Keywords Universities/Colleges

The resident musicians 1965-72 included the composers Jack Behrens, Bruce Davis, Peter Huse, R. Murray Schafer, and Phillip Werren and the mezzo-soprano Phyllis Mailing. Short-term residents included Cornelius Cardew, Udo Kasemets, Olivier Messiaen, and Christian Wolff. In the early 1970s the emphasis shifted from single musicians to in-residence ensembles and from composers to performers. These included Mailing 1965-7 and 1970-5, the Lyric Arts Trio 1971-2, the Purcell String Quartet 1972-82, the early music specialist David Skulski 1973-6, and the conductor Jon Washburn in 1974.

In addition to performing and conducting workshops, the ensembles made frequent tours of British Columbia. Mailing served 1966-8 as conductor of the 32-voice Simon Fraser University Choir and its subsection, the Simon Fraser University Chamber Singers. David Keane took over 1968-70 during Mailing's absence. In 1970, on her return, Mailing reorganized the choirs as the Madrigal Singers (Burnaby, BC). The Singers continued under her direction until 1974. Jon Washburn conducted the group briefly in 1974, followed by Leonard Lythgoe 1974-5, and Scott Andrews in 1975. After five years of apparent inactivity, Doreen Oke was director 1980-3 (outside of the university), after which the group ceased to exist. The funding of the in-residence ensembles was supported by the Canada Council and the Koerner Foundation.

The heads of the Centre for Communications and the Arts were Bruce Attridge 1965-6, Tom Mallinson 1966-8, Patrick Lyndon 1968-70, and Nini Baird 1970-2. In 1972 the centre was divided into the Dept of Communication Studies (later Dept of Communication) and the Centre for Communications and the Arts, the latter directed by Nini Baird until 1976. Another reorganization in that year transformed the Centre for Communications and the Arts into the Centre for the Arts within the Faculty of Interdisciplinary Studies. Evan W. Alderson was appointed the reorganized centre's head. Grant Strate was appointed director in 1980, succeeded by Rudolf Komorous in 1989. In 1990 the centre's name was changed to School for Contemporary Arts to reflect the increased emphasis on interdisciplinary programs and the shared philosophical focus of all areas on the theory and practice of contemporary art.

The Centre for the Arts developed credit courses in dance, film, music, theatre, and the visual arts. Courses have been offered in music history and the basics of music. In 1981 a minor credit in contemporary music was instituted. From 1981 the centre began to focus on composition, electroacoustic and computer music, world music, and interdisciplinary collaboration. The degree offered in 1990 was a BA majoring in Fine and Performing Arts with music concentration. Proposed for 1992 is a BFA in music with emphasis in music composition, electroacoustic music, and world music. In 1990 there were 7 full time faculty and 80 students. Teachers have included Ingrid Buch and the composer David McIntyre. The composition faculty was strengthened with the addition of composer and conductor Owen Underhill in 1981, Martin Bartlett (b Croydon, Eng, 1939, d Half Moon Bay, BC, 22 Aug 1993, a specialist in live electroacoustic music) in 1982 and Komorous in 1989. Barry Truax was appointed jointly by the centre and the Dept of Communication in 1975. The latter includes in its syllabus courses, towards a degree in communication, on such topics as acoustic and electroacoustic music and sound tape recording. It houses the Sonic Research Studio originally developed by Schafer after 1965, and the World Soundscape Project initiated by Schafer in 1971 and carried on by Barry Truax and Hildegard Westerkamp. The music specialist in the Faculty of Education was Joachim Sandvoss (d 1979). Sandvoss' successor, Robert Walker, was appointed in 1980.

In 1990 the combined Computing Engineering, Communication, and Centre for the Arts departments opened the Centre for Image/Sound Research (CISR). CISR projects have included Compose, a computer-based choreography system developed by the university's Computing Engineering faculty, and development of an advanced computer music circuit board by Truax. Martin Gotfrit was appointed acting director of CISR in 1990 pending the completion of a search for a full-time executive director.

Beginning in 1986, there have been regular summer offerings in the areas of gamelan performance and interactive electronics. Following Expo 86 the Indonesian government donated a complete Javanese gamelan to the university. Gamelan expert K.R.T.Wasitodipuro (also known as Pak Cokro) has been a frequent instructor at the summer program.

Besides attracting outstanding practising musicians to its ranks, the university has been visited by several hundred ensembles and soloists whose programs have given much emphasis to contemporary Canadian music.

Bibliography

Baird, Nini. 'Centre for Communications and the Arts,' Communications 70, Apr 1970