Christian Calon
Encyclopedia
Christian Calon is a French-born Canadian
composer
who is active in electroacoustic music
. He has worked extensively in large computer-based studios in Canada and Europe and has received commissions from the Canada Council
, the Groupe de Musique Expérimentale de Marseille, and the Ministère des Affaires culturelles du Québec. His work is written in an expressionist and narrative style and his pieces are characterized by acousmatic diffusion.
, Calon is a largely self-taught musician. He became interested in electroacoustic music in the early 1960s through his mentor, Francis Dhomont
. He immigrated to Canada in 1966 and settled in Montréal
. He received his only formal training at McGill University
where he pursued graduate studies in computer music for one year.
Calon began his composing career in Montréal. In 1986 he co-founded the Canadian Electroacoustic Community
with some 100 other musicians, serving as the organization's vice-president in 1989-90. In 1985 his work Portrait d'un Visiteur won first prize at the 1985 Luigi Russolo International Competition
. He moved to Europe in 1990, and in 1991 was appointed music director of the studios of the Groupe de Musique Expérimentale de Marseille. In 1995-96, with the support of the DAAD (Germany), he was one of the foreign artists in residence in Berlin
. He is currently based in Montreal.
His works also appear on these compilations:
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
composer
Composer
A composer is a person who creates music, either by musical notation or oral tradition, for interpretation and performance, or through direct manipulation of sonic material through electronic media...
who is active in electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music
Electroacoustic music originated in Western art music during its modern era following the incorporation of electric sound production into compositional practice. The initial developments in electroacoustic music composition during the mid-20th century are associated with the activities of composers...
. He has worked extensively in large computer-based studios in Canada and Europe and has received commissions from the Canada Council
Canada Council
The Canada Council for the Arts, commonly called the Canada Council, is a Crown Corporation established in 1957 to act as an arts council of the government of Canada, created to foster and promote the study and enjoyment of, and the production of works in, the arts. It funds Canadian artists and...
, the Groupe de Musique Expérimentale de Marseille, and the Ministère des Affaires culturelles du Québec. His work is written in an expressionist and narrative style and his pieces are characterized by acousmatic diffusion.
Life
Born in MarseilleMarseille
Marseille , known in antiquity as Massalia , is the second largest city in France, after Paris, with a population of 852,395 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Marseille extends beyond the city limits with a population of over 1,420,000 on an area of...
, Calon is a largely self-taught musician. He became interested in electroacoustic music in the early 1960s through his mentor, Francis Dhomont
Francis Dhomont
Francis Dhomont is a French composer of electroacoustic / acousmatic music.-Biography:He studied composition under Ginette Waldmeier, Charles Koechlin and Nadia Boulanger...
. He immigrated to Canada in 1966 and settled in Montréal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. He received his only formal training at McGill University
McGill University
Mohammed Fathy is a public research university located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The university bears the name of James McGill, a prominent Montreal merchant from Glasgow, Scotland, whose bequest formed the beginning of the university...
where he pursued graduate studies in computer music for one year.
Calon began his composing career in Montréal. In 1986 he co-founded the Canadian Electroacoustic Community
Canadian Electroacoustic Community
Founded in 1986, La Communauté électroacoustique canadienne / The Canadian Electroacoustic Community is Canada’s national electroacoustic / computer music / sonic arts organization and as such is dedicated to promoting this progressive art form in its broadest definition: from “pure” acousmatic...
with some 100 other musicians, serving as the organization's vice-president in 1989-90. In 1985 his work Portrait d'un Visiteur won first prize at the 1985 Luigi Russolo International Competition
Luigi Russolo
Luigi Russolo was an Italian Futurist painter and composer, and the author of the manifesto The Art of Noises . He is often regarded as one of the first noise music experimental composers with his performances of "noise concerts" in 1913-14 and then again after World War I, notably in Paris in 1921...
. He moved to Europe in 1990, and in 1991 was appointed music director of the studios of the Groupe de Musique Expérimentale de Marseille. In 1995-96, with the support of the DAAD (Germany), he was one of the foreign artists in residence in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. He is currently based in Montreal.
