THE UNIVERSITY of Limerick (UL) has launched its new electronic music studio, marking a first in the Irish academic landscape.
The University of Limerick Electronic Music Studio (ULEMS) was officially launched last week by Irish electronic music composer Roger Doyle.
The state-of-the-art ULEMS has a wide range of analog and digital synthesisers, and tells the story of electronic music in the 20th and 21st centuries.
The new studio will support students doing the BA in Music, Media, and Performance Technology and the BSc in Interaction Design undergraduate courses.
Jürgen Simpson, director of UL’s Digital Media and Arts Research Centre, said the new studio will help increase opportunities for electronic music in Ireland.
“For over 25 years, UL has played a key role in the development of electronic and computer music in Ireland, supporting education, research, and reaching out to the wider community through conferences, festivals, and partnerships.”
“We are delighted to present this new facility which offers students and guest artists a unique opportunity to explore the rich possibilities and heritage of electronic music instruments,” he said.
The centrepiece of the new studio is a Buchla 200e synthesizer, designed by the late Don Buchla.
A UL representative noted that Buchla’s influence on the development of electronic music was particularly evident in his emphasis on highly experimental approaches and his ideas and instruments are particularly relevant to contemporary artists working with sound today.
