What is Electroacoustic Studies?
Is this the program you're looking for?
Most students we accept have experience working with sound. They have worked individually, commercially or in school on a range of sound projects, and know the fundamentals of commercial software apps. The Major and Minor in Electroacoustic Studies are not introductory sound programs; applicants should know these fundamental skills before applying. Our courses combine lectures, research and studio assignments that focus developing technical skills in a creative environment.
Are you interested in all kinds of sounds? This program is for students who want to:
- invent sound-designed atmospheres
- tell stories
- transform sounds
- create imaginary audio soundscapes, or create sounds for dancers and animators
- work in multichannel environments
- perform with others
- record on location
- develop a critical ear
- explore analog modular synthesis, virtual synthesis, and live coding
If this resonates with you, this is the right program.
Listen to CLOrk, Concordia's Laptop Orchestra
What job can this lead me to?
The development of the applicant’s aural acuity and skills prepares them to work in a very wide range of fields – anywhere a loudspeaker is found is ground for employment opportunities. Examples include Music Producer, Composer, Foley Artist, and Sound Designer for video games, theater, film, dance, and live performances.
As a student, you have opportunities for experiential learning. Take advantage of working with local and regional communities through course-based internships.
Before you apply
Look closely at your portfolio and your interests
- Are your samples all recordings of you and your band? Perhaps you are looking for a dedicated recording arts program.
- Are you including videos of you singing your own, original songs? Perhaps the song-writing area of the Department of Music is what you are looking for.
- Are you really interested in the sociology and buzz around music? Perhaps the Communication Studies department is what you want to look into.
Do some research
- Electroacoustics
- Electroacoustic music
- Electronic music
- Musique concrète
- JTTP, a national competition for sound artists (listen to the top three or four winning pieces)
- sonus.ca, a web-based collection with a few thousand electroacoustic pieces
- Google historical composers such as Pierre Schaeffer or Karlheinz Stockhausen
- Concordia Electroacoustics on Youtube
Contact an instructor
Having done some research, you will want to contact an instructor in the program. The full-time instructors are the admissions committee. You will be able to get strong, useful directed advice about the works for your portfolio by contacting the department before the submission deadline.
- Mark Corwin: mark.corwin@concordia.ca
- Kevin Austin: kevin.austin@concordia.ca
- Ricardo Dal Farra: ricardo.dalfarra@concordia.ca
First year student testimonial
Overall, I learned a lot about raw sound manipulation and the possibilities of just using cut, copy, paste, reverse, and enveloping. The array of possible sounds from just a fraction of a second of sound truly astounded me and really opened my eyes as to what this program entails and what kind of work will be expected in the future.