I BRAZILIAN SYMPOSIUM ON COMPUTER MUSIC

1. INTRODUCTION

The I Brazilian Symposium on Computer Music was held on 1994 August 01-05, at the Hotel Gloria, Caxambu MG as part of the XIV Congress of the Brazilian Computer Society. It was realized by the NUCOM - NÚCLEO DE COMPUTACAO E MUSICA, and sponsored by THE UNIVERSIDADE FEDERAL DE MINAS GERAIS (UFMG) and THE BRAZILIAN SOCIETY FOR COMPUTER SCIENCE (SBC). The event was made possible by the financial support of the following institutions: CNPq - Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Tecnologico e Cientifico (National Council for Technology and Science Development), FAPEMIG - Research Funding Foundation of the State of Minas Gerais (Fundacao de Amparo a Pesquida do Estado de Minas Gerais), ROCKEFELLER FOUNDATION, which supported guest researchers and artists from the CCRMA (Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, Stanford University) and the CRCA (Center for Research in Computing and the Arts, University of California San Diego).

By presenting Brazilian production in Computer Music, the symposium striven to promote this emerging area in Brazil, as well as t o stimulate the exchange among researchers and artists dedicated to Computer Music in the country. With a significant participation of prominent international researchers, the event offered a great opportunity for discussion on the latest directions of Computer Music research at main research centers in the world. The symposium aimed also regional integration with Latin America counterparts, by sponsoring guest researchers from LIPM - Laboratorio de Investigacion e Produccion Musical, the pioneer Computer Music lab in Latin America. Furthermore, there was an attempt for a discussion on perspectives for instructional programs on Computer Music at Brazilian Universities.

2. PARTICIPANTS

Considering this was the first event in this area taking place in Brazil, the number of participants was surprising, encompassing more than 100 people, including musicians and researchers.

The Symposium was organized by Mauricio Loureiro (School of Music, Federal University of Minas Gerais - UFMG) helped by two committees:

2.1. PAPERS COMMITTEE:

. Aluizio Arcela (Computer Science Department, University of Brasilia - UnB)

. Eduardo Reck Miranda (Edinburgh University)

. Geber Ramalho (Universite Paris VI)

. Jamary de Oliveira (School of Music, Federal University of Bahia - UFBA)

. Wilson de Padua Filho (Computer Science Department, UFMG)

2.2. CONCERT COMMITTEE:

. Conrado Silva (Music Department, UnB)

. Francisco Kropfl (LIPM, Buenos Aires)

. Mauricio Loureiro (UFMG)

. Robert Willey (CRCA, University of California San Diego)

2.3. GUESTS

Other than Robert Willey (CRCA) and Francisco Kropfl (LIPM), both members of the Concert Committee, the Symposium enjoyed the participation of researchers and artists, which, together with the members of the committee, were active in concerts, paper presentations, conferences and discussion panels:

. Carlos Cerana (LIPM)

. David Jaffe (CCRMA)

. Dexter Morrill (Colgate University/CCRMA)

. Fernando Lezcano (CCRMA)

. Miguel Calzon (LIPM)

. Rodolfo Coelho de Souza (Sao Paulo)

. Stephen Travis Pope (CNMAT - Center for New Music and Audio Technology, University of California Berkeley)

. Xavier Serra (Phonos Foundation, Barcelona/CCRMA)

. GRUPO DE MUSICA CONTEMPORANEA DA UFMG (Contemporary Music Group of the UFMG): Benjamin Coelho (bassoon), Dilson Florêncio (saxophone), Edson Queiroz (violin), Mauricio Freire (flute), Mauricio Loureiro (clarinet), Oilian Lana (conducting/keyboard), Paulo Lacerda (trombone)

3. THE SYMPOSIUM ACTIVITIES

3.1. PAPERS PRESENTATIONS

Delivered from various institutions, the paper presentations were divided into six different categories:

. Systems and Language for Sound Synthesis, Signal Processing and Sound Transformation (10 papers in 2 sessions).

. Music Notation Systems (3 papers in 1 session).

. Systems and Languages for Composition (10 papers in 2 sessions).

. Musical Analysis and Education (3 papers in 1 session)

. Artificial Intelligence, Psychoacoustics and Cognitive Models (4 papers in 1 session).

. Performance, User Interface and Instrument Design (4 papers in 1 session).

3.2. CONFERENCES

3.2.1. OS CAMINHOS DA PESQUISA EM COMPUTAÇÃO & MUSICA NO BRASIL
Aluizio Arcela (UnB)

A description of Arcela’s research efforts from the 70s on. He described the development of his "Time Trees" method of composition. This approach partially owes its originality to the initial isolation from international research centers. Arcela also described the first educational program in Computer Music in Brazil: a Master Program, implemented by him at the Computer Science Department of the University of Brasilia.