List of works
- Aiguiser l'ouïe (2001)
- Atlas (2005–08)
- Constellations (1992–94)
- Les corps éblouis (1994)
- La disparition (1988)
- Documents de surface (2002), radio roadmovie in collaboration with Chantal Dumas
- Dunkelblau (2008), filmopera in collaboration with Uli Aumüller
- En vol (1994)
- Infamie: Fragmente einer Kartographie (2005)
- [improvisation] (2005)
- Lettre à M. (1995), radio work
- men women train (1995)
- Minuit (1989)
- Le petit homme dans l'oreille (2000), radio roadmovie in collaboration with Chantal Dumas
- Portrait d'un visiteur (1985)
- Prochaine station (1990), in collaboration with Claude Schryer
- Le projet Ulysse (1997–2000),
- Sémaphore-Nord (1997)
- Souffles primitifs (2001), bass flute, and tape
- The Standing Man (1994–96), installation-performance for three-dimensional sound spaces (projected from 24 channels), on a poem by François VillonFrançois VillonFrançois Villon was a French poet, thief, and vagabond. He is perhaps best known for his Testaments and his Ballade des Pendus, written while in prison...
- The Ulysses project (1997–1998), radio work, for DeutschlandRadio Berlin
- Temps incertains (1990)
- Time Well (2000)
- Vers les oiseaux (2002)
- Die Windrose (2008)
- Die Zimmer der Erinnerung [Les chambres de la mémoire] (1997), a fictional essay for radio after Marcel ProustMarcel ProustValentin Louis Georges Eugène Marcel Proust was a French novelist, critic, and essayist best known for his monumental À la recherche du temps perdu...
(DeutschlandRadio Berlin) - z | s (un essai sur le Temps) (1999–2002), (DeutschlandRadio Berlin)
Awards
- 2006 - Prix Opus, Quebec
- 2004 - Represents Canada at the World New Music Days (Switzerland)
- 2003 - Distinction at the International CIMESP competition (Brazil)
- 2003 - Selection of the Confluencias International Competition (Spain)
- 2001 - Grand Prix Phonurgia Nova (France)
- 1999 - Grand Prix Marulic of the UER/EBU
- 1997 - Mention at the Prix Ars ElectronicaPrix Ars ElectronicaThe Prix Ars Electronica is one of the most important yearly prizes in the field of electronic and interactive art, computer animation, digital culture and music...
(Austria) - 1996 - Lynch-Staunton Prize (Canada)
- 1995 - Mention at the Prix Ars Electronica (Austria)
- 1995 - Residency at the DAAD (Germany)
- 1994 - 2nd Prize at the Concours International de Bourges (France)
- 1991 - 2nd Prize at the NEWCOMP International Computer Music Competition (USA)
- 1989 - 1st Prize at the Concours International de Bourges (France)
- 1989 - Chosen to represent Canada at the World Music Days
- 1988 - 2nd Prize at the NEWCOMP International Computer Music Competition (USA)
- 1985 - 1st Prize at the Concours International Luigi Russolo (Italia)
Recordings
- Radio Roadmovies with Chantal Dumas (326 music, 326 006/007, 2003)
- Les corps éblouis (empreintes DIGITALesEmpreintes DIGITALesempreintes DIGITALes is a record label founded in 1990 and based in Montreal which specialises in contemporary electroacoustic music, acousmatic and musique concrète.In 2005, empreintes DIGITALes shifted from CD to DVD-Audio.- Composers :* Mathew Adkins...
, IMED 9838, 1998), nominated for the album of the year at the 1998 “Opus Awards” (Canada) - Ligne de vie: récits électriques (empreintes DIGITALesEmpreintes DIGITALesempreintes DIGITALes is a record label founded in 1990 and based in Montreal which specialises in contemporary electroacoustic music, acousmatic and musique concrète.In 2005, empreintes DIGITALes shifted from CD to DVD-Audio.- Composers :* Mathew Adkins...
, IMED 9001, 1990), selected for the 1990 Grammy Awards.
His works also appear on these compilations:
- Électro clips (empreintes DIGITALes, IMED 9004, IMED 9604),
- Anthology of Canadian Music: Electroacoustic music (Radio Canada International, AMC 37),
- DISContact! II (CECCanadian Electroacoustic CommunityFounded in 1986, La Communauté électroacoustique canadienne / The Canadian Electroacoustic Community is Canada’s national electroacoustic / computer music / sonic arts organization and as such is dedicated to promoting this progressive art form in its broadest definition: from “pure” acousmatic...
, 95CD1-2), - Cultures électroniques 4 (Le chant du monde, LDC 278049/50), and
- Cultures électroniques 8 (Mnémosyne musique média, LDC 278058/59).