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Unique Music
171 Main Street,
Willoughby on the Wolds,
Loughborough,
Leics. LE12 6SY
UK.
Unique Music
www.uniqmusic.co.uk
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Research
My research has been devoted largely to algorithmic composition. In 1992 at the University of York I conceived the notion of a real-time algorithmic composition language to support the work Ross Kirk and I were involved with at that time - the MIDAS system. The result was Tabula Vigilans, which, in the absence of MIDAS, was written with a MIDI interface. This was essentially completed by 1994. Since then there have been a number of additions, some facilitated by John Fitch. Current development of the program (2007) is geared towards integration with the full range of Composers’ Desktop sound-processing programs, making the possibility of creating complete electro-acoustic compositions within Tabula Vigilans a viable prospect..
Tabula Vigilans has been used to create a wide variety of applications, including some for real-time interactive performance by chance means using the movement of an audience-group with sensors, and for concert performance (e.g. my works Gloria and Timeshadows). In 2003 I turned my attention to algorithmic score-composition, and developed ScoreBuilder, and later a graphic front-end to ScoreBuilder which I called FormBuilder. The first release of FormBuilder from this website was made available in June, 2006.
Publications
Orton, R. and Kirk, P.R. (1992) 'Tabula Vigilans.' Proceedings of the International Computer Music Conference 1992 pp 243-
Orton, R. (1993) 'Musical Applications of the tabular manipulations in Tabula Vigilans'. Chroma, Journal of the Australian Computer Music Association.
Kirk, R., Orton, R. et al. (1994) 'Evolution of Timbres through the use of Tabula Vigilans on the MIDAS system.' Contemporary Music Review, Vol. 10 part 2, ed. Simon Emmerson pp 201-
Orton, R. (1996) 'Design Strategies for Algorithmic Composition'. Contemporary Music Review, Vol. 15, Parts 3-
Orton, R. (1998) 'Choice and Chance in Algorithmic Composition'. Paper delivered at the Workshop on Compositional Use of Computers, University of Limerick, 1998.
Other Writing
Richard Orton: ‘Where is the Music Educator?’ (1971) The Australian Journal of Music Education.
Richard Orton: ‘A Composer’s View of Musical Assessment’ (1977) Conference paper, Music in the Secondary School Curriculum).
