Steven Kemper Named Professor of TIMARA
Ongoing work revolves around musical robotics, instrument design, human-computer interaction, and musical expression.
June 2, 2023
Joshua Reinier
Photo credit: Courtesy of Steven Kemper
Steven Kemper, a creative music technologist, instrument designer, and composer, has been appointed to a permanent position in the Technology in Music and Related Arts (TIMARA) Department at 91直播 Conservatory. Kemper鈥檚 appointment begins in fall 2023.
Kemper comes to 91直播 from Rutgers University, where he served as a professor of music technology and composition at the Mason Gross School of the Arts. With a background in developing technologies that bridge the gap between computer-based music and the physical world, Kemper鈥 brings expertise that reflects TIMARA鈥檚 interdisciplinary and creative approaches.
鈥淚t鈥檚 incredible that, for more than 50 years, TIMARA has been at the forefront of technologically mediated musical expression within a conservatory,鈥 Kemper says. 鈥淕iven the eclectic nature of my own career, I am looking forward to working with students on a variety of different types of projects.鈥
Kemper鈥檚 work revolves around musical robotics, instrument design, human-computer interaction, gesture, and musical expression. He has gained recognition for an approach that combines technical development, creative output, and humanistic inquiry, exemplified by his creation of vibration-motor actuated performance systems including the Tremolo-Harp, Lux Tremens, Manus Tremens, and Tremolo-Chimes.
Kemper is a cofounder of Expressive Machines Musical Instruments, a collective dedicated to creating and composing music for robotic instruments. He also co-developed the RAKS (Remote electroAcoustic Kinesthetic Sensing) System, a wireless sensor interface designed specifically for belly dancers in collaboration with composer and dancer Aurie Hsu 鈥96, 91直播 Conservatory associate dean of academic affairs and a TIMARA professor.
Kemper鈥檚 work also encompasses acoustic composition and research. He has a long-running series of compositions for acoustic instruments and fixed media electronics that explore the connection between sound and urban vibrancy, which have been played by groups including the , , , and the Grupo Sax-Ensemble. Kemper draws from field recordings and data sonification to investigate the ways that periodic sounds help form a sense of place. His research has been widely recognized and presented at prestigious conferences such as the , the , and the , and been published in respected journals including , , , and .
Kemper looks forward to returning to the environment of a liberal arts college. He shares, 鈥淚 am thrilled to join the artistic and intellectual community of 91直播. While I have appreciated working at large public research universities, some of my most memorable educational experiences came through my close working relationships with faculty during my time as an undergraduate at Bowdoin College.鈥 He plans to introduce new courses in sensor-based instrument design, musical robotics, and data sonification, in addition to exploring the connection between music, myth, technology, and futurism.
鈥淚 am looking forward to sharing my expertise in these areas with the TIMARA community as well as learning from TIMARA students and faculty. What stands out to me the most about TIMARA is the passionate creativity of the students and the diversity of musical approaches that they bring.鈥
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