UA’s Sonic Frontiers Presents Electronic Music Pioneer in Free Concert

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The University of Alabama’s Sonic Frontiers concert series presents its second concert of the “California Experiments” 2016-2017 season Jan. 27 at 7:30 p.m.

Electronic music pioneer Tim Perkis will perform at UA’s School of Music Moody Recital Hall located at 810 Second Ave.

Admission is free.

Perkis has worked in the medium of live electronic and computer sound since the 1970s, performing, exhibiting installation works, and recording in North America, Europe and Japan.

His work is largely concerned with exploring the emergence of life-like properties in complex systems of interaction.

Ongoing groups he has founded or played in include the League of Automatic Music Composers and the Hub, which, in the late 1970s, were pioneering live computer network bands.

He has taught at the California Institute of the Arts and the California College of the Arts. He’s been a composer-in-residence at Mills College in Oakland, California, an artist-in-residence at Xerox Corp.’s Palo Alto Research Center, and designed musical tools and toys at Paul Allen’s legendary think-tank, Interval Research.

In addition to his musical work, Perkis’ career as a researcher and engineer has brought him a variety of interesting projects.

He’s created data sonification displays for research physicists and biologists in France; designed museum displays for science and music museums in San Francisco, Toronto and Seattle; created artificial-intelligence based auction tools for business; worked on mobile phone-based support systems for the blind; consulted on multimedia art presentation networks for the SF Art Commission and SF Airport; wrote software into toys and other consumer products; and created new tools for sound and video production, research and analysis.

For a demonstration of Perkis playing an improvised instrument, click here.

Sonic Frontiers is a cutting-edge concert series of innovative and experimental music that enriches the cultural life of West Alabama and invites creative exchange between world-class performers of adventurous music, students and the greater community through public performances and lively post-concert discussions.

All Sonic Frontiers events are free and open to the public. This event is sponsored by the UA’s New College and the College of Arts and Sciences. For more information, visit http://sonicfrontiers.ua.edu

Up next for Sonic Frontiers: Vinny Golia Duo with the University of Alabama Jazz Orchestra Feb. 14.