SUCCESS, again!

The Norwegian State Academy, The Norwegian Wind Ensemble and School for Improvisational Music pulled it off again; a successful one-week symposium is a fact.

Students from Australia, Canada, Cuba(!), Denmark, England, France, Germany, Italy, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland and the US met up in Oslo for the world´s most unique and engaging new-music experience.

Faculty Ralph Alessi, Andy Milne and Tyshawn Sorey from SIM in Brooklyn, as well as faculty Morten Halle, Lisa Dillan, Ivar Frounberg and Geir Lysne from NAM; were all pleased with the outcome of the second IRMS; and we all agree that this has to become an annual event. The 3rd time is always a charm, and we are now planning for IRMS 2010.

Here is a quote by Maryse Gattegno, one of this year´s returning students, a fine composer and performer:

- A particular word to the musicians of Tyshawn's group: THANKS!!!!!! I have listened to what we have done on Friday evening and it's so great. You know, when we are performing it's so hard to be in the inside pleasure and the outside one, listening the others. Wow. I have discovered some beautiful stuff and beautiful musicians too. And thanks for the recorders Zoom and Edirol. And so so so many thanks to Tyshawn, you are so full of music -

For 2010 we would like to see more composers send in scores earlier for pre-qualification, so that we can screen even better and come up with strong works early in the process. For composers out there, send your 3-5min pdf scores/sketches to geir@lysne.no for early pre-qual.

We´ll be back with more information on 2010, later this fall. Stay tuned.

10th-15th of August

The Norwegian Wind Ensemble in close collaboration with SIM (NYC) and the Norwegian State Academy of Music is proud to offer a second round of musings and perspectives on the state of modern improvisational music.

During one week of intense workshops and orchestral labs the NWE, SIM and NAM will offer a completely unique working environment for the aspiring performer and/or composer.

This year´s symposium will include Ralph Alessi (trp), Tyshawn Sorey (prc) and Andy Milne (pno/kbd) from the SIM-side. NAM will offer up Morten Halle (sx), Lisa Dillan (vox) and Geir Lysne (sx/composition), as well as Ivar Frounberg and Peter Tornquist (composers) from the composition dept.

Once again it seems that the idea draws a crowd, and a limit of approx.35 students has been set to ensure quality. More news to follow.

SIM will contribute in 2009

It is now clear that SIM will come back to Norway also for 2009´s symposium. Most likely staff from SIM will include Ralph Alessi, Tyshawn Sorey and Mark Helias.

The SIM faculty will combine with 3-4 Nordic area pedagogues in concert with the Norwegian State Academy´s own faculty.

In terms of subject matter alone, the 2009 symposium already looks to be a powerhouse of knowledge and raw skill! This should be fun...

IRMS 2009 is a fact

In a meeting this week at the Norwegian Academy of Music, it was unanimously decided that we will carry this year´s symposium into next year and make it tradition.

The Norwegian State Academy itself will dedicate its composition and jazz departments to the development of subject matter for the symposium, and we will attempt to include all the lessons learned from this year´s pioneering effort with our colleagues from School for Improvisational Music in Brooklyn.

Next time around there will be an increased focus on compositional processes, and we will attempt to pre-qualify composers earlier in the selection process. An early pre-production week with the orchestra for composers at the state academy will be held in Spring 2009.

Application deadline for 2009 is June 1st. 2009. The IRMS 2009 will be held in Oslo, 11th-17th of August 2009. Stay tuned for more details.

NWE and Matt Postle at Huddersfield

By happy accident (luck is being ready when opportunity arises...), The NWE will be visiting Huddersfield Contemporary Music Festival 2008 with a new piece for the NWE and POING, by Eivind Buene, alongside one of the student participants at this year´s IRMS; Matt Postle.

From what we understand, Matt Postle will be performing a solo recital at this year´s HCMF, alongside of the NWE´s premiere of Buene´s custom creation for NWE and POING.

Matt attended the first IRMS in August, and performed as improvising soloist with the NWE, based on student composer Agnes Pettersen´s piece "Grums", during the symposium.

Maybe Huddersfield will allow an encore?

Fresh interest

Fred Sturm, a longtime veteran of music in the crossing between through-composed and improvised music, has shown interest in the symposium on behalf of students from Lawrence University Conservatory of Music, Wisconsin, for 2009.

In the months to come we will make contact with a variety of educational institutions across Europe and North-America to build a platform for next year´s symposium.

Stay tuned...

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!