Moog Music updated their announcement about Ethermusic Fest 2006 tonight and added this unfortunate news:
Please make all travel plans 30 days out (around June 30-July 3).
At that time Moog Music will confirm that we received the required number of registrants to continue.
I spoke with Jared from Moog Music today and he confirmed the news: the event is at risk of being canceled if they don't get more registrants soon.
Moog Music is still in discussions regarding additional events & speakers for the festival, so if you're waiting to see what the final lineup looks like before you commit, please reconsider and sign up now!
Those of you who attended last year's event know how special this kind of gathering can be. Even if you're not planning to go, I'm urging you on behalf of World Thereminization to help spread the word and tell your friends, families, neighbors, and complete strangers about Ethermusic Fest 2006.
And if you are already signed up, don't forget to edit your profile on Theremin World to let other folks in our forums know.
I'm still looking for a volunteer to help blog the event for Theremin World. There's a free t-shirt in it for you...
If you're not familiar with last year's festival, check out these posts in our forums for a day-by-day account:
Check out the Ethermusic Fest 2006 website for more details. A 4-day pass is just $250, and a Saturday-only pass is $100. Don't miss out!
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I wrote them a month ago and let them know they needed to get off their ass and release information on the event, and they still haven't done that completely yet.
They are asking for a major commitment from potential participants without providing the basic information needed to make that decision.
That is NOT the way to entice participation or inspire confidence.
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[edit] Later the same day....I apologize for my bruskness earlier, but I don't have a lot of time before work to think things out more, and I was obviously a bit perturbed that Moog Music would handle things in this manner. I however stand behind the gist of my comments. - Jeff
Lydia Kavina will have slots available for private lessons in addition to the Master Class on Sunday. The prospect of private lessons with Lydia was enough to encourage me to register.
Linda at Moog Music was very enthusiastic about the event -- the folks at Moog Music are looking forward to EtherMusic because they all had so much fun last year. The company is clearly behind Ethermusic 2006 and is commited to sponsoring a quality event.
Perhaps Moog have taken a bit long getting their ducks in a row, but fortunately it isn't organisation that ultimately makes an event. People make events.
So I am slightly less than happy camper about not being able to go, not merely for the opportunity to introduce some of the world's greatest thereminists to the frothatrill, amusing as I would find that, but for the people, because it attracts some terrific people, and that's what makes an event great.
From everything I have read about last year's event, a great time is guaranteed, organisational inconveniences notwithstanding.
In short, the only thing that could stop it happening is people not registering - big events need funds, and that means bums on seats - so not registering on the grounds that it might not happen is really not a good idea.
So I say - register! Have a great time, and I expect to hear all about it, with tons of photos and videos and stuff.
:-)
Even if you're not planning to attend, [i]please[/i] help us spread the word. If you've a member of other music communities (online or otherwise), please cross-post information about the festival to help ensure its success.
Ann
i have 700-900+ views a week at video.google and that doesn't cost me anything.
i prefer dealing with positive situations that don't cost me something more valuable than cash.
now if i had a theremin brassiere then i could get some respect, eh? well how about a theremin codpiece? maybe i should take up juggling my theremin.
successful communities contain members that support each others endeavours.
One of my hopes is to take lessons and learn from others. For example, I have encountered musical passages that are difficult to play -- perhaps someone there will offer a suggestion or teach me techniques that will enable me to nail those passages. That "someone" might be Jon, Lydia, Wilco, or anyone else who has registered.
There is the possibility, then, that I will emerge a better player. No doubt I will emerge with ideas for new compositions.
As far as video... well... if I am in master classes struggling to play tough passages and producing ugly sounds as a result, PLEASE don't broadcast it! Some outtakes should forever remain outtakes :)
I wish that there was a list of attendees with links to their websites (if they have them). To be familiar with my fellow participants' music in advance would be valuable and, well, would certainly make conversation-starters.
I view EM2006 is an opportunity to be inspired, educated, and enlightened.
thinking about that slows the process - it's like the diference between code written in machine language and a higher level language such as basic, pascal or c++.
remember the notion of pulling music out of the "ether"? that means you aren't thinking about it, but rather, letting the parts off your brain which are not cognitive, verbal, and graspable do the work for you. the conscious verbal ego is a very small part of the brain/mind like the keyboard of your computer. the real computational power lies within. the ego has noe.
no one throws or catches a ball by sitting down and writing our the mathematics and motions required to accomplish the task.
the theremin liberates music from the traditional process through intuitive playing rather than tradtional schooling technique.
when i saw the play about leon theremin at the czech embassy i was delighted to find that our hero thought exactly the same way as i do about this. damned revolutionary idealistic commie!
that sort of thinking got him thrown out of the country imo. that and him marrying a black woman.
btw - i'm not a commie so please don't report me to homeland security - i'm, a crypto-libertarian-anarchist with a strong layer of pragmatism and a registered republican who wishes there was a man like nixon to vote for. (plays the star spangled banner on theremin)
One of the reasons I enjoy forums such as Thereminworld is that people often post opinions that are thought-provoking.
I believe what Rupert is saying is that to "think while playing" is high-level (inefficient), such as commands made to an intepretor or pushed through a compiler. One reacts quicker if the actions are imbedded into one's brain cells -- like machine instructions.
Two aspects of computer programming have similar aspects in music: Development time and run time.
The fastest and most efficient runtime environment results from assembler language development (mnemonics that directly correspond to the machine language of a CPU). To write in assembler language is very time-consuming. However, when you need the absolute fastest run time, then there is no other choice but assembler language.
High level languages generally require a shorter development time however result in a slower run time environment than assembler language.
[i]Practice time[/i] is the development time of music making -- the time when decisions are made, different things are worked, reworked, kept, or abandonded. When a performer finds solutions to tough passages. Not to mention determining equipment setups, patches, etc. Careful preparation and slow practice are similar to coding in assembler language.
[i]Performance[/i] is the run time of music-making. It is the time when all the preparation comes together -- where all has been prepared to the point where it is embedded into one's brain and muscles. Indeed, it is the time to make music! The smoothness of the performance is related to the kind of preparation that went into it.
There is nothing like a performance date to force one to focus one's efforts. A performance challenges one to remain calm under pressure and to make music despite distractions. Indeed, to perform IS a learning experience.
Performing and listening are both learning experiences.
To participate as a listener is a valuable learning experience when one is open to it.
i wouldn't let on that you are intelligent enough to understand me, these rude and coarse peasants have pitchforks and torches.
/ducks
I'm not feeling very intelligent at the moment because my attempts to focus this thread on Ethermusic Fest continue to fail. :(
So, help me out, folks!
Does anyone want to discuss Ethermusic Fest? Are you sitting on the fence not sure if you want to go? If you are going, are there specific workshop topics that you'd like to suggest (we could probably contact MM in advance with ideas... the workshop schedule looks pretty 'open ended' at the moment). Does anyone want to perform if they have another "open mic" night?
-- Kevin
Andy
I don't know that it was so much a planning issue on their part, but a lack of interest and commitment on ours.
Perhaps next year will be better. At least now there is time for some to make their case for possibly changing the date to one that may be better for all. The problem with holidays (Labor Day for example) is people have family commitments.