IRCAM (French: ''Ircam, '', English: Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music) is a French institute dedicated to the research of music and sound, especially in the fields of

avant garde The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or 'vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical De ...

and electro-acoustical art music. It is situated next to, and is organisationally linked with, the Centre Pompidou in Paris. The extension of the building was designed by Renzo Piano and

Richard Rogers Richard George Rogers, Baron Rogers of Riverside (23 July 1933 – 18 December 2021) was a British architect noted for his modernist and Functionalism (architecture), functionalist designs in high-tech architecture. He was a senior partner a ...

. Much of the institute is located underground, beneath the fountain to the east of the buildings.

A centre for musical research

Several concepts for electronic music and audio processing have emerged at IRCAM. John Chowning pioneered work on FM synthesis at IRCAM, and Miller Puckette originally wrote

Max Max or MAX may refer to: Animals * Max (dog) (1983–2013), at one time purported to be the world's oldest living dog * Max (English Springer Spaniel), the first pet dog to win the PDSA Order of Merit (animal equivalent of OBE) * Max (gorilla) ...

at IRCAM in the mid-1980s, which would become the real-time audio processing graphical programming environment Max/MSP. Max/MSP has subsequently become a widely used tool in electroacoustic music. Many of the techniques associated with

spectralism Spectral music uses the acoustic properties of sound – or sound spectra – as a basis for composition. Definition Defined in technical language, spectral music is an acoustic musical practice where compositional decisions are often informe ...

, such as analyses based on

fast Fourier transform A fast Fourier transform (FFT) is an algorithm that computes the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) of a sequence, or its inverse (IDFT). Fourier analysis converts a signal from its original domain (often time or space) to a representation in th ...

s, were made practical by technological contributions at IRCAM. For instance, researchers at IRCAM have developed a special microphone capable of isolating each of the cello's four strings for separate amplification or electronic treatment. Along with tools for sound synthesis and analysis, IRCAM has played an instrumental role in developing programs for visualization of musical form with the creation of OpenMusic, a Lisp-based visual programming language. IRCAM provides classes to train composers in music technology. Composers who do not have programming experience to create the technology end of a piece for ensemble and electronics are provided with an assistant who helps them to realise technically intensive parts of the piece. The assistant will follow the conceptual advice of a composer with no technology experience to realize a computer part, or will help a composer who can program in Max/MSP to make their "patch" more efficient and elegant. Tristan Murail's ''

Désintégrations ''Désintégrations'', for 17 musical instruments and computer generated tape (1982–83) is a musical composition of spectral music by Tristan Murail, commissioned for IRCAM, Paris. The piece is more discontinuous than Murail's earlier compositi ...

'' is an example of a piece realized in this program by a composer with significant technological skill, whereas Harrison Birtwistle's '' The Mask of Orpheus'' required an active and creative role for the technology assistants, such as Barry Anderson and Ian Dearden.

A cultural centre for musical modernism

Apart from electroacoustic programmes, IRCAM has programmes in contemporary classical music. It has disseminated music of post World War II modernist musicians such as that of Luciano Berio or

Pierre Boulez Pierre Louis Joseph Boulez (; 26 March 1925 – 5 January 2016) was a French composer, conductor and writer, and the founder of several musical institutions. He was one of the dominant figures of post-war Western classical music. Born in Mont ...

, as well as younger performers and composers. Musical spectralism such as that of Tristan Murail, has also received support from IRCAM. Murail taught at IRCAM for a time. Kaija Saariaho, whose work has been influenced by spectralism, has also been supported by IRCAM. IRCAM has also helped to develop various performance models. A resident ensemble of IRCAM, Ensemble InterContemporain, specialised in contemporary classical music, where each performer could be called upon to perform solo literature or ensemble literature. The Ensemble InterContemporain has been a model for many large ensembles in Europe, for example the Ensemble Modern and Klangforum Wien. Many classical contemporary pieces have been written for the

chamber orchestra Chamber music is a form of classical music that is composed for a small group of instruments—traditionally a group that could fit in a palace chamber or a large room. Most broadly, it includes any art music that is performed by a small numbe ...

section of Ensemble InterContemporain. There are regular concerts at IRCAM.

