COMPUTER GRAPHICS
Hannes Leopoldseder (AT)
St. Leonhard, Journalist. Chairman of the whole jury. Hannes Leopoldseder was born 1940 in St. Leonhard. He obtained a Ph.D. and has been working with the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation since 1967. Since 1974 he is General Manager of the Upper Austrian Regional Studios. In 1979, he co-founded Ars Electronica and the Linz Sound Cloud, in 1987 he initiated Prix Ars Electronica. He is President of the Upper Austrian Press Association, member of the State Culture Advisory Board, member of PEN Club and of the European Board of Circom Regionale. Publications about topics concerning electronic media, art and technology, computer arts; editor of “Prix A rs Electronica 1987 – Computer Art Masterworks ‘; “Prix Ars Electronica 1988 – Computer Art Masterworks’; Bremen 1988, “Linzer Klangwolke. Die Geschichte eines Markenzeichens’; Vienna 1988, co-editor of “Die Ars Electronica. Kunst im Zeitsprung’; Linz 1989.
Paul Calcagno (IT)
Naples, Journalist. Paolo Calcagno was born in 1944 in Naples; since 1983 he is working with the Corriere della Sera specializing in media, TV and computer graphics, cinema and theater critics. In a weekly column in Corriere della Sera he comments on TV audiences, a relevant factor in Italian state TV policy. Paolo Calcagno is the Italian responsible for the “Alice” European culture magazine. Furthermore, he makes concepts and TV programs for RAI, among others a 45 minute TV special about “Prix Ars Electronica 89”, about the “XXX Festival Internazionale della Televisione di Monte Carlo”, about the “Biennale of New Artists of Mediterrania” in Bologna. Various books, among them about Edoardo de Filippo titled “La vita è dispari”. Presently he is working at a book with the project title “Meeting Just Before the Third Millennium”, where various personalities from art and culture like Peter Handke, Karlheiz Stockhausen, Fernando Arrabal, Eugène Ionesco, Dario Fo etc, talk about contemporary topics.
Loren Carpenter (US)
San Rafael, CA, Senior scientist for PIXAR. Active in computer graphics algorithm research for 20 years. 1980 he presented at Siggraph the first practical fracta1 animated film “vol libre’: a landmark c1assic in computer animation. The creation of mountainous landscapes was further refined, when he developed an antialiased version for cinema. For five years member of the computer division of Lucas-film ltd. (the group that became PIXAR), where he led the technical effort to achieve cinema-quality computer animation. He was the principal architect and programmer for the “genesis demonstration” sequence from the film “Star Trek II”. 1985 he received the Siggraph “Computer Graphics Achievement Award”. It represented many discoveries which advanced computer graphics (extremely robust parametric patch rendering algorithms, efficient approximations fractal curves, contributions to the development of stochastic sampling). His function at PIXAR is to conduct basic research on computer graphics, assist in translating the new discoveries into hardware, then utilize hardware to make images and conduct further research.
Herbert W. Franke (AT)
Munich, Artist and Scientist. Born 1927 in Vienna. From 1954 onward, creative radiography and light graphics, since 1955 theoretical works about rational aesthetics. 1956 application of an analogous data processing system and of a cathode-ray oscilloscope for experimental aesthetics. 1969 works on futurology. Since 1970 computer graphics and films with digital systems, since 1973 lectureship on “cybernetic aesthetics” at the University of Munich, 1979/80 lectureship for perception psychology at the “Fachhochschule” Bielefeld. Since 1985 lectureship for computer graphics/art at the Academy of Visual Arts in Munich. Since 1988 corresponding member of the Académie Européenne des sciences, des arts et des lettres. Publication of several books on experimental photography and computer graphics.
Grita Insam (AT)
Vienna, Gallery owner. Grita Insam, born in Vienna, studied at the University of Economy. 1970 realised first art sponsoring project “Tangenten 70”. 1971 co-founder of the Modern Art Gallery, since 1973 owner and director, since 1982 named Gallery Grita Insam. Since 1975 conception and organization for many projects of the gallery and for international festivals as “Geometrica”; “Audio Scene ’79 – Sound Medium of Fine Arts”; symposium “Art in Public Spaces”; symposium “Technique and Art”; “Artig”, Art in public space in Vienna; “The Night at the Opera”, Graz; “Artist in Residence (artists come to Vienna for a certain space of time and realise exhibitions in the gallery and in public space); “Geod’Arta ’83”, “Mythen der Zukunft”. 1981 Board of Advisers for the Experimental Intermedia Foundation, New York, for Europe. 1985 member of Board of Advisers for video arts of the Ministery for Education and Arts. 1986 co-organizer of the festival “ORF Videonale”, organization of a 95 minutes program titled “Video-Gezeiten”. Founder of the Videoedition Casablanca. Commissioner and jury member at the videofestival in Locarno. 1990 founder of the Insam Gleicher Gallery in Chicago, USA. Furthermore the Gallery Grita Insam has organized approximately 12 to 20 shows a year and participated each year at 5 to 7 international art fairs in Bologna, Chicago, Paris, Cologne, Basel, Düsseldorf, Nice, Bari, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Zurich and Tokyo.
