YESCOLAB

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About the Yarava Electronic Studio Composer’s Lab

YESCOLAB

In the last session of the Advanced Csound workshop at the 4th Tehran International Electronic Music Festival, presented by Joachim Heintz, Director of the Yarava’s Department of Electronic, holding a monthly meeting to share ideas, challenges and solutions related to electronic composition was suggested. After some consultations and reflections by the directors of Yarava Music Group and the necessity and importance of such programs, it was decided to hold online meetings with the title of YESCOLAB (Yarava Electronic Studio Composer’s Lab) under the supervision and planning of Yarava Electronic Studio. It was hoped that holding such an event could be a platform for young composers and a contribution for growth and connection with today’s world.

The purpose of these meetings is to discuss the works whose composers are willing to provide presentations about them. These works can be pure electronics or a combination of electronics with instruments, devices and anything else. Each meeting consists of two or three 15-minute lectures with 30 minutes of questions, answers, and discussion after the presentation. The maximum time of each meeting will be about 2 hours. Each speaker can talk about the idea, motivation, technical issues and problems of their work. Lab means a space for talking, experimenting, and understanding composing issues and questions by sharing ideas. Composers can also share the initial ideas and sketches of a work and their challenges with others.

Up to now, 11 YESCOLAB meetings have been held with the presence of participants in the Csound workshop at the Tehran International Electronic Music Festival and invited composers. From now on, future meetings will be held with a public call for all interested individuals without any restrictions. It should be noted that participation in YESCOLAB meetings is possible for free by registration through yes@yarava.com. Feel invited to join us next time!

Will be completed soon!

YESCOLAB #1 (29 April 2021)

Accompanying Thoughts

by joachim heintz

Composing as Questions and Answers

One way to think about composing is this: To compose means to feel what this music (the piece on which I currently work) needs. Needs at this point of the process, at this “step” on the “way” of composing.

I consider composition mostly as this ability: To feel what my piece needs now, in this moment. And, sure, also as the ability to find methods which put out what is now needed. I consider progress in composing as growth of sensibility in feeling what my piece needs now, and as growth of knowledge about methods how to do it. This knowledge will include the experience which we already collected in other pieces, it will include what we have learned from other composers, it will include the invention of new methods, and it will include confidence to ourselves. Progress in composing means to work with more sensitivity and with less doubts.

Instead of saying: “Composing means to feel what my piece needs now”, I could also say: “Composing means to Listen to what my piece asks me now.” Instead of saying: “Composing means to find methods”, I could also say: “Composing means, to find answers for these questions.” In this perspective, composing is a permanent dialogue between my music and myself. I listen to the question which my piece asks me, and try to find a way to answer this question.

In this respect, asking and answering questions amongst composers (collegues) in this YESCOLAB, might have a deep connection to the process of composing, and to the progress of composing: Getting new questions from others, and perhaps getting help in finding methods of answering questions.

Subjects which showed up in this session

What are possible constellations between live instruments (voices) and electronics?

How can we work with the relationship between “old” and “new”? For instance: In which way can we include traditional iranian music or traditional european music, when we work with electronics?

What is the effect of a notation which is precise, and what is the effect of a notation which lets space to improvise? Is precision the opposite of freedom, or is precision the precondition of freedom?

1: Will be completed soon!

YESCOLAB #1 (29 April 2021)

Accompanying Thoughts

by joachim heintz

Composing as Questions and Answers

One way to think about composing is this: To compose means to feel what this music (the piece on which I currently work) needs. Needs at this point of the process, at this “step” on the “way” of composing.

I consider composition mostly as this ability: To feel what my piece needs now, in this moment. And, sure, also as the ability to find methods which put out what is now needed. I consider progress in composing as growth of sensibility in feeling what my piece needs now, and as growth of knowledge about methods how to do it. This knowledge will include the experience which we already collected in other pieces, it will include what we have learned from other composers, it will include the invention of new methods, and it will include confidence to ourselves. Progress in composing means to work with more sensitivity and with less doubts.

Instead of saying: “Composing means to feel what my piece needs now”, I could also say: “Composing means to Listen to what my piece asks me now.” Instead of saying: “Composing means to find methods”, I could also say: “Composing means, to find answers for these questions.” In this perspective, composing is a permanent dialogue between my music and myself. I listen to the question which my piece asks me, and try to find a way to answer this question.

In this respect, asking and answering questions amongst composers (collegues) in this YESCOLAB, might have a deep connection to the process of composing, and to the progress of composing: Getting new questions from others, and perhaps getting help in finding methods of answering questions.

Subjects which showed up in this session

What are possible constellations between live instruments (voices) and electronics?

How can we work with the relationship between “old” and “new”? For instance: In which way can we include traditional iranian music or traditional european music, when we work with electronics?

What is the effect of a notation which is precise, and what is the effect of a notation which lets space to improvise? Is precision the opposite of freedom, or is precision the precondition of freedom?