History

In 1970 President Georges Pompidou asked Pierre Boulez to found an institution for research in music. In 1973 the section of the building underneath was finished, and IRCAM opened in 1977. From the outset, Boulez was in charge of the institute. The initial administrators included Luciano Berio,

Vinko Globokar Vinko Globokar (born 7 July 1934) is a French-Slovenian avant-garde composer and trombonist. Globokar's music uses unconventional and extended techniques, places great emphasis on spontaneity and creativity, and often relies on improvisation. Hi ...

, Jean-Claude Risset, and

Max Mathews Max Vernon Mathews (November 13, 1926 in Columbus, Nebraska, USA – April 21, 2011 in San Francisco, CA, USA) was a pioneer of computer music. Biography Mathews studied electrical engineering at the California Institute of Technology and the Ma ...

. 1990 Ircam established the Cursus Program for young Composers, a training in Computer Music and Composition. In 1992 Boulez, who then became honorary director, was succeeded by . In 2002 the

philosopher A philosopher is a person who practices or investigates philosophy. The term ''philosopher'' comes from the grc, φιλόσοφος, , translit=philosophos, meaning 'lover of wisdom'. The coining of the term has been attributed to the Greek th ...

Bernard Stiegler became the new head of the institute. On January 1, 2006, Stiegler became Director of Cultural Development at the Centre Pompidou and was replaced by . The creation of IRCAM coincided with the rise of the debates about modernism and

postmodernism Postmodernism is an intellectual stance or Rhetorical modes, mode of discourseNuyen, A.T., 1992. The Role of Rhetorical Devices in Postmodernist Discourse. Philosophy & Rhetoric, pp.183–194. characterized by philosophical skepticism, skepticis ...

in culture and the arts. Its multimedia library was established in 1996. It is one of the first music hybrid libraries to have been created with close to 1000 hours of recorded music and over 2,000 scientific articles available online, in addition to its physical collections of

sheet music Sheet music is a handwritten or printed form of musical notation that uses List of musical symbols, musical symbols to indicate the pitches, rhythms, or chord (music), chords of a song or instrumental Musical composition, musical piece. Like ...

and books on music and related domains. Several international conferences have been held at IRCAM: * ICMC, the yearly

International Computer Music Conference The International Computer Music Conference (ICMC) is a yearly international conference for computer music researchers and composers. It is the annual conference of the International Computer Music Association (ICMA). History In 1986, the Inst ...

, in 1984 * ISMIR 2002, the 3rd international conference on music information retrieval, in October 2002 * NIME-06, the 6th International Conference on

New Interfaces for Musical Expression New Interfaces for Musical Expression, also known as NIME, is an international conference dedicated to scientific research on the development of new technologies and their role in musical expression and artistic performance. History The confer ...

, in June 2006 * Acanthes, a yearly summer festival and series of composition workshops started in 2012

Research and development teams

* Instrumental acoustics * Room acoustics * Music therapy * Musical perception and

cognition Cognition refers to "the mental action or process of acquiring knowledge and understanding through thought, experience, and the senses". It encompasses all aspects of intellectual functions and processes such as: perception, attention, thought, ...

* Analysis/

synthesis Synthesis or synthesize may refer to: Science Chemistry and biochemistry *Chemical synthesis, the execution of chemical reactions to form a more complex molecule from chemical precursors ** Organic synthesis, the chemical synthesis of organ ...

* Music representations * Free software and software engineering * Sound design * Online services

Software developed at IRCAM

Some software is being developed at IRCAM, such as OpenMusic, AudioSculpt, OMax, Spat, Modalys,

Antescofo Antescofo is a program developed by Arshia Cont in 2007 at ''IRCAM'' in collaboration with composer Marco Stroppa to aid with the synchronization of electronics in live performances. It is a modular polyphonic Score following, Score Following syst ...

and

Orchidée Orchidée is software developed by IRCAM as a computer-aided orchestration tool. It is a MATLAB-based application that communicates with traditional computer-aided composition environments through Open Sound Control messages. This means that it c ...