John Lansdown (UK)
London, Architect. John Lansdown, who is Professor of Computer Aided Art and Design at Middlesex Polytechnic, London, U.K., is an architect by profession who started using computers in his work in 1960. Since that time he has been concerned with using computers for all sorts of creative purposes including graphics, animation, architecture, design, music and choreography of dances – examples of which have been performed all over the world. He has been involved in creating computer animated sequences for many TV and feature films (including “Alien ” and “Saturn III”) although nowadays he is concerned more with designing rather than computing the sequences. In 1968 he helped found the Computer Arts Society and has been its Honorary Secretary since that date. He is author of a number of books and over 250 papers on aspects of computing in art and design. For the last 16 years he has contributed a regular column to the magazine Computer Bulletin under the title “Not Only Computing – A lso Art” Currently he is engaged in computing the choreography for a new work by the leading Australian modern dance company One Extra Group. This work is due for its first performance in Sydney during October 1990.
Gerhard Johann Lischka (CH)
Berne, Culture Philosopher and author. Gerhard Johann Lischka, born in 1943; culture philosopher and author; teaches aesthetics at various academies; lecturer at the F+F School for Experimental Design, Zurich; lives in Berne Selected bibliography: Zur kulturellen Situation der Postmoderne, Berne 1973; Momente ästhetischer Praxis, Betzel Verlag, Frankfurt 1979; Der intermediäre Aktionismus. Essays, Betzel Verlag,Frankfurt 1980; Zuba, Rea 3b. Ein Tag, Betzel Verlag, Frankfurt 1982; Das poetische ABC. Alles und noch viel mehr. Die Katalog· Anthologie der 80er Jahre, Berne 1985; Betriebsstörung. Performance Theater, Stadttheater Bern, 16 to 26 March 1986; Die Schönheit der Schönheit. Superästhetik, Berne 1986; Kulturkunst. Die Medienfalle, Berne 1987; Medien·Poesie, TV DRS “Die Matinee”; 14 February 1988; Performance und Performance Art, Kunstforum, Vol. 96, 1988; Bekanntschaften. Portraits und Psychogramme, Kunstmuseum Bern, 3. December 1988; Über die Mediatisierung. Medien und Re-Medien, Berne 1988; Aktuelles Denken, Kunstforum, Vol. 108, 1990.
COMPUTER ANIMATION
Hannes Leopoldseder (AT)
St. Leonhard, Journalist. Chairman of the whole jury. Hannes Leopoldseder was born 1940 in St. Leonhard. He obtained a Ph.D. and has been working with the Austrian Broadcasting Corporation since 1967. Since 1974 he is General Manager of the Upper Austrian Regional Studios. In 1979, he co-founded Ars Electronica and the Linz Sound Cloud, in 1987 he initiated Prix Ars Electronica. He is President of the Upper Austrian Press Association, member of the State Culture Advisory Board, member of PEN Club and of the European Board of Circom Regionale. Publications about topics concerning electronic media, art and technology, computer arts; editor of “Prix A rs Electronica 1987 – Computer Art Masterworks ‘; “Prix Ars Electronica 1988 – Computer Art Masterworks’; Bremen 1988, “Linzer Klangwolke. Die Geschichte eines Markenzeichens’; Vienna 1988, co-editor of “Die Ars Electronica. Kunst im Zeitsprung’; Linz 1989.
