2023 Festival
Festival Date: April 22, 2023
Location: Loyola Marymount University, Los Angeles
LMU Music’s third annual New Music on the Bluff festival will focus on music technology. High school and community college students are invited to the Loyola Marymount University campus April 22, 2023, to develop their skills and knowledge through master classes, workshops, and a final concert.
Registrants will attend three workshops, led by renowned electronic music producer and co-founder of Leaving Records Matthewdavid, producer and Ableton-certified trainer Lenny Kiser, and LMU Assistant Professor of Music David S. Carter, have a pizza lunch, join in group improvisations using phone apps, and attend a day-ending concert featuring the music of students and faculty.
Registration
Students registered for the festival will receive a pizza lunch, swag (including a festival t-shirt), and participation in all master classes and improvisations. To register for the event, complete the registration form and submit your payment of $20 at the “Fee submission” link below.* Groups of five or more students from the same school accompanied by a teacher can register for the group rate of $15 per student. Groups can pay by check made out to the LMU Department of Music. Teachers who will be accompanying a group of students should e-mail newmusiconthebluff@lmu.edu in order to arrange for group registration. Register no later than April 20, 2023. (Teachers who will be accompanying at least one student to the festival may attend for no additional charge and do not need to register, but they should RSVP here.) Parking on the LMU campus is free on Saturdays. Current LMU students are invited to attend festival events and do not need to register.
Registration Deadline: April 20, 2023
Song Submissions
Registrants may submit one or more original songs or pieces featuring creative use of music technology for consideration for the festival concert by April 13, 2023. Proposals can either be for audio/video playback or live performance. Applications should be in the form of link to a video. The visual component of the video can be one or more still images or a video to accompany your audio. If your song/piece is intended for live performance, provide a video representing what your live performance will look and sound like. Proof of registration will be asked for as part of this form.
Registered students may submit as many videos as they like for consideration, but should submit a separate application form for each.
Festival Faculty
L.A.'s Matthew David McQueen is founder of Leaving Records and also a solo artist, recording and performing under the name Matthewdavid. His studio albums, which include In My World (2014) and Mycelium Music (2023), combine elements of new age, footwork, jungle, and ambient improvisation.
Lenny Kiser is an Ableton-certified trainer, producer, and owner of Sequence One music school. He is also an artist in his own right and produces a wide variety of dance music under his own name. He’s worked with renowned artists such as Eric Melvin from NOFX and is a former member of the producer duo known as “Girls n Boomboxes.”
David S. Carter is an Assistant Professor of Music at Loyola Marymount University, where he teaches popular music and music technology and leads the Contemporary Styles and Practices concentration. He earned his doctorate in music composition at Northwestern University and his research on popular music has been published in Music Theory Online and presented at the Society for Music Theory's annual meeting. Questions about the New Music on the Bluff festival can be directed to him at newmusiconthebluff@lmu.edu.
Festival Schedule
10:00 AM Welcome, Meet and Greet: Murphy Recital Hall
10:45 AM Master Class with David S. Carter: Murphy Recital Hall
12 PM Lunch in the George A.V. Dunning Courtyard
1:00 PM Tech improvs with students breaking into small groups outdoors
2:00 PM Master Class with Matthewdavid: Murphy Recital Hall
3:30 PM Master Class Lenny Kiser: Murphy Recital Hall
5:30 PM Concert in Murphy Recital Hall of selected participant and faculty and LMU student pieces (recordings and/or live electronics, possibly combined with live instruments)
*Students who would like to attend the festival but for whom the registration fee would represent a financial hardship should send an e-mail to newmusiconthebluff@lmu.edu explaining their situation.
Thank you to Ableton AG for its support of New Music on the Bluff '23.
