2015


​December 10th @ 8:00pm

Electro-Acoustic Orchestra + Anne Bourne/Rick Sacks/Doug Van Nort

Set 1: York EAO
Set 2: Bourne/Sacks/Van Nort trio
…morphs into
Set 3: EAO + trio improv set

The York Electro-Acoustic Orchestra (dir. Doug Van Nort) is an ensemble comprised of a mixture of acoustic and electronic performers. It is an emergent sonic organism that evolves through collective attention to all facets of sound, and improvisational practice. Based at York University, the YEAO performs a range of pieces by its members, invited guest artists and from the experimental music repertoire. Current members are David Bandi, Christopher Cerpnjak, Carlos De Leon, Peter
Ellman, Rory Hoy, Ian Jarvis, Alexander Laurie, Kieran Maraj, Caleb Martin, Mark Mcgugan and Michael Palumbo.

Array Space
155 Walnut Street, Toronto, ON

TICKETS: $8


December 7th + 8th @ 8:00pm

Electric Messiah

A stripped down, surround-sound, electo-improv Messiah for Today’s Toronto

Is it possible to become re-sensitized to this ubiquitous musical masterpiece by taking it apart and putting it back together again? Stripping Handel’s music back down to its barest essentials, Electric Messiah enables four singers, accompanied by guitar and electronics, to explore a selection of the work’s most popular movements through the lens of their own unique styles and cultural backgrounds.

Staged in the intimate, cabaret-style undergound of Toronto’s iconic Drake Hotel, in collaboration with curator Kyle Brenders, dramaturg Ashlie Corcoran and lighting designer Patrick Lavender, Soundstreams’ Electric Messiah will reconnect you to the music of the holiday season in a way that is surprising, fresh, and above all, FUN.

Featured artists:
Christine Duncan, vocals
Carla Huhtanen, vocals
Gabriel Dharmoo, vocals
Jeremy Dutcher, vocals
John Gzowski, guitar
Doug Van Nort, electronics
Electroacoustic Orchestra of York University

TICKETS: $15 in advance or $20 at the door. Available online soundstreams.ca/electric-messiah


November 19th @ 5:00-7:00pm

Deep Listening Session
Deep Listening is a practice focused on experiencing heightened awareness of sound, silence and sounding through meditation, body-work and collective listening-sounding exercises. This session will be presented by certified instructor Doug Van Nort.


November 17th @ 5pm

Lab Meeting
This week we will hear about the project areas that the lab will focus on for the remainder of the academic year, and the focus areas that will define the Thursday play sessions for the coming weeks/months.


November 12th @ 5:00-6:00pm

Lecture:
DisPerSion Lab visiting scholar Margaret Schedel

“The Data Sensorium: Multimodal Exploration of Scientific Data Sets”

Abstract:
Big data is one of the defining problems of our time: we are immersed in a torrent of information from scientific discoveries, news, social circles, and the devices we carry.  The challenge is to distill all this abstract data into userful conclusions.  The Data Sensorium was launched in 2011 to foster novel kinds of collaborations to yield new insights.  Collaborations are not merely fashionable: they are critical to tackling modern scientific and engineering challenges.  However collaborations are typically thought of in terms of bleeding across conventional discipline boundaries.  While these ‘nearby’ interactions (e.g. between physicists and chemists) are undoubtedly valuable, the Data Sensorium instead explores how seemingly disparate disciplines such as the arts and the sciences can interact to mutual benefit.

Bio:
Margaret Anne Schedel is a composer and cellist specializing in the creation and performance of ferociously interactive media whose works have been performed throughout the United States and abroad. While working towards a DMA in music composition at the University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music, her interactive multimedia opera, A King Listens, premiered at the Cincinnati Contemporary Arts Center and was profiled by apple.com. Her research focuses on gesture in music, the sustainability of technology in art, and sonification of data.In 2010 she co-chaired the International Computer Music Conference, and in 2011 she co-chaired the Electro-Acoustic Music Studies Network Conference. She ran SUNY’s first Coursera Massive Open Online Course (MOOC), an introduction to computational arts. As an Associate Professor of Music at Stony Brook University, she serves as Co-Director of Computer Music and is the Director of cDACT, the consortium for digital art, culture and technology.


November 12th @ 1:30-2:30pm

York Electroacoustic Orchestra in concert

featuring guest composer Margaret Schedel

An emergent sonic organism that evolves through collective attention to all facets of sound, and improvisational practice. Based at York University,  the YEAO (dir. Doug Van Nort) performs a range of pieces by its members, invited guest artists and from the experimental music repertoire. Current members are David Bandi, Christopher Cerpnjak, Carlos De Leon, Peter Ellman, Rory Hoy, Ian Jarvis, Alexander Laurie, Kieran Maraj, Caleb Martin, Mark Mcgugan and Michael Palumbo.

