YFCF: Info

The Story

Herbert Van de Sompel and Guy c. Jules Van Belle were co-founders of the electro-acoustic ensemble Stellingname which performed from 1984 until 1989, generating a large number of tapes, videos, and radio broadcasts. The project was centered around a large sound sculpture - containing 60 meters of prepared steel tubes - operated by the musicians climbing it. The installation was surrounded by a labyrinth of video and sound equipment. Despite an increasing interest in Stellingname, from the public, Herbert Van de Sompel and Guy c. Jules Van Belle abandoned the project in 1989 to invest in new forms of art and science.

After several solo projects they reunited in 1991 to attend an IRCAM workshop in Paris. With the discovery there of MAX, a musical programming language, the dynamic duo made a radical shift to computer music and started a new project under the name Young Farmers Claim Future. Using MAX, Young Farmers Claim Future built a real-time composing environment for an unlimited number of networked computers and sound devices. Textual information is translated into musical events. The basis of the (a)tonal musical system is constructed by matching distribution patterns of characters in texts with distributions of pitches in classical tonal systems. During performances both composers are at the same time musicians. The computer keyboard is used to generate and control sounds, pitches, and rhythms. Musical information processed by one computer can be captured and recycled by the others at any time.

In 1992 Young Farmers Claim Future performed The Newspaper Sessions, joined by two American performers: Asbach 1920 and Markest Tate. Both were also involved in The Neckhair Chronicles (1993), an excursion into music theater. During the same period the Farmers realized video-tapes, a QuickTime movie, a real-time musical sound environment for a dance performance, and ran their own small-scale digital studio . Ping on a non-profit basis.

In 1994 Young Farmers Claim Future continue performing. They plan new experiments involving QuickTime movies, speech synthesis and genetic sound breeding. Also planned is a CD containing the music composed between 1992 and 1994. Furthermore, the Farmers hope to find a sponsor/producer to help them realize the interactive multimedia installation they've been preparing for a long time.

The Statement

New media provide fascinating resources that provoke a dynamic and irreversible change in society. The purpose of performing for Young Farmers Claim Future is to confront an audience with a collaborative involvement in this turbulent process. By using new technologies as a foundation for artistic output, Young Farmers Claim Future hope to contribute to the definition of new media aesthetics in a practical way.

Performing Hardware

Macintosh Classic, Macintosh Classic II, Macintosh II Si, Macintosh Powerbook 140, Macintosh QuadraAV, Waldorf Microwave, ProteusII, Yamaha TG100, Yamaha TX81Z, 2 Art Multiverb sound processors, Videos & Monitors, ...

Performing Software

Performing Wetware

Herbert Van de Sompel & Guy c. Jules Van Belle

In some projects others join Young Farmers Claim Future

Technical Assistance

Hans Meijer & Piet Van Wijmeersch

Contact Addresses

All contacts concerning the realization of commissioned projects, the sponsorship of Farmers' work in progress, or live performances may be addressed to:

Available On Request

All this material is property of Young Farmers Claim Future and may only be abused with permission:

Young Farmers Claim Future

Herbert Van de Sompel & Guy c. Jules Van Belle

Herbert.VandeSompel@rug.ac.be
&
Guy.VanBelle@rug.ac.be