Highlights Computer Music and Sound Technology

Aufführung von Alain Roches «Solstice to Solstice, Piano Vertical» in Zusammenarbeit mit dem ICST am Festival Equinoxe in Genf.
Aufführung von Alain Roches «Solstice to Solstice, Piano Vertical» in Zusammenarbeit mit dem ICST am Festival Equinoxe in Genf.

    «Dialogue with the artistic community is an essential prerequisite for ICST research. Our artist-in-residency and pre-PhD programmes provide a framework for such engagement. ZHdK students benefit from this exchange, as well as from being actively involved in ongoing research projects.»

    Prof. Germán Toro Pérez, Head of the Institute for Computer Music and Sound Technology (ICST)

      Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact

      ICST was represented at international conferences such as TENOR Boston, SMC Stockholm, ACM ICMI Paris, and, with a keynote by Dr Hanna Järveläinen, at the DAFx conference in Copenhagen. Projects such as Ambisonics Plugins, Moving Loundspeakers and Polytempo radiate into the artistic scene and are nurtured by the vibrant exchange of ideas and experiences with the residents of the AiR programme.

      → Overview «Scientific, Artistic and Creative Output and Impact»

        Promotion of Talents and Careers​​​​​​​

        EARS (Emerging Artists-Researchers in Sound and Technology), the ICSTs pre-PhD programme, has completed its first cycle. Two out of four participants successfully applied for PhD programmes at KUG Graz and Malmö Academy of Music. Launched in March 2023, the second cycle aims to promote outstanding projects potentially leading to doctoral research.

        → Overview «Promotion of Talents and Careers»

          Cooperation and Internationality

          Prof Federico Fontana (Department of Mathematics, Computer Science and Physics, University of Udine) has been an associate researcher at ICST since 2023. We will be intensifying our cooperation in the field of audio haptics in the coming years. Jens Badura (Vienna University of Applied Arts), also an associate researcher at ICST since 2023, has helped establish the EARS programme.

          → Overview «Cooperation and Internationality»

            External Funding

            As part of Horizon Europe, ICST is participating in «Curiosoil – Awakening Soil Curiosity to catalyse Soil Literacy», an educational project aiming to strengthen knowledge about soil at schools.

            Pursued in collaboration with the University of Zurich/DIZH, our new project «Speech in Noise in a virtual 3D Audio-Environment» investigates difficulties in understanding speech in adverse listening situations.

            → Overview «Research Projects»

              Event Highlight

              Rama Gottfried, Professor of Contemporary Computer Music Practice at ZHdK since August 2022, provided insights into his richly faceted artistic work in a portrait concert performed with the Berlin-based «ensemble mosaik». His works are scenographic worlds – physical and virtual environments created using acoustic and electronic music, as well as elements of puppet, object and material theatre, live cinema and performance art.

              Concert Rama Grottfried

                Milestone

                The article «Sound stewardship for a noisy planet» was published as a letter in Science on 22 June 2023. Contributors included Dr Marcus Maeder (ICST), Mélia Roger (ICST EARS programme), Matthias C. Rillig, Michael S. Bank and Stefanie Maaß.

                  Reading Tip

                  The article «Effects of vibration direction and pressing force on finger vibrotactile perception and force control», co-authored by Dr Stefano Papetti, Dr Hanna Järveläinen, Yuri de Pra (PhD candidate) and Prof Federico Fontana, discusses the effects of vibration direction and finger pressing force on vibration tactile perception. The aim is to improve the effectiveness of haptic feedback on interactive surfaces.

                    Worth Visiting

                    In the coming months, pianist and composer Alain Roche will be performing «Winter Solstice» on the site of  Munich’s future Concert Hall. During the performance, Roche will be attached to a suspended instrument. Nature sounds from seven locations in Bavaria and Switzerland will be captured live using production software specially developed by the ICST. The performances of «Sunstill» will continue until 20 June 2024.