Tribute Communities Recital Hall
Accolade East​ Building
​York University


​November 6th @ 10:00pm – 1:00am

​416 Creative Improvisers Festival

Come hear a solo improvisation by lab director Doug Van Nort (voice, electronics)

lineup:
10pm Hans Tammen
11pm CCMC
12am Doug Van Nort

Tranzac Club
292 Brunswick Ave
Toronto, ON


Play Session: ​November 5th @ 5:00pm

Come in and play.  Audio system is ready for connections, floor is open for movement, if you need projection please contact in advance.

November 4th @ 7:30-9:30pm

Lab members Michael Palumbo and Ian Jarvis perform two solo improvisations (electronics) and then a duo collaboration

Part of Troubleshooting~, an outlet for emerging and established artists in electroacoustic improvisation. The series has featured work with Max/MSP, PD, SuperCollider, cataRT, max for Live, tidal, and diy electonics.

Tranzac Club
292 Brunswick Ave
Toronto, ON


Lab Meeting: ​November 3rd @ 5:00pm

Drop in and say hi / members bring projects for show and tell


October 31st @ 7:00pm

DisPerSion takes AES by storm!

Telematic Concert linking DisPerSion, NYU, Stanford and Argentina
with main audience at NYU’s  Frederick Loewe Theater

Performing in the lab will be lab members Ian Jarvis and Doug Van Nort on electronics, along with Maneli Jamal on guitar.

The event is co-produced by lab member Michael Palumbo.

Part of the 139th convention of the Audio Engineering Society_


October 30th

Readings days, no play session


Lab Meeting: ​October 28 @ 5:00pm

Drop in and say hi / members bring projects for show and tell


October 23rd @ 3:00pm

Presentation on DisPerSion Lab research and cultureMiss the presentation at the lab meeting last Tuesday?Come hear Doug Van Nort speak on”DisPerSion of/and Creativity”Propriomedia Colloquium Series
OCAD, Friday October 23rd, 3-5pm


Play Session: ​October 22nd

This week, interested members are encouraged to take their improvisational spirit to Professor Casey Sokol’s famous Soirees in ACE 235 @ 8:00pm.DisPerSion members will bring electronic music improv to this event – please contact dispersion.relation@gmail.com in order to coordinate and to take part.


Lab Meeting: ​Tuesday October 20th @ 5:00pm

The inaugural meeting was a great success – lab introduction, and even a project idea!​This week will be more informal, likely within an hour, and will focus on hearing about people’s interests relative to the lab theme.


October 15th @ 5:00pm

DisPerSion Lab Inaugural Play SessionWeekly play sessions in a variety of media, drawing heavily on improvisation and experimentation.A time to develop a practice, test ideas, etc.

Come by and play!


October 13th @ 5:00pm

DisPerSion Lab Inaugural Meeting ​Come and find out who/what we are and how you might become involved, now or in the future!Lab Director Doug Van Nort will give a brief 15-30 minute overview of research interests and lab focus.Discussion and meet/greet will follow.(+ every following Tuesday at 5:00pm unless otherwise noted on website/door)


September 22nd @ 2:30pm

Workshop by Artist/Scholar in Residence, Dr. Cornelius Pöpel

“Using Audio Signal-Driven Sound Synthesis”
Abstract:
Following up on the conceptual ideas presented in the talk, this hands-on workshop invites participants to explore the integration of the vibratory potential of physical objects with the transformative potential of a well-composed algorithmic structures.

Seating is limited for the workshop. Please RSVP to secure a place.


September 17th @ 2:30pm

Lecture by Artist/Scholar in Residence, Dr. Cornelius Pöpel

“On openness, formalization and resulting questions in the design of computer-based musical instruments”

Abstract:
This talk gives a brief introduction to my research work in the design of computer-based musical instruments (CMI). The focus will lie on the questions what a CMI built for traditional instrumentalists (e.g. string players) should be open for and what constraints come with the process of formalization necessary to be done when developing CMIs. Based on my conclusions I will present an alternating approach to sound synthesis which I call Audio Signal-Driven Sound Synthesis and I will talk about possibilities how basic aspects of the signal-driven approach can be mapped onto other systems/fields in music and what questions may evolve when doing this. I will then set the frame for a bigger NIME view.