Live Archives Workshops - Discussion Page
This post lists key discussion topics for the Live Archives Workshops taking place at the University of Central Lancashire from the 2-5 April 2007.
Please feel free to contribute to these discussions by posting new topics, and/or by adding information or comments to existing topics.
What do we understand the following common terms to mean: documentation, archive, live (or liveness), performance, improvisation?
How do conscious or explicit acts of documentation impact upon performance?
A list of (possibly) related references
Note: any use of the words ‘our’ or ‘we’ refer to anyone who chooses to take part in this discussion, and is not limited to the people attending the workshop at UCLan on the 2-5 April 2007.
Pre-workshop information:
The workshops are targeted at professional and emerging artists, researchers, and students from diverse disciplines who have an interest in sound, improvisation, social interaction, and archives of performance. To take part you will not require proficiency on a musical instrument, nor will you need any knowledge of how to read music notation.
This 4-day event will explore the potential of emerging social web technologies (e.g. blogs, profile networks, discussion forums, folksonomy-based media archives) as potential tools for archiving live performance. In addition to receiving training on a range of documentation techniques, participants will take part in a series workshops delivered by live artists who specialise in musical improvisation with newly designed sound sculptures, binaural microphones, and custom made music software.
This event is supported by the AHRC and UCLan as part of the research project Dialogic Evidence: Documentation of Ephemeral Events.
Programme of Workshops
All activities will take place at St. Peters Art Centre unless otherwise stated.
Day 1 – 02.04.07
12.30 Lunch and Arrivals
13.30 Introduction to Workshops
An overview of the aims, context, and methods of the Live Archives Workshops
13:50 Introduction to Dialogic Improvisation with Sound Sculpture
A series of structured improvisations exploring ways of engaging with both other performers, and a newly designed and constructed modular sound sculpture.
14:35 Introduction to Available Documentation Technologies
15.00 Spectating/Performing/Recording/Remembering
An activity that explores different perspectives on performance through shifting methods of relating to sonic improvisation.
16.00 Introduction to Blogging on LiveArchives.org
18.30 Group Discussion
19.00 End
Day 2 – 03.04.07
11.00 Sound Walk (St. Peters to Harris Building)
11.20 Found Sound Exploration in Harris Medicinal Herb Garden
Workshop participants can listen to, generate, and record sounds afforded by the herb garden.
12:00 Recording Found Sounds and Personal Geographies
A short talk contextualising the day’s activities
12:15 Documentation Walk (Harris Building to St. Peters)
12.35 Discussion
A group discussion on the morning’s activities, and an introduction to the plans for the afternoon.
13.00 Lunch
Also, an opportunity to review the morning’s recordings
14.00 Editing and Selecting Audio
Each participant will select an audio extract from their records in the herb garden or documentation walk. These recordings will then be individually “digitally quantified” by guest sound artist Nick Williams. This process will run alongside the Constructing Personal Geographies activity.
14.15 Constructing Personal Geographies
Each participant will develop a method for representing their selected audio extract, exploring techniques such as mapping, scoring, remixing, etc. Based on the results of this process, workshops participants will explore opportunities for generating collaborative responses.
16.00 Discussions and Blogging
18.00 End
Day 3 – 04.04.07
11.00 Introduction
Outline of the day’s activities and an introduction to binaural listening and in-ear microphones.
11.20 Binaural Listening Exercise
The participants take it in turns to i) improvise, ii) transmit audio using the in-ear microphones, and iii) listen to transmitted audio over headphones.
12.30 Lunch
Includes an opportunity to listen to binaural recordings.
13.30 Gathering Binaural Audio
The participants work in groups to combine the use of in-ear microphones with recording hardware and Max/MSP software.
16.00 Discussions and Blogging
18.00 End
Day 4 – 05.04.07
11.00 Introduction
Outline of the day’s activities and a short talk on responding to sites through sonic performance.
11:30 Forensic Investigation and Science (tbc)
A talk on investigation/documentation techniques in the context of Forensic Science. The talk will take place at the Maudland Road Crime Scene House.
12:00 Brief Exploration of the Maudland Road Crime Scene House
12:15 Perform/Witness/Investigate – Site-Specific Sonic Improvisations
An exercise that explores the different perspectives found in the actions of performing, witnessing live performance, and investigating recently past performances that one has not seen or heard live. This activity will also take place in and outside of the Maudland Road Crime Scene House.
13:30 Lunch
An opportunity to plan performative responses
14.45 Group Performative Responses
Participants will give collaborative responses to the performances at the Maudland Road Crime Scene House. These performative responses will take place at the Harris Building Moot Courtroom.
16:30 Discussions and Blogging
18.00 End