Introduction: Musical Research at IRCAM

This issue presents a snapshot of Musical Research at Ircam between 2008 and 2011, following the very first issue of this journal in 1984 on Musical Thought at IRCAM (Tod Machover, Editor). Within this time span, whereas the role of Ircam as an institution dedicated to scientific research for artistic creativity has remained unchanged, the context of such innovative endeavors, the role of the institution in the new social context, and its impact in the ever-democratized access to new technologies for the arts have changed considerably. A comparative study of this global evolution in the life and orientations of the institute, and within the larger context of musical research between the two issues is thus the subject of this editorial note. In contrast to the 1980s, computer music and technological approaches to music composition and practices have now become highly democratized and are no longer in the hands of, or led by a few funded institutions. This is to a large extent due to the wise politics of such institutions in the cultural, educational and technological dissemination of their findings to the greater music community. Innovation in the arts and technologies is thus no longer a specific privilege, and the role of institutions has changed accordingly. On the technological side, innovations for the arts can take place in small laboratories or at home and on all continents, to the extent that dominating patterns have diminished despite varying qualities of work. On the artistic side, dominating schools of thought have become rare and plural artistic currents share the global common space. It is thus important to note the shift from ‘musical thought at Ircam’ in the 1984 issue, to ‘musical research’ here with corresponding connotations. The role of institutions such as Ircam in this global and social context is to foster creativity at the intersection and union of artistic, imaginary, and scientific discovery. Such mutual impact is not only a matter of inspiration but also a consequence of physical laboratories where artists and scientists can collaborate on common goals despite their cultural differences. In a global context, where scientific and cultural institutions have uniformly acquired their own identities and independent workflows, the role of Ircam as an institution is the coordination of communities towards a common goal for the arts by constituting and providing playgrounds for such heterogeneous workgroups. Contemporary Music Review, 2013 Vol. 32, No. 1, 1–3, http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07494467.2013.774121