NIME 2014 (New Interfaces for Musical Expression)

Please note, attendance to NIME 2014 workshops is by registration only. For more information on how to apply, please visit: http://www.eecs.qmul.ac.uk/~andrewm/keyboard-workshop.html

Within the current conference format, there are two ways to
experience new interfaces—as a demo or in a concert perfor-
mance. Demo sessions display many projects concurrently,
with a focus on the technical capabilities of an interface
rather than its artistic potential. Concerts focus on the
performative aspects of each interface, which is given full
attention on stage, but there are not so many opportunities
for critical feedback from the community.
In this workshop, we would like to experiment with a
new format for trying out and talking about new interfaces.
Inspired by the salons of 18th and 19th centuries where
composers, virtuosos and aficionado gathered around a pi-
ano to play and discuss new music, we propose a salon-style
workshop on the topic of new keyboard instruments and in-
terfaces. We hope to gather both designers and artists from
established musical practices outside NIME to share their
expertise both in discussion and in hands-on experimenta-
tion.
Though the workshop, we want to focus on the experi-
ence of new keyboard instruments. For instrument-builders
within NIME, exploring questions of how to extend a NIME
into a wider artistic community. For artists, we’re interested
in exploring how their creative practice can influence other
musicians and designers.