About

Ncounters is a new model of academic discourse. The University of Alberta Graduate Music Student’s Association (GMSA) has created an opportunity for scholars, performers, and spectators to come together in a mutual, multi-leveled engagement with ideas and music.

2011-2012 Season: “Deconstructing Collaboration in Music”
Everything a musician does involves collaboration of some kind. Composers of electroacoustic music work with modern technology to create soundscapes of modern-day life; performers of classical music work with each other and the audience to bring music from another time to life; students work with their teachers to discover their artistic passion; rock bands work with evolving instruments and current issues to create socially relevant music. This year, Ncounters seeks to break down the components that make musical compositions and/or musical performances complete works of art. Each month, we will consider an individual component before we put everything back together at the year-ending conference. Thus, Ncounters takes two forms:

Monthly Ncounters
Our monthly Ncounters offer students, faculty, and community members an informal and supportive environment in which to present their work. Anyone can present any paper, composition, or performance that relates to the monthly theme. We equally encourage academic conference style presentations and experimentation on that form. Presenters who cannot make it to Edmonton are welcome and encouraged to share their work by real-time Internet broadcast (e.g. Skype), or by pre-recorded video with a real-time audio link for audience feedback.

October 27, 2011: “Collaboration the First: Sound“
-The first thing we hear when we listen to music is sound.
-When we recognize a melody we love, we connect to it instantly and cannot help but hum along.
-What we want to know: how do composers and songwriters use layers of sound to create the end goal that we recognize as the complete work?

November 25, 2011: “Collaboration the Second: Technology“
-Technology is fundamental to making music.
-Remember: a violin is as much of a piece of technology as a sound board.
-What we want to know: how do composers and performers use technology to create music? What would happen to the product if the technology changed?

February 10, 2012: “Collaboration the Third: People and Their Words“
-Music only truly exists because people perform it and listen to it; colleagues, band members, etc. work together to make the music happen.
-We never forget the words to our favourite songs; words add an even deeper layer to music to which we can instantly connect.
-What are examples of the best human collaborations creating the best music? How many people are truly involved in a musical performance?
-How do words influence how various genres of music are composed? Does it start with the music or does it start with the words? Where do the words come from? How much does the subject matter of the words affect what we listen to?

If you are interested in presenting, please email a brief proposal (100-250 words) to uofa.gmsa@gmail.com. Monthly Ncounters are generally held on Friday evenings in October, November, January and February. We will accept proposals up until 11:59pm on the Friday of the week before.

Annual Conference
Each year, Ncounters culminates in a 2-3 day conference held at the University of Alberta Department of Music. We welcome presentations on topics from any disciplinary or transdisciplinary perspective. As with our monthly Ncounters, we welcome presenters to share their work via the internet if they cannot be here in person.

The theme for this year’s conference is “Putting it Back Together: Reconstructing Collaboration in Music.” It will take place on March 23 and 24, 2012. More details in our Call for Submissions.

Past Conferences:
2011: Ncounters: The Audible Past, The Mutable Future
2010: Ncounters: Living in a World of Sound and Noise