[Ø] [zerospace]
February 21, 2011
by Anna Lemberger
A low hum filled the lecture hall as presenters got things wired and ready for NOMADS (Network-Operational Mobile Applied Digital System) Participatory Colloquium and Performance on this Friday afternoon, February 18. The C21-hosted colloquium was part of their two-part [Ø] [zerospace] conference that started with a discussion on interactive and distance collaboration in music and ended with an evening Telematic Concert. Presenters and moderators included Matthew Burtner (C21 Provost Fellow), Steven Kemper (UVA), David Topper (UVA), Chris Chafe (Stanford)—who interacted with us via Skype—Scott Deal (IUPUI), and Christopher Burns (UWM).
The first three of that rather lengthy list introduced us to NOMADS, which emerged out of the Interactive Media Research Group (IMRG) at the University of Virginia. Although much of the colloquium was focused on performance and music, it was exciting to see the general academic use and value of the program. Everyone in the audience who wanted one got a laptop to borrow for the lecture. We accessed NOMADS through the web browser (check it out here: http://nomads.music.virginia.edu/) and clicked in Thought Cloud. Burtner posted a question (Which department are you from?) and each audience member’s submitted response appeared on the main projection screen. While it seems a lot like watching a live Twitter feed, there are some capabilities that make this style of classroom interaction really unique. For instance, the most popular answer will actually get bigger in size allowing the instructor to see whether or not most people are on the right track. Another benefit of this type of classroom interaction is that it engages students in a way that hopefully keeps them more focused and attentive. One audience member later asked about the possibility of students abusing or subverting the system. The lecturers did point out that students sometimes use the interaction inappropriately but believe they will adapt and become better users.
The main thrust of the program was toward telematic art/performance in which people interact and perform together through technologically mediated space. Burtner described this experience as a “synergistic dialog and interaction” that folds remote spaces while also emphasizing distance. Chris Chafe provided some great video clip examples of music collaboration through technology. Check out this commercial (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGZtC4m52zM) or search “Time Warner Cable commercial (featuring The Mommyheads)” on YouTube. From a technical standpoint I was pretty lost as they discussed servers and bandwidth, but it was a great example of interdisciplinary collaboration between the arts and sciences.
Later that evening I did stop by the concert to get a taste of telematic performance in the PSOA Music Recital Hall. The first number, “Deconstructions No. 4,” involved a bicycle wheel, synthesizers, and a cymbal played with a bow, among other things. The cymbal player teleconferenced in from Indiana. The Milwaukee Laptop Orchestra performed next and created some pretty interesting sounds for their piece “Improvisation.” What stood out most to me was the cinematic quality of the music. The first performance even had a 3D animation; I imagine the film [studies] department might have an interest in telematic performance since video is such an integral element.
As a final thought, what struck me most about these musical experiments and compositions was the way music is changing and being inspired by technology. On the other hand, music is also inspiring the creation of new technologies and emphasizing the power of people to adapt and thrive in an ever growing world of digital interaction.