. Orchidée is developed as a tool to aid in orchestral composition in which musical scores using traditional instruments are generated by imitating a target input sound. It is used in Jonathan Harvey's 2008 piece, "Speakings", a composition based on emulating speech patterns and inflections. Orchidée is capable of computing the complex combinatorial possibilities of an orchestra based on ''musical attributes'' such as dynamics and instruments, ''perceptual attributes'' such as brightness, and ''timbre models''. IRCAM software is distributed via a subscription-based Forum. As of 2011, IRCAM Forum has 534 members including individual artists and art institutions around the world. IRCAM Forum members gather yearly at IRCAM for workshops regarding new technologies developed at IRCAM and elsewhere. There are also partnerships with companies such as Cycling 74 ( Max/MSP) and Flux:: (IRCAM Tools) for the development of proprietary software.

Notable works composed at IRCAM

* Hanspeter Kyburz: ''ΟΥΤΙΣ'', music theatre for ensemble and electronics (2000–12) * Georges Aperghis: ''Machinations'', musical spectacle for four women and computer (2000) *

Clarence Barlow Clarence Barlow (also Klarenz, born 27 December 1945) is a composer of classical and electroacoustic works. Career Barlow was one of the founders of Initiative Musik und Informatik Köln. In 1988 he was the director of music at the Internatio ...

: ''Çogluotobüsisletmesi'', versions for piano (1978), magnetic tape (1980), and piano with tape (1980) * George Benjamin: ''Antara'' for ensemble and electronics (1986–87) * Luciano Berio: ''Chemins ex V'', for clarinet and 4C computer (1980) * Luciano Berio: ''Orpheo II'', opera for voice, orchestras, and tapes (1984) * Luciano Berio: ''La Voix des voies'', spectacle-exposition for tape and diaporama (1977) * Harrison Birtwistle: '' The Mask of Orpheus'' (1986) *

: ''

Anthèmes ''Anthèmes'' are two related compositions for violin by French composer Pierre Boulez: ''Anthèmes I'' and ''Anthèmes II''. ''Anthèmes I'' is a short piece (c. 9 minutes) for solo violin, commissioned by the 1991 Yehudi Menuhin Violin Competit ...

II'', for violin and electronics (1997) * Pierre Boulez: '' Dialogue de l'ombre double'', for clarinet and tape (1985); version for bassoon and electronics (1995) * Pierre Boulez: '' ...explosante-fixe...'', version for two flutes, MIDI-flute, electronics, and orchestra (1993) * Pierre Boulez: ''Répons'', for six soloists, chamber ensemble, electronic sounds, and live electronics (1981–84) *

John Cage John Milton Cage Jr. (September 5, 1912 – August 12, 1992) was an American composer and music theorist. A pioneer of indeterminacy in music, electroacoustic music, and non-standard use of musical instruments, Cage was one of the leading fi ...

: ''Roaratorio'', an Irish Circus on '' Finnegans Wake'' (1980) * Unsuk Chin: ''Double Bind?'' for violin and electronics (2006) * John Chowning: ''Stria'', for magnetic tape (1977) *

Chaya Czernowin Chaya Czernowin (Hebrew: חיה צ'רנובין, ; born December 7, 1957) is an Israeli American composer, and Walter Bigelow Rosen Professor of Music at Harvard University. She is the lead composer at the Schloß Solitude Sommerakademie, a biannu ...

: "Hidden", for string quartet and electronics (2014) * Edison Denisov: ''Sur la Nappe d'un étang glacé'', for nine instruments and tape (1991) *

Luis de Pablo Luis de Pablo Costales (28 January 1930 – 10 October 2021) was a Spanish composer belonging to the generation that Cristóbal Halffter named ''the Generación del 51''. Mostly self-taught as a composer and influenced by Maurice Ohana and Max ...

: ''Tornasol'' (1980–81) *

Michel Decoust Michel Decoust (born Paris, 19 November 1936) is a French composer and conductor. Decoust studied from 1956 to 1965 with Jean Rivier and Darius Milhaud at the Paris Conservatoire, as well as at the Cologne Courses for New Music in 1964–65, w ...