Paul Calcagno (IT)
Naples, Journalist. Paolo Calcagno was born in 1944 in Naples; since 1983 he is working with the Corriere della Sera specializing in media, TV and computer graphics, cinema and theater critics. In a weekly column in Corriere della Sera he comments on TV audiences, a relevant factor in Italian state TV policy. Paolo Calcagno is the Italian responsible for the “Alice” European culture magazine. Furthermore, he makes concepts and TV programs for RAI, among others a 45 minute TV special about “Prix Ars Electronica 89”, about the “XXX Festival Internazionale della Televisione di Monte Carlo”, about the “Biennale of New Artists of Mediterrania” in Bologna. Various books, among them about Edoardo de Filippo titled “La vita è dispari”. Presently he is working at a book with the project title “Meeting Just Before the Third Millennium”, where various personalities from art and culture like Peter Handke, Karlheiz Stockhausen, Fernando Arrabal, Eugène Ionesco, Dario Fo etc, talk about contemporary topics.
Loren Carpenter (US)
San Rafael, CA, Senior scientist for PIXAR. Active in computer graphics algorithm research for 20 years. 1980 he presented at Siggraph the first practical fracta1 animated film “vol libre’: a landmark c1assic in computer animation. The creation of mountainous landscapes was further refined, when he developed an antialiased version for cinema. For five years member of the computer division of Lucas-film ltd. (the group that became PIXAR), where he led the technical effort to achieve cinema-quality computer animation. He was the principal architect and programmer for the “genesis demonstration” sequence from the film “Star Trek II”. 1985 he received the Siggraph “Computer Graphics Achievement Award”. It represented many discoveries which advanced computer graphics (extremely robust parametric patch rendering algorithms, efficient approximations fractal curves, contributions to the development of stochastic sampling). His function at PIXAR is to conduct basic research on computer graphics, assist in translating the new discoveries into hardware, then utilize hardware to make images and conduct further research.
Herbert W. Franke (AT)
Munich, Artist and Scientist. Born 1927 in Vienna. From 1954 onward, creative radiography and light graphics, since 1955 theoretical works about rational aesthetics. 1956 application of an analogous data processing system and of a cathode-ray oscilloscope for experimental aesthetics. 1969 works on futurology. Since 1970 computer graphics and films with digital systems, since 1973 lectureship on “cybernetic aesthetics” at the University of Munich, 1979/80 lectureship for perception psychology at the “Fachhochschule” Bielefeld. Since 1985 lectureship for computer graphics/art at the Academy of Visual Arts in Munich. Since 1988 corresponding member of the Académie Européenne des sciences, des arts et des lettres. Publication of several books on experimental photography and computer graphics.
Grita Insam (AT)
Vienna, Gallery owner. Grita Insam, born in Vienna, studied at the University of Economy. 1970 realised first art sponsoring project “Tangenten 70”. 1971 co-founder of the Modern Art Gallery, since 1973 owner and director, since 1982 named Gallery Grita Insam. Since 1975 conception and organization for many projects of the gallery and for international festivals as “Geometrica”; “Audio Scene ’79 – Sound Medium of Fine Arts”; symposium “Art in Public Spaces”; symposium “Technique and Art”; “Artig”, Art in public space in Vienna; “The Night at the Opera”, Graz; “Artist in Residence (artists come to Vienna for a certain space of time and realise exhibitions in the gallery and in public space); “Geod’Arta ’83”, “Mythen der Zukunft”. 1981 Board of Advisers for the Experimental Intermedia Foundation, New York, for Europe. 1985 member of Board of Advisers for video arts of the Ministery for Education and Arts. 1986 co-organizer of the festival “ORF Videonale”, organization of a 95 minutes program titled “Video-Gezeiten”. Founder of the Videoedition Casablanca. Commissioner and jury member at the videofestival in Locarno. 1990 founder of the Insam Gleicher Gallery in Chicago, USA. Furthermore the Gallery Grita Insam has organized approximately 12 to 20 shows a year and participated each year at 5 to 7 international art fairs in Bologna, Chicago, Paris, Cologne, Basel, Düsseldorf, Nice, Bari, Los Angeles, San Francisco, New York, Zurich and Tokyo.
John Lansdown (UK)
London, Architect. John Lansdown, who is Professor of Computer Aided Art and Design at Middlesex Polytechnic, London, U.K., is an architect by profession who started using computers in his work in 1960. Since that time he has been concerned with using computers for all sorts of creative purposes including graphics, animation, architecture, design, music and choreography of dances – examples of which have been performed all over the world. He has been involved in creating computer animated sequences for many TV and feature films (including “Alien ” and “Saturn III”) although nowadays he is concerned more with designing rather than computing the sequences. In 1968 he helped found the Computer Arts Society and has been its Honorary Secretary since that date. He is author of a number of books and over 250 papers on aspects of computing in art and design. For the last 16 years he has contributed a regular column to the magazine Computer Bulletin under the title “Not Only Computing – A lso Art” Currently he is engaged in computing the choreography for a new work by the leading Australian modern dance company One Extra Group. This work is due for its first performance in Sydney during October 1990.
