Language: English
Duration: 3 sessions of 3 hours each
Level: advanced beginners with experience in computer music; suitable for composers who wish to get introduced to algorithmic composition; basic knowledge of Lisp is desired;

This three day workshop focuses on the computer as a compositional tool independent from its role in digital synthesis. The course provides an introduction to basic principles and procedures in algorithmic composition and covers topics such as data representation and abstraction, random selection (weighted probability, Markov processes, tendency masking, etc.), enveloping, algorithmic editing, pattern generation and scheduling. The workshop will be taught using Common Music, which provides a hardware independent environment that supports a number of synthesis models such as the Music Kit, Common Lisp Music, CSound, and MIDI. To remain as general as possible the workshop will be taught using MIDI output, but composers who wish to work with one or more of the other synthesis possibilities during the workshop are free to do so.