No More!: Music for Choir and Electronic Media

This paper will discuss the history of electronic music, survey several landmarks of literature for choir and electronic media, discuss the preparation of two works, and clarify the need for further research in this area. The historical overview discusses the philosophies and techniques of three influential composition studios in the mid-20th century. This early history lays the foundations for the compositions discussed in later chapters. Techniques for electronic composition are ever-evolving and require extensive technical knowledge. I will discuss foundational and mechanical techniques, but a comprehensive list of the tools available to composers and their effects lies outside this document’s scope. The review of significant works examines this genre’s richness and variety, which is largely unexplored; however, an exhaustive list of works for choir and electronic media is beyond the scope of this document. Instead, I will discuss works directly influenced by the 20th-century pioneers of electronic music and compositions that demonstrate developments in computer technology, live electronic performance, and the evolving NFT market. I will not discuss these composers’ biographies which are well documented and readily available. Finally, discussing the analysis and preparation of works by Gregory Woolf and Anthony Maglione will include considerations of technology, performance practice, and rehearsal techniques. These chapters address obstacles conductors will face when preparing works for choir and electronic media and demonstrate solutions to technological challenges. Highlighting the process will help demystify the genre for those who wish to perform these or other works.