Gerhard Johann Lischka (CH)
Berne, Culture Philosopher and author. Gerhard Johann Lischka, born in 1943; culture philosopher and author; teaches aesthetics at various academies; lecturer at the F+F School for Experimental Design, Zurich; lives in Berne Selected bibliography: Zur kulturellen Situation der Postmoderne, Berne 1973; Momente ästhetischer Praxis, Betzel Verlag, Frankfurt 1979; Der intermediäre Aktionismus. Essays, Betzel Verlag, Frankfurt 1980; Zuba, Rea 3b. Ein Tag, Betzel Verlag, Frankfurt 1982; Das poetische ABC. Alles und noch viel mehr. Die Katalog· Anthologie der 80er Jahre, Berne 1985; Betriebsstörung. PerformanceTheater, Stadttheater Bern, 16 to 26 March 1986; Die Schönheit der Schönheit. Superästhetik, Berne 1986; Kulturkunst. Die Medienfalle, Berne 1987; Medien·Poesie, TV DRS “Die Matinee’; 14 February 1988; Performance und Performance Art, Kunstforum, Vol. 96, 1988; Bekanntschaften. Portraits und Psychogramme, Kunstmuseum Bern, 3. December 1988; Über die Mediatisierung. Medien und Re-Medien, Berne 1988; Aktuelles Denken, Kunstforum, Vol. 108, 1990.
Alfred Nemeczek (DE)
Hamburg, Art Journalist. Born 1933 in Kassel/Germany, qualified in 1954 for university entrance, then trainee on the newspaper “Hessische Nachrichten”. From 1956-67 worked as art journalist for the above newspaper. In the meantime studied German Language and Literature as well as Art History at Marburg/Lahn. 1964 press officer of documenta III in Kassel. 1967-73 art journalist for the German magazine “Der Spiegel” in Hamburg. Up to 1979 art joumalist for the magazine “Stern”. Since then deputy chief editor of the art magazine ART in Hamburg. Specialist fields : fine arts, f11m, new media; occasionally sits on juries; writes articles in various professional magazines.
INTERACTIVE ART
Roy Ascott (UK)
London, Artist. Roy Ascott first made his call for participation and interactivity in art in the early 1960s with his work “Change Paintings and Analogue Structures” (Molton Gallery, London), the theoretical text “Behaviourist Art and the Cybernetic Vision ” (Cybernetica, Namur) and his radical programme of art education (Ealing School of Art). His work has continued on this broad front as a kind of cultural cybernetics in a variety of settings in Europe, North America and Australia. He was president of the Ontario College of A rt, Toronto, and dean of the San Francisco Art Institute and has been visiting professor, guest lecturer and consultant at many arts institutions and universities throughout the world. Since 1980, when he won an NEA award (Washington DC) for the first international computer networking project, he has worked entirely with telematic media, his major projects being: “La Plissure du Texte” (Electra, MOMA, Paris ’83), “The Planetary Network and Laboratory UBIQUA” (Venice Biennale ’86 for which he was International Commissioner), “Aspects of Gaia – Digital Pathways across the Whole Earth”: a multi-media networking project for Ars Electronica, Linz ’89. He publishes widely and is honorary editor of Leonardo (his special issue “Art and Telecommunications” is due in 1991). “Is There Love in the Telematic Embrace?” is published in the Art Journal of College Art Association of America (Sep. ’90).
William Buxton (CA)
Composer, Performer and Instrumentdesigner. Wlliam Buxton is typical of an emerging breed of artist/scientist. Buxton has a degree in music from Queen ‘s University. He studied Sonology at the State University of Utrecht, Holland, and holds a B.Sc. in Computer Science from the University of Toronto. Since 1970, he has focused largely on works that utilized electronic media, both audio and visual. In the process, he became interested in the design and improvement of electronic and computer-based instruments. Since 1982 he has been a research scientist at the Computer Systems Research Institute at the University of Toronto, where he co-directs the computer graphics laboratory. He worked as a visiting scientist at Rank Xerox’s new Cambridge EuroPARC research facility. Buxton is on the editorial board of the journal Human Computer Interaction and member of the Human-Factors Society. He has published and lectured extensively on human-computer interaction. With Ron Baecker, he is co-editor of the book “Readings in Human-Computer Interaction: A Multi-Disciplinary Approach”. He is a composer and performer whose works have been performed and broadcast throughout North America and Europe.
