doing research at the National and Kapodistiran University of Athens, Greece. Since 1994 he has taught in the Department of Music of the University at Buffalo, New York where he is an associate professor of composition and director of the Lejaren Hiller Computer Music Studios.
Yorgos Stavridis is active as composer and performer in multiple art forms, including electroacoustic music, improvisation, sound and installation art. He employs percussion instruments to research new sounds and explore techniques and expressions connected with technology and other art forms. Approaching musical texture and timbre as the main element for interpreting and making music, Yorgos emphasises improvisation as a source of musical expression, responding through immediate action and playfulness to the temporality and site specificity of sound and music. He studied Instrumental and Electroacoustic composition at the Ionian University and classical percussion at Athens Conservatoire. He is a member of Ke.Di.Mou.Ra, a collective consisting of musicians engaging in composition, sound art and improvisation. Yorgos is based in Athens but works across borders.
Myrto Korkokiou has a BA in Music (Ionian University) and a Mmus in Performance (LCMM –London). She collaborated with Apostolos Loufopoulos in composing pieces for flute and electronic means. Their pieces have been awarded in electroacoustic composition competition such as Franco Evangelisti, 32 Bourges International Competition, Μusic Nova 2004, 2006, 2014, Dimitri Dragataki 2007-2008) and they have been published by Forton Music: www.fortonmusic.co.uk/. She has participated in festivals of electronic and modern music in Greece and abroad such as: Electroacoustic Days in Corfu, Rethimno, Lixouri, Athens Megaron of Music, Philippos Nakas Hall, Aboutt, Beton7, Onassis Cultural Centre, Salford Sonic Fusion Festival (Manchester), 8th Convention of British Flute Society in RNCM (Manchester, 2012), 41st Annual National Flute Association Convention (New Orleans, 2013), 40th international Computer Music Conference (ICMC/SMS 2014), 43rd Annual National Flute Association Convention (Washington D.C). At the moment she performs music for flute and electronics in Greece and abroad as a freelancer performer. She also works with people with disabilities in Mousikokinitiko Ergastirio in Agia Paraskevi (Athens).