What if all the technology you loved, everything that ran on electricity, came to life and played one epic musical performance?
That’s about as best as I can sum up the “Emergence” event happening in Ontario and in an online stream. It’s a workshop. It’s a performance. It’s Commodore 64s and surplus parts. It’s cybernetic theory. There’s a robotic singer. It’s at a computer museum. Nerdtastic.
Rod Adlers describes his own setup: “3 Commodore 64’s running Cynthcart and MSSIAH, iPod Touch using Brian Eno’s ‘Bloom’ program, Korg MS2000 and M50, and Fruity Loops.” Nice – it’s like the radio station phrase, “the greatest hits of yesterday and today.”
Valentine’s Day, indeed — if you’re dating a robot / computer / nerd (or robotic computer nerd), you know how to celebrate. There’s an online stream, happily, for all of us too unlucky to be in Ontario this weekend. If you are there, “video, photography and interviews” are all “encouraged.” Please do share with us on planet CDM. Syd Bolton writes:
You can see some newspaper coverage from today at:
http://pcmuseum.ca/files/media/ExposFeb2009EmergWeb.jpgThe show will be broadcast live the day of at:
http://www.ustream.tv/channel/emergent-behaviourOur page for it is at
http://www.pcmuseum.ca/emergence.asp
Full details:
The Personal Computer Museum proudly presents Emergence: A Cybernetic Musical Series that launches an international tour in Brantford, Ontario, Canada.
Join Dr. David Ogborn (Regina, SK) as he takes you on a musical experience with original music, robotics, and lyrics that will make you think about the future of cybernetics.
Join us for a free workshop at noon that explains how to use microcontrollers to control robotics and then see it in action during the afternoon performance.
Classic computer musicians Rob Adlers (Kitchener, ON) and Leif Bloomquist (Toronto, ON) will open for Dr. Ogborn with a musical experience like no other.
Admission to this event is by donation to the Personal Computer Museum.
DOORS OPEN AT 10:00 AM
Browse the museum to explore the rich history of computers and making music. Various programs and pieces of hardware await you on your tour.
FREE WORKSHOP AT 12:00 PM
Sound Art with Computers, Microcontrollers and Surplus Parts: Dr. David Ogborn, creator and performer of Emergence, will demonstrate the use of readily available technologies (laptop computers, Arduino and PIC microcontrollers, surplus parts) to create art objects, musical performance devices, and cybernetic performers – such as the robotic singer CESARE featured in Emergence! The workshop is for anyone interested in music, electronics and computers, and will be at an introductory level – no prior experience is assumed or required.