Donna Cox (US)
Artist and scientist. Donna Cox is a computer artist, Associate Director for Education at the National Center for Supercomputing Applications and Assistant Professor at the School of Art and Design at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. Donna Cox has exhibited static, animated and interactive computer art in more than 50 exhibitions in the past four years, including shows at the Bronx Museum of Art in New York, Chicago Museum of Science and Feature Gallery, Soho. Her works have been shown in exhibitions around the world including Nicographics in Japan, L’Agrifoglio in Milan, Italy, and Eurographics 87 in Nice, France. Her works are in the permanent collections of the Boston Computer Museum and the Saibu Gas Museum in Japan. She has written many papers on computer graphics art including the article “Using the Supercomputer to Visualize Higher Dimensions: An Artist’s Contribution to Scientific Visualization”. Her work has been reviewed in many publications, including TIME Magazine, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, Chicago Tribune and Computer Graphics World. Her animations have appeared in many television programs. Since 1987 she is member of the Board of Directors of SIGGRAPH.
Roger F. Malina (US)
Paris, Scientist. Roger F. Malina was born in 1950 in Paris, France. He attended the Massachusetts Institute ofTechnology, where he obtained a Bachelors Degree in physics, and the University of California, Berkeley, where he obtained a Ph.D. in astronomy. He is currently a Research Astronomer at the Space Sciences Laboratory in Berkeley, California; he is responsible for the telescopes which will be launched in 1991 on NASA’s Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer satellite. He is also an experimenter in the NASA telescience program for development of new methods in scientific research using telecommunications and remote operations from the NASA Space Station. Roger F. Malina has written on the role of the artist in space exploration. In addition to his scientific activities, Roger Malina is the Executive Editor of”Leonardo” the international journal of art and technology; this journal was started 20 years ago by kinetic artist Frank ]. Malina to document the work of artists working with science and new technologies. Roger Malina is also the chairman of the non-profit International Society for the Arts, Sciences and Technology; in addition to publishing “Leonardo” this society awards annually the “Leonardo” Coler-Maxwell and New Horizons prizes to recognise artists and scientists seeking to integrate contemporary art with science and technology.
Brian Reffin Smith (UK)
Sudbury, Artist and Writer. Brian Reffin Smith was born on August 16, 1948, in Sudbury/Suffolk. After his graduation from Brunel University he attended the Royal College of Art, where he obtained his M.A. in 1977. Unti1 1979, Smith was active as artist, author and teacher for technology and art at various art schools. From 1978 to 1984 he was lecturer for Computers in Art and Design at the Royal College of Art in London. Since 1985 he is working as teacher and organizer of courses at art schools in France and England. Besides various group exhibitions, he had one-man exhibitions in Europe and the USA, among others at the Ealing Gallery, London 1971, at the Galerie Fötsch, Berlin 1986, at the Ministry of Culture in Paris 1987, and at Galerie Zwinger, Berlin 1988. Besides numerous essays in over 30 international journals and magazines (e.g. Art Monthly, Studio International), Brian Reffin Smith wrote several books, e.g. “Better Basic” London 1982, “Soft Computing: Art & Design”, Wokingham 1985, “Science and Art”, Utrecht 1986.
COMPUTER MUSIC
Jean-Baptiste Barrière (FR)
Born 1958 in Paris. Studies inc1uded music, philosophy, mathematical logic. Doctoral thesis on “Systems and Models in Twentieth Century Music” at the Sorbonne University in Paris. Since 1981 researcher at IRCAM (sound synthesis, computer supported composition in the CHANT/FORMES project, education, musical research). 1984-1987 Head of Musical Research Department in IRCAM. First published record “Pandemonium” 1978; winner of the Digital Music Award at the International Electro-Acoustic Music Competition of Bourges in 1983; co-realized with Kaija Saariaho the music of “Collisions”, a multi-media show by Pierre Friloux and Francoise Gedanken (premiered at Ars Electronica 84). 1988 realization of “Venus Hybrid”, installation with computer music and synthetic images together with Pierre Friloux for the First New York Festival. 1988-89 cooperation with Kaija Saariaho for the multi-media show “A Christmas for Vincent Van Gogh” (premiere at New York 1989). Concerts in Japan, USA, Canada and various European countries. Since 1989 Director of the Department for Advanced Musical Studies at IRCAM.
