Jean-Francois Charles

In April 2008, I was invited by composers Eric Chasalow and Maxwell Dulaney to give a 2-day seminar on spectral sound processing techniques at Brandeis University Music Department . A topic the music students particularly enjoyed was the frozen sound , the audio equivalent of the cinematic " freeze frame shot ". I taught the nuts and bold of the real-time stochastic spectral freeze technique (the stochastic component is aimed at breaking the ice - with the audience). On this video , discover 5 variations on a Max/MSP/Jitter freeze tool: Downloads Note: the Max patches available here have been completely revamped since this article & video were initially published. New Spectral Freeze Max MSP Jitter patches (link updated Nov. 2019) A Tutorial on Spectral Sound Processing with Max/MSP and Jitter: Computer Music Journal, Fall 2008 Syllabus The program for just two 3-hour workshops was quite ambitious! April 14th Overview of the topic : “ Spectral processing...

One week ago, on Monday, October 13th, the outstanding violist Garth Knox was the guest of the Harvard Group for New Music . Repertoire survey First, he talked about the history of the viola and its techniques , while constantly playing examples. Quite a great survey of the viola repertoire: Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Schumann, Berlioz (did you know that Paganini asked Berlioz to write for the viola ?), Hindemith, Bartok, Stravinsky, Ligeti, Xenakis, James Dillan, Murail, Grisey, Kurtag, Berio, and Sciarrino. Finally, he presented eight fun études: Viola Spaces . He composed them to help teach contemporary techniques. Recording session In the afternoon, we had a chance to record Garth Knox in the Huseac Studios : Edgar Barroso and myself seized the unique opportunity. Here is the score I had written for the occasion: I also asked him to play in reaction to these four propositions: Play the spectrum of this flower Violet Picture GNU license by fi:Käyttäjä:kompak Play th...

On Friday, Edgar Barroso and myself received seven 13-year old composers in the Huseac Studios . We let them know about some ways we've been composing. And they described their own work in electronic music: they have been using Apple GarageBand to compose, after recording their own sound material. That sounds like a great introduction to composition. All the best to the professor and the students: you share an exciting project! I hope we'll get to hear your works! Picture and organization by Lesley Bannatyne.

Zygomatic is a composition for voice and live electronics. It is part of the Arc-en-ciel cycle . The premiere took place on June 17th, 2005, in Le Palot, Montbéliard, France. The wonderful singer was Isabelle Jost, while I was performing the live electronics. Listen to the concert recording here (click the play button) or there: Zygomatic on last.fm (download is also possible). A personalized sonorous score During the first part of the recording, you will hear only the voice, no electronic music. This is normal! The live electronics generate in real time a personalized sonorous score. The score is sonorous : the singer hears the score (a kind of electronic music) thanks to a wireless in-ear monitor. The score is personalized : it is generated live by transformations of the first 10 seconds of the voice part. But what does it mean, to interpret a sonorous score? Here is the text I wrote in the score, in 2005: " Interpréter une partition sonore, c’est orienter son écoute dans...

After four seasons, Demolicious is calling it a day. I have been invited to perform for the occasion at Pierre Menard Gallery in Harvard Square (10 Arrow Street). The performance takes place this Sunday, Oct. 5 at 3pm. Program and Artists Poetry from Christina Strong Fiction from Vanessa Place Video from Jonas Mekas and Peter Pizzi Music and live electronics from Jean-Francois Charles I will play Lina for contrabass clarinet and give an interactive presentation of my current work with live electronics. I look forward to meeting the great artists who will be there tomorrow. And of course, to seeing you there, too!