: ''Interphone'', for soprano and tape (1977) * Jacob Druckman: ''Animus IV'' (1977) *

Pascal Dusapin Pascal Georges Dusapin (born 29 May 1955) is a French composer. His music is marked by its microtonality, tension, and energy. A pupil of Iannis Xenakis and Franco Donatoni and an admirer of Varèse, Dusapin studied at the University of Paris I ...

: ''To Be Sung'', chamber opera in 43 numbers (1992–93) *

Karlheinz Essl Karlheinz Essl (born 15 August 1960) is an Austrian composer, performer, sound artist, improviser, and composition teacher. Biography Essl was born in Vienna. His studies at the University of Music in Vienna included: composition (under Friedri ...

: ''Entsagung'' (1993) for ensemble and electronics *

Lorenzo Ferrero Lorenzo Ferrero (; born 1951) is an Italian composer, librettist, author, and book editor. He started composing at an early age and has written over a hundred compositions thus far, including twelve operas, three ballets, and numerous orchestral ...

: ''Ombres'' (1984) for ensemble and live electronics * Luca Francesconi: ''Etymo'' (1994) * Rolf Gehlhaar: ''Pas à pas'', for tape and

spatialization Spatialization (or spatialisation) is the spatial forms that social activities and material things, phenomena or processes take on in geography, sociology, urban planning and cultural studies. Generally the term refers to an overall sense of soc ...

equipment (1981) * Gérard Grisey: ''Les Chants de l'Amour'', for twelve mixed voices and magnétic tape (1982–84) *

Georg Friedrich Haas Georg Friedrich Haas (born 16 August 1953 in Graz, Austria) is an Austrian composer. In a 2017 ''Classic Voice'' poll of the greatest works of art music since 2000, pieces by Haas received the most votes (49), and his composition ''in vain'' (20 ...

: ''Les temps tiraillés'', for 2 violins, bassoon, and electronics (2008) * Jonathan Harvey: ''Advaya'', for cello and electronics (1994) * Jonathan Harvey: ''Bhakti'' (1982) * Jonathan Harvey: ''

Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco ''Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco'' ("I Mourn the Dead, I Call the Living") for eight-track tape is a musical composition created in 1980 by Jonathan Harvey, with the assistance of Stanley Haynes and Xavier Rodet, commissioned by the Centre Geor ...

'', for concrete sounds treated by computer (1980) * Jonathan Harvey: ''Ritual Melodies'', for magnetic tape (1990) * Jonathan Harvey: String Quartet No. 4 with live electronics (2003) * Jonathan Harvey: ''Speakings'', for orchestra and live electronics (2008) *

York Höller York Höller (; born 11 January 1944) is a German composer and professor of composition at the Hochschule für Musik Köln. Biography Höller was born in Leverkusen. Between 1963 and 1970 he studied at the Cologne Musikhochschule: composition with ...

: ''Antiphon'', for string quartet and tape (1977) * York Höller: ''Arcus'' (1978) * York Höller: '' The Master and Margarita'', opera in two acts after the novel by

Mikhail Bulgakov Mikhail Afanasyevich Bulgakov ( rus, links=no, Михаил Афанасьевич Булгаков, p=mʲɪxɐˈil ɐfɐˈnasʲjɪvʲɪtɕ bʊlˈɡakəf; – 10 March 1940) was a Soviet writer, medical doctor, and playwright active in the fir ...

(1989) * York Höller: ''Résonance'' (1982) * Jean-Michel Jarre: ''

Oxygène ''Oxygène'' (, en, Oxygen) is the third studio album by French electronic musician and composer Jean-Michel Jarre. It was first released in France in December 1976 by Disques Motors, and distributed internationally in 1977 by Polydor Records. J ...

'' (1976) *

Panayiotis Kokoras Panayiotis Kokoras ( el, Παναγιώτης Κόκορας; born 1974, Ptolemaida) is a Greek composer and computer music innovator. Kokoras's sound compositions use timbre as the main element of form. His concept of "holophony" describes his ...

