MUS 329M/FA 381/MUS 688A - Experimental Performance Interfaces
Unique Numbers 19717, 21645, 22233
Pennycook/Pinkston: Experimental Performance Interfaces
Course Description
This graduate seminar will be a kind of workshop/lab jointly taught by Professors Bruce Pennycook and Russell Pinkston. In the course of the semester, we will:
a) examine the current state of the art for of a variety of alternative controllers ranging from gaming devices to real-time tracking of live dance and motion;
b) evaluate the various technologies utilized by controllers and interfaces such as video image processing, Blue Tooth and USB, MIDI, OSC and others;
c) examine recent pieces – music, dance, theater, installations, interactive performance art – that utilize alternate controllers;
d) create interactive performance pieces utilizing one or more alternate controllers. Students will work in teams of 3 or 4 to design and create their performance pieces toward a performance on (for example) Ears, Eyes and Feet concert presented each Spring at by the School of Music.
Objectives
To introduce UT graduate students to the rapidly growing and constantly
changing world of interface design for art, performance and entertainment.
There are many companies, large and small, and many wonderful creative
artists working in this field. Products range from inexpensive USB devices
to elaborate multi-camera, multi-surface environments. This course will
allow students to gain deep knowledge of current practices in this field.
Then, equally important, they will explore the use of one or more devices in
the context of an “art” piece.