International Meltingpot

- Do I play the random notes before or after that weird horn chord?

- Just play.

- But...?

- Just play.



The first "International Realtime Music Symposium" became a true melting pot for 46 students from a dozen different countries, 5 faculty from SIM in Brooklyn (US), and faculty from the Norwegian Academy of Music in Oslo. Geir Lysne (NO) conducted and led the Norwegian Wind Ensemble orchestral labs at night.

SIM held daily workshops with Ralph Alessi, Ravi Coltrane, Andy Milne, Drew Gress and Mark Ferber as visiting faculty to the symposium, reinforced by lectures given by Ivar Frounberg of the Norwegian Academy, Jon Balke (NO), Eivind Buene (NO) and Rolf-Erik Nystrøm (NO). The amount of information passed on in 5 days was staggering. The next time around we will attempt to focus the workshops and lectures further, tweak and tune the opportunity for dialogue as well as find ways for everyone to intermingle more easily in and out of sessions.

We believe that contemporary Norway is a good and fertile breeding ground for such a symposium, much due to its unique and strong tradition for improvised music, as well as its modern tradition of eclectic music composition and academia.

We aim to continue the symposium next year, 10th-15th of August, in Oslo. Please contact us at post (at) dnbe.no if you are interested in participating in 2009.

All pictures from IRMS 2008 taken by student participant Olaf Taranczewski. Thanks Olaf!