Mi 13.05.2026, 16:00 Uhr

ICMC 2026 - Special Panel: Clarence Barlow

This year marks the 80th anniversary of Clarence Barlow. On this occasion, International Computer Music Conference 2026 hosts a special panel dedicated to his legacy in computer music. Invited speakers: Fabian Czolbe Bernd Härpfer John Chowning Anne Wellmer Moderator: Georg Hajdu A highlight of the panel is the presence of computer music pioneer John Chowning, who has traveled from California to Hamburg to present: John Chowning: “Algorithmic Compositions at Bell Telephone Laboratories in the 1960s” Chowning revisits the earliest experiments in algorithmic composition at Bell Telephone Laboratories, where Max Mathews and colleagues, together with John R. Pierce, explored the possibilities of computer-generated music using the MUSIC III and IV programs. These works, while often playful in character, laid the conceptual foundations for algorithmic composition. The presentation will introduce and discuss works by Mathews, Pierce, James Tenney, and Jean-Claude Risset. Fabian Czolbe, Bernd Härpfer, Julian Rohrhuber “Amplifying Participation: The Digital Barlow Archive (dBA)” This contribution addresses the challenges of archiving computer music, whose process-based and software-driven nature resists traditional archival methods. The Digital Barlow Archive (dBA) proposes a participatory and translational approach that captures not only musical results but also compositional processes, code, and implicit knowledge. Rather than merely preserving materials, the archive actively shapes access, interpretation, and reuse—positioning archiving as an epistemic practice within the computer music community. Bernd Härpfer “From Pioneer to Role Model” A reflection on Barlow’s profound influence as composer, researcher, and connector within the international computer music community. A key milestone highlighted is his role in organizing the International Computer Music Conference 1988 Cologne. Raphael Radna “Tombeau de Barleau” An interactive audiovisual composition honoring Barlow, in which performers engage with a game-based system that algorithmically generates music. The work reflects key aspects of Barlow’s thinking, including formalized processes, cross-domain translation, and playful structural design. Anne Wellmer TBA