Newsletter no. 40
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Newsletter no. 40
Analysis, Creation, and Teaching of Orchestration Project
July, 2024
Dear ACTORians,
As we approach the summer months, we want to express our gratitude for your continued support of the ACTOR newsletter. It has been a pleasure bringing you the latest updates and insights from our members.
We would like to inform you that we will be taking a brief hiatus during the summer, but feel free to continue submitting your activities via the online form: https://www.actorproject.org/form-newsletter. We will resume our activities in September and we look forward to publishing your latest achievements and upcoming events related to ACTOR.
In the meantime, have a great summer!
Andrés Gutiérrez Martínez
ACTOR Newsletter Editor
TOR Spotlight:
Ulezo: Mapping Acousic Attributes to Timbre Descriptors in Zambian Luvaale Drum Tuning
In this new publication on the Timbre and Orchestration Resource, Jason Winikoff and Lena Heng undertake a case study of a two-step tuning process among Luvale drummers in Zambia, addressing the following questions: How do Luvale musicians tune their drums with heat and tuning paste? How does this tuning process change a drum’s timbre? How do practitioners describe these timbres? And what acoustic properties are encoded in these semantic, descriptive terms?
Winikoff (University of British Columbia) and Heng (University of Prince Edward Island) completed this interdisciplinary project in 2023–2024 with the support of an ACTOR Collaborative Student Grant. Read more
Space as Timbre
The editors of the Timbre and Orchestration Resource are pleased to announce the publication on our website of the research creation project report Space as Timbre.
Click on the link to learn more about the different ways in which ACTOR Student Member composers Pedram Diba, Jonas Regnier, and Anqi Liu approached creatively the implications of timbre in the perception of space making use of the computer-assisted orchestration software Orchidea. The module includes the recording and the scores of the pieces composed in the frame of the project. Read more
Orchestrational narrative in Gustav Holst’s The Planets
In this Dialogue, conductor Gemma New discusses the unique instrumental combinations and timbres that Holst employs to evoke the distinct characteristics of each movement. She delves into the challenges of balancing the various sections of the orchestra, crafting effective phrasing, and interpreting the composer's intentions to create a cohesive and compelling performance. Read more
Photo by Roy Cox Photography
La Virée Classique OSM
14-18 August
The Orchestre Symphonique de Montréal is delighted to present the 11th edition of its Virée classique. This year's program explores the Mediterranean with a marathon of free concerts.
The Virée classique opens with the traditional concert at the Olympic Park’s Esplanade featuring Respighi’s symphonic poem Pini di Roma (Pines of Rome), and closes with Verdi’s Requiem at the Maison symphonique, both under the direction of Rafael Payare. Between these two standout performances, the Orchestra welcomes the ensemble Constantinople and pianist Cédric Tiberghien for an enthralling musical exchange. The lineup also includes the Ensemble Obiora and composer Joseph Tawadros, classical guitar sensation Miloš, and mezzo-soprano Emily Sierra, performing works by Rossini, Bizet, and Ravel. Read more
Project Updates
Orchidea v.0.7
The Orchidea team is thrilled to announce the release of Orchidea Standalone v.0.7 for both MacOS and Windows! This latest version brings a host of new features, updates, and improvements to enhance your audio experience!
Get ready to elevate your audio projects with Orchidea Standalone v.0.7! Download now and explore all the new features and enhancements. Feel free to share your thoughts and feedback with us. We can't wait to see what you create with the new Orchidea!
Thank you to CNMAT at University of California, Berkeley, the Haute école de Musique (HEM), and to the ACTOR Project for the Research Creation Project Funding.
Thank you for your continued support and feedback. Happy creating!
Workshop Y6
ACTOR Y6 Workshop – Zoom Access
The Y6 Workshop is coming up July 15-17. Join us online for wonderful discussions and get updates about workgroups' activities. All the details, including the complete schedule and Zoom access information, are available on our website: ACTOR Y6 Workshop. The event is free and open to all ACTOR members.
Committees
ACTOR 2024 Elections - Results
We are pleased to inform you that the new ACTOR committees have been formed. With an exceptional 1-year mandate, these committees will be responsible for ACTOR’s activities in its seventh and final year. A vote was needed to elect the Student Representative of the Executive Committee. All other members were elected by acclamation.
Your new ACTOR Executive Committee includes:
Stephen McAdams (McGill University), project director and axis 1 leader (ex officio), chair
Bob Hasegawa (McGill University), associate project director and axis 3 leader (ex officio)
Philippe Esling (IRCAM), axis 2 leader (ex officio)
Malte Kob (Detmold University), academic representative (elected)
Jason Noble (Université de Moncton), academic representative (elected)
Felix Baril (OrchPlay), private/cultural sector representative (elected)
Jimmie LeBlanc (Université de Montréal), TMC coordinator (ex officio)
Lena Heng (University of Prince Edward Island), KMC coordinator (ex officio)
Ben Duinker (McGill University), ACTOR post-doc (ex officio)
Yifan Huang (McGill University), student representative (elected)
Andre Oliveira (McGill University), project coordinator (ex-officio), secretary
Your new ACTOR Teaching and Mentoring Committee (TMC) includes:
Jimmie LeBlanc (Université de Montréal), co-chair and coordinator (elected)
Andrés Gutiérrez (McGill University), ACTOR post-doc and co-chair (ex officio)
Lindsey Reymore (Arizona State University), ACTOR member (elected)
Asteris Zacharakis (Aristotle University), ACTOR member (elected)
Rebecca Moranis (CUNY Graduate Center), student representative and co-chair (elected)
Kit Soden (McGill University), ACTOR Webmaster (ex officio)
Your new ACTOR Knowledge Mobilization Committee (KMC) includes:
Lena Heng (University of Prince Edward Island), co-chair and coordinator (elected)
Laurie Radford (University of Calgary), ACTOR member (elected)
Leigh VanHandel (University of British Columbia), ACTOR member (elected)
Simon Jacobsen (University of Oldenburg), student representative and co-chair (elected)
Ben Duinker (McGill University), ACTOR post-doc and co-chair (ex-officio)
Kit Soden (McGill University), ACTOR Webmaster (ex officio)
Call for Orchestration Syllabi
In preparation for the Orchestration Pedagogy Workgroup Session to be held (for the first time!) at the Y6 Workshop, we are organizing a call for contributions and we are asking that members who have taught orchestration in the past kindly share their syllabus with us by sending an email to actor-project.music@mcgill.ca.
Our goal is not only to identify common practices and discuss various approaches to orchestration but more importantly to collect material for the future development of orchestration teaching modules. As you may know, we have recently launched the Teaching Timbre Topics, teaching materials around timbre that are organized in modules and can be used in the design of entire courses or standalone units. We believe that a similar pedagogical resource on orchestration will prove just as useful.
Rest assured that we will not post your syllabus on our website or use any of its content without your approval. Once we get to the preparation of modules, all contributors and authors will be clearly acknowledged.
If you don’t have a syllabus, but you do have assignments, readings, or suggestions that we might include in this resource, please do let us know!
We will be looking forward to hearing from you.
