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'Live Electronics in Practice: Approaches to Training Professional Performers'

This paper focuses on the research aspects of two strands of the Birmingham Conservatoire led, EU-funded ‘Integra – Fusing Music and Technology’ project (2008-2012):

1. Training of performers from professional music ensembles to acquire new skills in performing music with live electronics.

2. A curriculum pilot project to teach live electronics techniques to instrumental students in conservatoires across Europe.

The training was carried out in collaboration with five internationally active professional music ensembles: Bit20 Ensemble (Norway), Athelas Sinfonietta (Denmark), Ensemble Ars Nova (Sweden), Court-circuit (France) and Grup Instrumental de Valencia (Spain). The curriculum pilot project, on the other hand, was designed, developed and delivered jointly by three higher music education institutions: Birmingham Conservatoire, the University of Music and the Performing Arts Graz (Austria), and Malmö Academy of Music at Lund University (Sweden). Teaching live electronic music techniques to instrumental performers presents interesting challenges. Many music colleges offer basic to advanced training in computer-based techniques for composing or processing live audio, but these are aimed at composers and music technologists. It is exceedingly rare for instrumental students to receive formal training in live electronic music as part of their study. A better understanding of live electronics is crucial if a performer is to give a convincing musical interpretation of this vast and expanding repertoire.

Between 2010 and 2012 the two distinct methods for teaching live electronics to performers were explored at Birmingham Conservatoire, working in close collaboration with Grup Instrumental de Valencia and students from the piano, woodwind, brass and percussion departments of the Conservatoire. This paper presents the details of these training methods followed by the qualitative results of specific case studies and a post-training survey.