: ''Morphallaxis'' (2008) for ensemble and electronics *

Barbara Kolb Barbara Kolb (born February 10, 1939) is an American composer. Her music uses sound masses and often creates vertical structures through simultaneous rhythmic or melodic units ( motifs or figures). Kolb's musical style can be identified by her use ...

: ''Millefoglie'' (1985) *

Philippe Leroux Philippe Leroux (born 24 September 1959) is a French composer living in Montreal, Quebec, who has been identified as "one of the most important composers in contemporary music." Biography Leroux was born in Boulogne-Billancourt. He studied compo ...

: ''M'' for ensemble and electronics *

Michaël Lévinas Michaël Lévinas (born 18 April 1949) is a French composer and pianist. Biography Born in Paris, Levinas was a student of Olivier Messiaen at the Conservatoire de Paris. As an interpreter he made several recordings, mostly for Adès. Amongst th ...

: ''Rebonds'' (1993) *

Magnus Lindberg Magnus Gustaf Adolf Lindberg (born 27 June 1958) is a Finnish composer and pianist. He was the New York Philharmonic's composer-in-residence from 2009 to 2012 and has been the London Philharmonic Orchestra's composer-in-residence since the begin ...

: ''Joy'' for orchestra and electronics * Magnus Lindberg: ''Related Rocks'' for two pianos, two percussionists, and electronics (1997) * Magnus Lindberg: ''Ur'' (1986) * Luca Lombardi: ''Hasta que caigan las puertas del odio'', for choir (1977) * Tod Machover: ''Soft Morning, City!'', for soprano, contrabass and tape (1980) * Tod Machover: '' VALIS'', opera for six voices, 4X computer, and images (1986–87/1988) *

Mesías Maiguashca Mesías Maiguashca (born 24 December 1938) is an Ecuadorian composer and an advocate of '' Neue Musik'' (New Music), especially electroacoustic music. Biography Born in Quito, Maiguashca studied music at the Conservatorio Nacional de Quito, at t ...

: ''Fmélodies'', for ensemble and tape (1982) * Philippe Manoury: ''Jupiter'' for flute and live electronics * Philippe Manoury: ''Pluton'' for piano and live electronics * Philippe Manoury: ''En Echo'' for soprano voice and live electronics * : ''Sul Segno'', for harp, guitar, cymbalon, contrabass and electronic equipment (2004) * Tristan Murail: ''L'Esprit des dunes'', for chamber ensemble (1993–1994) *

Emmanuel Nunes Emmanuel Nunes (31 August 1941 – 2 September 2012) was a Portuguese composer who lived and worked in Paris from 1964. Biography Nunes was born in Lisbon, where he studied composition, first from 1959 to 1963 at the Academia de Amadores de Mús ...

: ''Lichtung I'' (1988/1991) * Emmanuel Nunes: ''Lichtung II'', for chamber ensemble and electronics (1996) *

Michael Obst Michael Obst may refer to: * Michael Obst (rower) * Michael Obst (composer) Michael Obst (born 30 November 1955) is a German composer and pianist. Life Obst was born in Frankfurt am Main. He studied music education from 1973 to 1978 in Main ...

: ''Kristallwelt'', for Ensemble and Electronics (1983) *

Robert H.P. Platz Robert Hugo Philip Platz (born 16 August 1951) is a German classical composer. Born in Baden-Baden, Platz studied music theory and composition (with Wolfgang Fortner), musicology (with Elmar Budde) and piano in Freiburg im Breisgau, Germany, betw ...

: ''Pièce noire'', for thirteen musicians and tape (1990) *

Henri Pousseur Henri Léon Marie-Thérèse Pousseur (23 June 1929 – 6 March 2009) was a Belgian classical composer, teacher, and music theorist. Biography Pousseur was born in Malmedy and studied at the Academies of Music in Liège and in Brussels from 1947 to ...

: ''Liège à Paris'' (1977) * Horațiu Rădulescu: ''Incandescent Serene'', for contrabass and tape (1982) *

Roger Reynolds Roger Lee Reynolds (born July 18, 1934) is a Pulitzer prize-winning American composer. He is known for his capacity to integrate diverse ideas and resources, and for the seamless blending of traditional musical sounds with those newly enabled by t ...