3.2.2. THE WELL TEMPERED OBJECT: MUSICAL APPLICATIONS OF OBJECT-ORIENTED SOFTWARE TECHNOLOGY
Stephen Travis Pope (CNMAT)

Pope spoke not only to the participants of the Computer Music symposium, but also to all participants of the XIV Congress of the Brazilian Society for Computer Science, an audience of ca. 1000 people. He gave a general description on how Computer Science has been used in music research and production, focusing on Object-Oriented Software Technology.

3.2.3. COMPUTER MUSIC AT LIPM - FOREGOING MUSIC PRODUCTIONS IN ARGENTINA
Francisco Kropfl, Miguel Calzon and Carlos Cerana (LIPM)

Kropfl traced the history of the development of a pioneer South America Computer Music laboratory. He also described current LIPM’s configuration, comparable to many Computer Music labs in US and Europe and discussed their recent projects.

3.2.4. COMPOSING FOR INTERACTIVE INSTRUMENTS - CONDUCTOR, SOLOIST AND IMPROVISATION PARADIGMS
David Jaffe (CCRMA)

He presented three possible ways of interpreting and performing with interactive instruments. The systems described, included technology developed at the CCRMA, such as the Radio Baton. The discussion raised questions on musical gesture realization through interactive systems in live performance, presenting some solutions demonstrated in video recordings.

3.2.5. CURRENT DIRECTIONS IN DIGITAL SYNTHESIS: PHYSICAL MODELING AND SPECTRAL MODELING

Xavier Serra (CCRMA/Phonos Foundation, Barcelona)

Description of the most recent technology for sound synthesis, currently developed at the CCRMA, used now by the industry in the newest generation of digital synthesizers. The exposition was accompanied by sound examples and which demonstrated the possibilities in music terms of using these techniques as compositional tools.

3.3. CONCERTS

The symposium put together 8 concerts:

. The opening concert was directed to the whole congress and featured traditional music: B minor Suite by J. S. Bach, Clarinet Quintet by Mozart and others.

. Another concert also for the general public featured Brazilian music: Villa-Lobos, Mignoni, Valsas, Choros, Sambas and Baiaos.

. Six concerts in the Computer Music Symposium’s hall, presented the 48 compositions selected from the submissions in two dayly sessions: one every afternoon, where tape only music was played and one at nights, which had also live performance.

The GRUPO DE MUSICA CONTEMPORANEA DA UFMG, formed by 8 faculty members of the School of Music of the UFMG, was in charge of these performances.

3.4. PANEL DISCUSSIONS

There were two panel discussions:

3.4.1. PERSPECTIVES FOR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS IN COMPUTER MUSIC IN BRAZIL
Aluizio Arcela, Fernando Lezcano, Francisco Kropfl, Jamary Oliveira, Mauricio Loureiro, Robert Willey, Xavier Sierra

Different proposals for interdisciplinary educational programs at graduate level on Computer Music were described, with a discussion on the adoption of such programs in Brazilian context. A discussion on the insertion of Computer Music into under graduate Music curricula was also opened. An international instructional program via INTERNET, currently developed by CCRMA and CRCA, was also presented. An outline of the current situation of institutional financial support for educational and research projects within the Music area opened a discussion on funding perspectives for Computer Music projects.

3.4.2. MAIN RESEARCH EFFORTS IN COMPUTER MUSIC
Conrado Silva, David Jaffe, Dexter Morrill, Eduardo Miranda, Rodolfo Coelho de Souza, Stephen Travis Pope

Current lines of Computer Music research were discussed, as well as possible directions in the next future. Some research projects carried out by Brazilians were described, pointing out their historical importance for the development of Computer Music in the country. Joint projects and perspectives for financial support by international foundations were also discussed.

4. CONCLUSION

The I BRAZILIAN SYMPOSIUM FOR COMPUTER MUSIC converge for the first time in this country Computer Music production and resources. Computer Music researchers and artists got together and had the opportunity to share their projects and aspirations. They were able to estimate their potentials, to plant the first seeds for a credibility within and without the country and to foresee a consistent development of Computer Music in Brazil in an institutionalized manner.

Perhaps this was most important result of the Symposium: was the official installation of this new scientific area in the Brazilian academic community. From now on these projects might find a common place at research funding agencies, and no longer be considered as isolated "charming" projects, but rather deserve serious consideration for support.

Computer Music might find easier its way also at the universities. Academic administrators from both Music and Computer Science Departments of Brazilian universities were able to get acquaintance with national and international production on Computer Music and regard it as an emerging field worthy for investment in the next future.