Dieter Kaufmann (AT)
Born 1941 in Vienna. Studied Musical Education, Germanistic linguistics, Arts History, violincello, composition with Schiske, Einem, Messiaen and Leibowitz as well as electroacoustic music with Franyois Bayle and Pierre Schaeffer at the Groupe de Recherches Musicales of French Broadcasting Corp. Since 1970 lecturer electro-acoustical music at Vienna Music College. 1979 founder of “K&K Experimentalstudio” together with the actress Gunda König. Since 1983 composition c1ass at Carinthia State Conservatory and president of Austria’s IGNM section. Compositions commissioned by festivals, music ensembles and orchestras. Numerous records.
Thomas Kessler (CH)
Born 1937 in Zurich. Germanistic and Romanic linguistics at Zurich and Paris Universities. Studied music at the State College of Music in Berlin with Heinz F. Hartig, Boris Blacher and Ernst Pepping. 1965 he founded his own studio for electronic music. 1968 Berlin Young Generation Arts Award. In the following years director of Berlin Electronic Beat Studio and musical director of the Centre Universitaire International de Formation et de Recherche Dramatiques at Nancy. Since 1973 lecturer for theorie and composition at the Basel Music Academy. Numerous computer music compositions, e.g. “Drumphony” for drums, computer and orchestra (1981), “Flute Control” for flute and computer (1986).
Alejandro Viñao (AR)
Alejandro Viñao was born 1951 in Buenos Aires. He studied composition, guitar and conducting in Buenos Aires where he lived until 1975. He also studied architecture for two years at the University of Buenos Aires. In 1975 he was awarded a British Council scholarship to further studies in composition and electroic music at the Royal College of Music in London. WHile at the Royal College of Music he won the “Cobbett Prize” in chamber music composition. He continued his work in electronic and computer music at The City University, graduating in 1979. After graduation he taught electronic music composition at the latter. In 1988 he was awarded a Ph.D. in composition at the same institution. In 1979 his composition “Una Orquestra Imaginaria” won the second prize ex-aequo at the International Competition for Electroacoustic Music at Bourges, France. Two years later his composition “Go” was awarded the first prize at the same competition. Since then his compositions have been played and broadcasted in more than fifteen countries. Alejandro Viñao has received commissions from various performing groups with the assistance of th Arts Council of Great Britain and has also been commissioned by IRCAM in France among other institutions. In 1984, the International Rostrum of Electroacoustic Music at the UNESCO World Music Council selected “Go” as the piece of the year. Viñao was composer in residence at MIT in the USA from January till May 1987. His MIT commission “Toccata del Mago” was premiered in Boston in April ’87. During his visit to America the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra presented the USA premiere of his “Triple Concerto”. “Triple Concerto” was awarded an Honorary Mention at the 1988 Prix Ars Electronica. New commissions for 1989/90 include a piece for The Kronos String Quartet of San Francisco, a computer piece for the Groupe de Musique Experimentale de Bourges in France and a piece for the Ensemble Intercontemporain at IRCAM. In addition to his instrumental, electroacoustic music compositions he has also been involved with writing and playing rock music, the creation of multi-media works, and has composed music for some 20 films.
David Wessel (US)
David Wessel has a well developed background in both science and music. He began his professional musical life in high school as a jazz percussionist. While studying mathematics at the University of Illinois in the early 60’s he met Lejaren Hiller who introduced him to the musical possibilities of computers. While earning his Ph.D. in Mathematical and Theoretical Psychology at Stanford University he encountered John Chowning and Leland Smith with whom he began his computer music studies combining his interests in perceptual and cognitive psychology, computer science, and music. In 1969, he became Assistant Professor of Psychology at Michigan State University where he established a computer-based musical perception laboratory and studied musical timbre. In 1976, he was invited as a researcher to IRCAM in Paris and in 1980 became head of IRCAM’s Pedagogy Unit. He developed this unit into a bridge between science and technology on the one hand and musical composition and realization on the other. While in this position he supervised and participated in a number of projects with invited composers. In 1984, he introduced personal computers to IRCAM and established a new unit concerned with their development. In the fall of 1988, he left Paris to become Professor of Music at the University of California at Berkeley where he is Research Director of the newly established Center for New Music and Audio Technologies (CNMAT). His music is recorded on Japan Victor and WERGO.