: ''The Angel of Death'', for solo piano, chamber orchestra, and six-channel computer-processed sound (2001) * Roger Reynolds: ''Archipelago'', for orchestra and magnetic tape (1983) * Terry Riley: ''Salome Dances for Peace'', for string quartet (1986) * Jean-Claude Risset: ''Inharmonique'', for soprano and tape (1977) * Jean-Claude Risset: ''Mirages'', for six musicians and tape (1978) * Jean-Claude Risset: ''Songes'' (1979) *

Manuel Rocha Iturbide Manuel Rocha Iturbide (born 1963 in Mexico City) is a Mexican composer and sound artist. Biography Manuel Rocha Iturbide was born in 1963 in Mexico City. He started his musical studies when he was 13 years old. In 1983, after studying musical ped ...

: ''Transiciones de Fase'', for brass quartet and electronics (1994) *

Frederic Rzewski Frederic Anthony Rzewski ( ; April 13, 1938 – June 26, 2021) was an American composer and pianist, considered to be one of the most important American composer-pianists of his time. His major compositions, which often incorporate social an ...

: ''Instrumental Studies'' (1977) * Kaija Saariaho: ''Lonh'', for soprano and electronics (1995–96) * Kaija Saariaho: ''NoaNoa'', for flute and electronics (1992) * Karlheinz Stockhausen: '' Kathinkas Gesang als Luzifers Requiem'', version for flute and 6-channel tape (1985) * Marco Stroppa: ''In cielo, in terra, in mare'', radiophonic opera on texts by Adolfo Moriconi (1992) *

Jukka Tiensuu Jukka Santeri Tiensuu (born 30 August 1948) is a Finnish contemporary classical composer, harpsichordist, pianist and conductor. Career Tiensuu was born in Helsinki. After extensive musical studies (piano, harpsichord, conducting, composing, histor ...

: ''Nemo'' for ensemble (1992) *

Alejandro Viñao Alejandro Viñao (born 4 September 1951) is an Argentinian composer currently living in the United Kingdom. Life and career Viñao studied musical composition in Buenos Aires with the composer Jacobo Ficher. In 1976 he was awarded a British Counc ...

: ''Epitafios'', for mixed choir and electronics (1999) *

David Wessel David Meyer Wessel (born February 21, 1954) is an American journalist and writer. He has shared two Pulitzer Prizes for journalism. He is director of the Hutchins Center on Fiscal & Monetary Policy at the Brookings Institution and a contributing ...

: ''Antony'' (1977) * David Wessel: ''Contacts Turbulents'', for saxophone and electronics (1986) *

Trevor Wishart Trevor Wishart (born 11 October 1946) is an English composer, based in York. Wishart has contributed to composing with digital audio media, both fixed and interactive. He has also written extensively on the topic of what he terms " sonic art", a ...

: ''VOX-5'', an electroacoustic piece based around extended vocal techniques (1986) * James Wood: ''Mountain Language'', for alphorn, cow bells, MIDI keyboard and electronics (1998) * Iannis Xenakis: ''Psappha'', electronic version (1976/1996) *

Frank Zappa Frank Vincent Zappa (December 21, 1940 – December 4, 1993) was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by wikt:nonconformity, nonconformity, Free improvisation, free-form improvisation, sound experimen ...

: ''Perfect Stranger'' (1984) *

Hans Zender Johannes Wolfgang Zender (22 November 1936 – 22 October 2019) was a German conductor and composer. He was the chief conductor of several opera houses, and his compositions, many of them vocal music, have been performed at international festival ...

: ''Lo Shu III'', for flute and twenty-four instrumentalists (1979)

Affiliations

IRCAM is part of a consortium with Stanford's Center for Computer Research and Acoustics (CCRMA) and the

Center for New Music and Audio Technologies The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant uni ...

(CNMAT) in Berkeley, California.

References

Sources * * *

External links

*
(B.R.A.H.M.S.)
elational database of articles on music of the 20th century(in French) {{Authority control Research institutes in France Experimental music Electronic music organizations Contemporary music organizations Organizations established in 1970 Renzo Piano buildings Pierre Boulez Music organizations based in France