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Microtonal Design Unconference 2011</h2>(Please forward this announcement widely!)<br><br>
<p style="font-weight: bold;"><a href="http://oddmusicuc.wordpress.com/" target="_blank">Oddmusic Urbana-Champaign</a> and the <a href="http://www.designingasociety.net/" target="_blank">School for Designing a Society</a> present<br>
<font size="4">A MICROTONAL UNCONFERENCE</font> (<a href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/Microtonal+Design+Unconference+2011" target="_blank">wiki</a>) (<a href="http://oddmusicuc.wordpress.com/programs/microtonal-design-unconference-2011/">blog</a>)<br>
Tuesday April 19 – Saturday April 23, 2011 at the <a href="http://ucimc.org/" target="_blank">Independent Media Center</a> in Urbana, Illinois</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Through a series of historical accidents, Western society’s music
has come to be dominated by a single tuning system, often called
“twelve tone equal temperament.” This dominance is so pervasive that it
is often completely invisible. In this climate of intonational
monoculture, those who oppose the status quo with fresh and oddly-tuned
musics need DESIGN.</p><p><br></p>
<p>Microtonality (or Xenharmonics) is a proposal to sing out of tune
with conventional wisdom and offer a badly-needed alternative to what
everyone already knows. The School for Designing a Society is
currently holding meetings to “unstick the ear” in a seminar called
Microtonal Design, taught by members of Oddmusic U-C. Its participants
seek to collaborate and share what they care about in an experimental
format we’re calling an Unconference.</p><p><br></p>
<p>The ‘un’ in ‘unconference’ refers to a non-hierarchical
organization. To start, we’ll use a collaborative wiki to share plans
and desires, and the events will take shape from there. It’s an
opportunity to present & collaborate on what we are calling
Microtonal Design (compositions, instruments, performances, and other
media) in a variety of formats, as determined by the desires of
participants. We imagine an intensive filled with jams, recording
projects, collaborative composing, manifestos, instrument building,
brainstorming for the future, research, etc.</p><p><br></p>
<p>The event is free and there are many capacities in which you might participate:</p>
<ul><li>You may decide to come to Urbana for the entire five days of the
Unconference, which begins in the afternoon on Tuesday, April 19, when
we finalize the schedule with our special guests and current students
and organizers.</li><li>Or you may decide to come on Friday, April 22, for an all-day
interdisciplinary intensive which lasts until Saturday (IMC-OMNIA).</li><li>Or may decide to come on Saturday, April 23, for a culminating
event: a three-hour gala with workshops, performances, and various
other showings and events related to Microtonal Design, which will be
publicized in Urbana. You may prefer to show up for the event and
participate as a casual event-goer; or you may bring something to
present. In the latter case, please get in touch ahead of time.</li></ul>
<p>If you would like to participate in any capacity other than casual event-goer on Saturday, April 23, please start by <a href="http://xenharmonic.wikispaces.com/Microtonal+Design+Unconference+2011" target="_blank">editing the wiki page for the Unconference</a> (anyone may edit, with or without a Wikispaces account) and add your name to the list or participants.</p>
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