La rage for drummer and electronics

Abstract

Details:
La rage is a composition for free-jazz drummer, real-time processing and eight-channel tape. The work was Finalist at the
Bourges International Electroacoustic Music Competition 2006, and the second Montréal performance won the Opus Prize in
the category Concert de l’année – musique actuelle et électroacoustique. The work has received six performances, including
BEAST, Birmingham; Akousma Festival, Montreal; GEM Days, Huddersfield; ICMC 2006, New Orleans; ICA, London.

Portfolio:
1) ‘Pragmatic consideration in mixed music: a case study of La rage’, in the proceedings of the International Computer Music
Conference, New Orleans, 2006, pp.527–30; ISBN: 0-9713192-4-3.
2) Software development of butt~ and ipoke~, original Max/MSP externals written specifically for La rage
(www.no-tv.org/MaxMSP)on DVD-R.
3)Programmes associated.

Context:
The work explores the intersection of instrumental and electronic music by continually questioning the listener’s perception of
the integration and differentiation between the acoustic drum-kit and the implied and physical space of electronic sound
projected over an eight-channel speaker setup. The work investigates the dichotomy between improvisation and composition
through the inclusion of a broad spectrum of notational types, from conventional staff notation to open text-based notation
commenting on fixed tape part. The work also questions the listener’s perception of real-time and studio-based electronics, and
notions of popular and concert music, through the use of an instrument more commonly associated with free jazz and techno
aesthetics. Further research questions addressed in this work can be found in the composer’s PhD thesis (Birmingham, 2005).
Some general pragmatic concerns in mixed music have been presented in conferences at the Université de Montréal (Canada),
at the ICMC 2006, and at the New York University Music Department.