TIES — Toronto International Electroacoustic Symposium

In 2007, under the initiative of then-President David Ogborn, the annual Toronto Electroacoustic Symposium (TES) was launched as a collaboration between NAISA — New Adventures in Sound Art and the CEC. The events at this annual symposium (paper presentations, concerts, installations, lecture-recitals and more) are timed to coincide with and complement NAISA’s annual Sound Travels events.

Building on the solid foundations laid by Ogborn, from 2012–14 CEC Board member Emilie LeBel took over as Chair and was instrumental in broadening the scope and reach of the symposium. In 2014, the Ontario Region of the Canadian Music Centre (CMC) was invited on board as a collaborator and, in order to better reflect the broad and rich community of participants, the symposium was renamed the Toronto International Electroacoustic Symposium (TIES).

With internationally renowned Keynote speakers such as acousmatic composer Francis Dhomont, sound artist Chantal Dumas, hardware hacker Nic Collins, composer-improvisor Pauline Oliveros and plunderphonicker John Oswald, TIES has proven very effective in bringing together the various members of the Toronto community on a recurring basis and has succeeded in strengthening the local scene, as well as increasing its visibility both regionally and internationally. [#TorontoEA]

We invite you to browse through the various editions of the symposium using the links below. Many of the papers presented over the years have subsequently been published in article form in the CEC’s online journal for electroacoustic practices, eContact!

TIES (2014–2017)

TIES 2017

9–12 August 2017 @ The Distillery District and the CMC
Keynote Lecturer: Sound Artist Chantal Dumas
Chairs: Nadene Thériault-Copeland and Darren Copeland
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC with the collaboration of the CMC

Symposium papers will be published in article form in eContact! 19.2 — TIES 2017 (December 2017).

TIES 2016

10–13 August 2016 @ Geary Lane and the CMC
Keynote Lecturer: Plunderphonicker/composer John Oswald
Chairs: Nadene Thériault-Copeland and Eldad Tsabary
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC with the collaboration of the CMC

Common threads in this year’s presentations included the nature of the performance space and the roles of those articulating works within these spheres. A selection of articles from the symposium were published in article form in eContact! 18.4 — TIES 2016 (August 2017).

TIES 2015

19–22 August 2015 @ Artscape Wychwood Barns and the CMC
Keynote Lecturer: Hardware hacker/composer Nicolas Collins
Chair: Eldad Tsabary
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC with the collaboration of the CMC

Participants presented their work on topics such as algorithmic creation, pedagogy, cross-media, musicking and more. Check out eContact! 18.2 — TIES 2015 (March 2016) for a selection of articles from the symposium.

TIES 2014

13–17 August 2014 @ Artscape Wychwood Barns and the CMC
Keynote Lecturer: Composer/improvisor Pauline Oliveros
Chair: Emilie LeBel
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC with the collaboration of the CMC

Composers, performers, researchers and institutions presented recent work and reflections on instrument and technology development, technologies and accessibility, notation, compositional praxis, sound art and more. Check out eContact! 17.3 — TIES 2014 (September 2015) for a selection of articles from the symposium.

TES (2007–2013)

TES 2013

14–17 August 2013 @ Artscape Wychwood Barns
Keynote Lecturer: Acousmatic composer Francis Dhomont
Chair: Emilie LeBel
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC

Researchers and practitioners from diverse backgrounds discussed form and function in EA, laptop orchestras and interactive, networked performance practices. Check out eContact! 16.3 — TES 2013 (December 2014) for a selection of articles from the symposium.

TES 2012

15–18 August 2012 @ Artscape Wychwood Barns
Keynote Lecturer: Vocalist and sound artist Trevor Wishart
Chair: Emilie LeBel
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC

This edition of TES featured a particular focus on live performance and interactive or collaborative creative practices, including sessions on “Live Practice and Global Perspectives” and “Process, Practice and Collaboration”. An open session of collaborative ensemble performance was led by the Cybernetic Orchestra. Check out eContact! 15.2 — TES 2012 (May 2013) for a selection of papers presented at the symposium, as well as several interviews and columns.

TES 2011

10–13 August 2011 @ various venues
Keynote Lecturer: Acousmatic composer Jonty Harrison
Chair: David Ogborn
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC

The 5th edition of TES featured presentations on “Creation”, “Analysis”, “Algorithms”, “Space”, “Listening to the World” and “Curation”. A special session was held featuring the Participatory Electronic Ensemble Performance (PEEP). Alongside articles from the symposium, several interviews and columns were published in eContact! 14.4 — TES 2011 (March 2013).

TES 2010

4–7 August 2010 @ various venues
Chair: David Ogborn
Keynote Lecturer: Acousmatic composer Christian Calon
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC

In 2010 TES featured sessions on such topics as “Instruments and Interaction”, “Cognition, Interpretation and Analysis”, “EA Education”, “Tangible Music” and “Process and Algorithm”. Many articles were published in eContact! 13.3 — TES 2010 (June 2011).

TES 2009

6–8 August 2009 @ various venues
Chair: David Ogborn
Keynote Lecturer: Acousmatic composer Annette Vande Gorne
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC

Presentations at TES 2009 addressed topics such as “History and Communities”, “EA Education and Pedagogy”, “(Acoustic) Ecology”, “Interpretation, Criticism and Analysis” and “Live Electronics and Interaction”. The third edition of the symposium is featured in eContact! 11.4 — TES 2009 (December 2009).

TES 2008

7–9 August 2008 @ various venues
Keynote Lecturers: Acousmatic composer Robert Normandeau and improvisor Ellen Waterman
Chair: David Ogborn
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC

Symposium sessions include “The State of The Art”, “The Electroacoustic Voice” and “Systems and Techniques”. Presentations from TES 2008 were published in eContact! 11.2 — Canadian Figures 2 (July 2009).

TES 2007

9–10 August 2007 @ various venues
Keynote Lecturers: Soundscape composer Barry Truax and vocalist/composer Trevor Wishart
Chair: David Ogborn
A co-presentation of NAISA and the CEC

Symposium sessions include “The Discipline of Electroacoustics”, “Interfaces and Environments”, “Soundscapes”, “Instruments and Installations” and “Live Electronics”. Many of the presentations from TES 2007 can be read in eContact! 10.3 — TES 2007 (May 2008).