The Center for the Interdisciplinary Study of Music (CISM) at the
University of California, Santa Barbara will be holding a graduate
student symposium on the topic of recorded sound on April 13,
2007. “On the Record” will explore the topic of recorded sound
from a variety of interdisciplinary angles, as well as raise the
issue of how scholars can best utilize recordings as an
increasingly important resource. Papers given will cover a wide
range of topics including: recording reproduction, issues of
agency in mechanically-assisted instruments, music in advertising,
digital synthesis, and the intersection of electronic dance
and art music.
The symposium will conclude with a keynote presentation by Prof. Mark
Katz (ethnomusicology, UNC Chapel Hill). Katz’s research has explored
a variety of subjects, ranging from performance practice to popular
music, much of which has focused on the ramifications of technology
on music. His 2004 book,
Capturing Sound: How Technology Has Changed
Music (UC Press), surveys the influence of recording technology
on music, from changes in violin vibrato in the early 20th century
to the work of popular artists such as Fatboy Slim and the advent
of turntable culture. Katz's keynote address, “The Second
Digital Revolution in Music,” will explore the vast impact of
digital technology on music.
Accompanying the symposium will be an exhibit of historical recording
and playback equipment, courtesy of the Special Collections department
of the Donald C. Davidson library at UCSB. The exhibit will feature
a number of rare and unique items. Visitors will have the opportunity
to play vintage cylinder recordings on an Edison gramophone.
The symposium will also be followed by a reception.
For further information about the symposium, contact Andre Mount via
e-mail at
amount@umail.ucsb.edu.
