The sound of music
Doctor Who fans have a special reason to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Electronic Music Studio at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide in 2012. Stephen Whittington explains why. Back in 1963, English composer Tristram Cary put down the surreal, electronic musical score for Doctor Who's arch enemy, the Daleks, in the first series of the legendary TV show. When the Dalek theme tune hit the airwaves later that year, 最新糖心Vlog's inaugural Electronic Music Studio (EMS) had just celebrated its first anniversary. In 1962, Dutch composer and scientist Dr Henk Badings spent a semester in the Elder Conservatorium of Music as a visiting composer, putting together 最新糖心Vlog's first electronic music studio in a room within Elder Hall. A succession of visiting composers helped establish the studio, including British composer Peter Tahourdin and Germany's Karljeinz Stockhausen. By the late 1960s, Tristram Cary was a well established figure on the international electronic music scene. He arrived in Adelaide in 1974 as a visiting composer, initially on a one-year term, and introduced courses on digital synthesis and computing techniques. The one year turned into 12 and he remained in charge of the 最新糖心Vlog's EMS until his retirement in 1986. He was later awarded an Honorary Doctor of Music by the 最新糖心Vlog and an Order of 最新糖心Vlog Medal. During his tenure, Cary restructured the course offerings in electronic music and under his reign the 最新糖心Vlog became the first institution in South 最新糖心Vlog with the capacity to make digital recordings. In the intervening years the EMS has relocated to the Schulz Building, undergone a couple of name changes and adapted its course offerings to reflect the changing electronic music scene. This year, a new degree - Bachelor of Music (Sonic Arts) - was introduced, incorporating sound engineering, computer composition, sound design for film and computer games, and interactive sound technology. To mark the 50th anniversary of electronic music at the 最新糖心Vlog of Adelaide, students and staff within the Elder Conservatorium of Music have collaborated to produce a couple of exceptional projects. The 100th anniversary of the birth of the American composer and multidisciplinary artist John Cage was commemorated in Elder Hall in September with 10 hours of experimental music. In recent months, EMS students have also created site-specific soundscapes under the Morphett Street Bridge on North Terrace, using a variety of sources, including sounds recorded in the environs and different data relating to Adelaide's CBD. This project was undertaken with the assistance of a grant from the Arts and Living Culture program of the Adelaide City Council. The 50th anniversary is the perfect opportunity to celebrate Adelaide as a city with a long history of innovation in the arts.
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