In celebration of the Nordic Music Days, we present two different workshops, both held the weekend before the festival starts, Oct. 7th-9th. We invite anyone interested in the subjects to register for these workshops for free and join us for a fun weekend, and possibly a performance at Nordic Music Days!

The DIMI-A Synthesizer

Workshop: The DIMI-A synthesizer

The DIMI-A is an early electronic synthesizer designed by Finnish media art pioneer Erkki Kurenniemi in 1970. It is a curiosity instrument - a rare and esoteric instrument now gaining public attention. In this workshop multimedia artist and musician Jari Suominen will give an overview of the DIMI-A, followed by a more focussed composition workshop. We will explore the instrument and write short studies for it which will be presented at the opening concert at the Nordic Music Days.

The workshop will be a media-archaeological journey into the electronic music of the past - the techniques and methods applied - which will provide a deeper understanding of today’s electronic music. Through exploring, composing, playing and performing, we hope to create a fun and inclusive environment discovering how the experimental technologies of the past can influence current practices. The workshop is open to everyone, but there will be space limits. We will seek to select a diverse group for the workshop.

Register for free: https://forms.office.com/r/FWSVxgjvUN

Be one of the first Organilib users at the New Instruments workshop

Workshop: New Instruments

In this workshop people of all skills and backgrounds can come and explore the ideas and technologies used to create intelligent musical systems. The workshop will focus on music, ideas, performance, expression, and the role of technology in creative work. During these three days we will look at how new musical instruments can change the way we think about musical practice and make music.

Through looking at new technologies, interfaces and technical elements developed in the lab, we create the conditions for workshop participants to make their own instruments, systems, or compositions. We invite everyone to join the workshop: the only thing you need is a deep interest in music, musical instruments and how new instruments can be built with contemporary technologies.

Register for free: https://forms.office.com/r/WDnMpzB6rf

Panels at Nordic Music Days

As a part of the Innovative Instruments Exhibition, the Innovation Panels dive into two related themes: contemporary luthery and composing systems.

Friday, October 14, 2022
The conference room in Ráðhúsið, City Hall
Free admission

Composing Systems

Where and when: 10-12am in the Conference Room

With new technologies for musical expression, a whole new world opens up for composers, performers, instrument makers, and the audience. Indeed, many of these roles do not make sense anymore, as composers are increasingly composing instruments and instrument designers become composers. This panel will investigate the origins and meaning of this new “systems design” approach in musical composition and performance, together with people who work across these domains, in a manner that is becoming increasingly visible in today’s music.

Moderator: Thor Magnusson

Panelists: Bergrún Snæbjörnsdóttir, Sóley Sigurjónsdóttir, Halldór Eldjárn and Davíð Brynjar Franzson

Contemporary Lutherie

Where and when: 13-15pm in the Conference Room

Classical musical instrument design has somewhat been frozen in time. Improvements or new instruments are slow, but developments in new electronic and digital instruments are flourishing. However, the acoustic is always fascinating and in our postdigital culture, instrument makers are embracing all the materials available: acoustic, electronic and digital. In this panel we invite instrument makers to discuss their philosophy and approach to contemporary instrument design. We will poke into why they are designing new instruments, how they work with performers and how they evaluate their instruments. What is the origin story of an instrument in the making?

Moderator: Nicola Privato

Panelists: Úlfur Hansson, Halldór Úlfarsson, Lilja Maria Ásmundsdóttir and Jari Suominen

Learn more: https://nordicmusicdays.org/innovation-panels