ï~~The Theremin Center for Electro-Acoustic Music
Andre Smirnov
Director
Moscow Conservatory, 13 Hertsen Str., Moscow 103871, Russia
Phone: (095) 229-3803, Fax: (095) 292-6511 TCEAM Box 18425
E-mail:
[email protected]
1. Forwords
Rapid development of electronic technologies and
their aplications in art gave to the artists new technical
tools and changed their world outlook. At the same time
in former Soviet Union Electro-Acoustic Music became
undesired daughter of the former Soviet cultural
establishment as well as many others experimental
innovative directions in contemporary art. Till nowadays
new technological instrumentation and created with its
help new artistic environments were unknown in our
country. In many respects musical education in former
Soviet Union was strong and deep, but very conservative
and traditionally there was a strong and rigid opinion
what is wright and what is wrong, what artists have to
do and what is strictly prohibited. Only now our old
professors of music awaked and found, that our pluralistic
post-modern world much more diverse.
Since the use of technologies are as yet not taught
in state music schools, conservatories and universities in
Russia, the development of new media arts came to a
contradiction with the lack of special knowledge and
global contemporary outlook in the local artistic
community. Dissociation of representatives of different
professions was the reason, that all achievements in
electro-acoustic music, interactive arts, computer
animation, virtual reality, video- and TV technologies
are unknown to the artists. Meanwhile Russia with her
traditions, huge artistic potential and constant inclination
for innovation could not be indifferent to revolutionary
cultural transformations. In Russian underground many
individuals were working without any governmental
support creating music, developing unique equipment,
conducting research. Most of these efforts never came
to public attention, but created the basis for the future
cultural revival.
2. The Theremin Center
The Theremin Center for Electro-Acoustic Music
was founded in 1992 by the group of composers and
specialists in computer music as a new, democratically
constituted private institute, independent fromthe former
cultural bureaucratic institutions, opened to all
composers, musicians and scientists-of all nationalities,
regardless of their political affiliation. It was named for
Leon Theremin - Russian inventor of one of the first
widely used electronic musical instruments.
Creating the Theremin Center we made an attempt
to solve most of the above mentioned problems. We
involved in ourproject really enthusiastic people, having
the experience of underground work in the field of
electro-acoustic music and excellent professional skills.
At present the Theremin Center is the first institution
in Russia providing training through courses and tutorials
in Electro-Acoustic Music.
The interest of the Theremin Center falls between
the art and science. The Theremin Center does not give
priority to any particular aesthetic or genre, having the
particularinterest in responsibility towards other artistic
fields such as the visual arts, dance, theatre, video and
film, conducting various educational and research
programs, producing concerts and festivals, making
conferences and workshops.
The Theremin Center is intended to operate on a
non-profit basis. Revenues earned from courses offered
are used to pay modest administrative and technical
support staff As the most of new non-profit cultural
organizations in Russia, the Theremin Center has no
governmental funding. At present all services are being
donated by the founders of the Theremin Center as is
most ofthe equipment. The Moscow State Conservatory
has provided spacefor the Theremin Center. It is housed
in the Sound Recording and Musical Acoustics
Laboratory at the Moscow State Conservatory - the
place where in 60s Leon Theremin conducted his
research.
Professor Jon Appleton (Dartmouth College, USA)
found the International Advisory Board and helped in
developing the Theremin Center and establishing
continuous relationships within the international musical
and scientific communities.
3. The Theremin Center goals:
- to provide a working environment for young composers,
musicians, musicologists, theorists, programmers and
engineers who are interested in electro-acoustic music
and who have demonstrated musicality, imagination,
inclination for innovation, ability to produce uncommon
creative ideas and projects, to integrate different
professional skills in multimedia projects and crossdisciplinary research;
- to provide training through courses and tutorials for
those who want to master the techniques of electroacoustic music;
- to conduct multi-disciplinary research in computer
science and acoustics in the field of music and multimedia;
- to provide studio facilities for composers who need
special purpose equipment for their work and to
encourage composers into producing new works of
music, using the results of scientific projects;
- to bring to the public attention, works created at the
Theremin Center, and results of the research;
- to establish continuous relationships within the
international musical and scientific communities;
- to provide support for new electro-acoustic music
centers in Russia;
- to promote electro-acoustic music and to serve as a
model institution.
1CMC Proceedings 1994
495
Education, Studio Reports
