 |
          |
SATA Florence 2004
Computer Music
Host Institutions | Courses | Highlights and Excursions
 |
Music is an international discipline, and musicians thrive on the influences and the traditions of the multinational contributors to their art. Noel Zahler, Sylvia Pasternack Marx Professor of Music directed SATA Florence 2004, a unique study abroad program in computer music attached to a major international research center, The CC music department believes that study abroad in the arts, particularly in music, has been difficult for a great many music majors and minors, as well as other students simply interested in music because of the large number of courses required to fulfill the major in music and because the majority of these courses are given in sequence. Should a student miss any part of the sequence because they chose to study abroad, they may not graduate on time.
Host Institutions | Courses | Highlights and Excursions
SATA Florence 2004 had two host institutions: Centro Tempo Reale and Palazzo Rucellai Institute of Fine and Liberal Arts, founded in 1999, a non-profit educational institution of higher learning in Florence. Founded by the internationally renowned Italian composer, Luciano Berio in 1987, Centro Tempo Reale is today recognized as Italy's premiere research center in computer music. Connecticut College has the opportunity to be the first institution to build an alliance with Centro Tempo Reale and create the possibility for our students to study and work with Centro researchers, composers and engineers in their facilities. The Institute at Palazzo Rucellai provides study abroad programs taught in the American liberal arts tradition for students of colleges and universities worldwide.
Located in Villa Strozzi, one of the most famous and beautiful of the Florentine renaissance villas, within the city limits of Florence and easily accessible from the city center by walking or public transportation, are the laboratories and offices of Centro Tempo Reale. Performances are held in the Lemonaia (Lemon House) adjacent to the villa. All facilities at Centro Tempo Reale are "state of the art."
Centro Tempo Reale is supported by the Region of Tuscany, the Commonwealth of Florence, and RAI (Italian Radio and Television Network) and receives BEEN funding from the Italian National Government, Dipartimento della Mostra. The activities of Centro Tempo Reale focus on the production of musical works employing new technologies, research in areas including sound spatialization and musical processing in real time and the restoration and re-mastering of historical electroacoustic works.
Beginning in 1997, education has assumed an increasingly important role in the activities of Centro Tempo Reale; between 1997 and 1998, the Center organized a course supported by the region of Tuscany and the European community for the development of specialists in computer music. During 1999 the center began a series of two-year projects that it continues today. These courses concentrate on reviving music education in Italy by integrating new technologies coupled with innovative pedagogical methods, professional courses for young composers (18-22) concentrating on the most popular techniques in computer music and their interaction with other disciplines (three projects are required: a work of electronic music, a mixed composition for acoustic and electronic instruments, and a final interdisciplinary project in the form of an interactive installation and courses for non musicians in multi-media.
Music students were able to elect a course equivalent to the Connecticut College music department’s MUS 304, Electroacoustic Music II, at Centro Tempo Reale, taught by Professor Zahler and a member of the Centro Tempo Reale staff. Other courses available at Palazzo Rucellai included the study of music or voice. Professor Zahler will also teach a second Connecticut College music theory course. Palazzo Rucellai will offer CC students the choice of two additional courses in Italian language and culture. Students studying Mus 304 at Centro Tempo Reale will work with a member of Centro Tempo Reale staff, as well as Professor Zahler.
Classes are, for the most part, attended by American students studying in Florence. English speaking Italians teach language and cultural courses and the city of Florence is used as a laboratory for these classes. Students are immersed in the Italian environment and class sizes are small, usually no more that 15.
All students are encouraged to participate in Palazzo Rucellai’s Italian language courses. Italian language skills will be further reinforced while studying with Centro Tempo Reale staff, most of whom speak English. Professor Zahler has lived in Italy extensively over the past twenty-five years for periods up to two years at times. He speaks the language fluently and his wife, Clara Zahler, is a native speaker of the language, having been born and raised in Cremona, Italty and later served for years as a member of the orchestra of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence to campus
In addition to learning interactive technologies and composing at least three projects utilizing different aspects of these technologies SATA Florence 2004 students will have the opportunity to work with Centro Tempo Reale in the production of a number of professional interactive performances held in Florence, Rome and Milan. Students will see, first hand, how performances at major concert halls are prepared, have seminars with major European composers and researchers, and participate in performances, a unique opportunity that cannot be duplicated in the United States. Students will travel with professor Zahler to Venice, Milan, Perugia, and Rome to visit other studios involved in the creation of new works and technologies.
Inquiries about SATA Florence 2004 may be directed to Professor Noel Zahler.