Productions Totem Contemporain (hereafter “PTC”) is a non-profit organization founded in 1995 (incorporated in 2003) by Jean-François Laporte, who works at the forefront of research, experimentation and innovation, mostly in the niche field of new acoustic musical instruments.
The starting point of the “Totem” sound is the sound generators invented by Jean-François Laporte, a variety of musical instruments often created from unusual or commonly used objects.
In the last 13 years, PTC set up six series of events that allow us to make the “Totem” sound heard in various settings. We invite you to visit the web pages dedicated to these series: Totem Dance, Totem Electric, Totem Installation, Totem Youth, Totem Off Series, and Totem Digital.
In 2022, to celebrate 20 years of sonic research, PTC is calling on Canadian and international composers from all genres to participate in the Totem Electroacoustic Competition (hereafter the “Competition”).
The second edition of the Totem Electroacoustic competition will be launched on September 15, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. (eastern daylight time).
Goals of the contest
To promote PTC’s unique acoustic instrumentarium.
To provide creators with new means of expression while arousing their interest in future collaborations.
To encourage the creation of new electroacoustic works and encourage the presentation of these works in Quebec and abroad.
To diversify the repertoire of works in TPC’s programming.
To reach new audiences (composers and music lovers).
Competition Description:
The Competition is open to all professional composers and all musical styles (electroacoustic, digital, techno, noise, etc.).
As of September 15, 2023 at 11:59 p.m. EDT (eastern daylight time), PTC is inviting composers to register for the Competition to compose a work from a bank of more than 1,600 high-definition sounds recorded from instruments invented by PTC (especially the SubTuyo, Babel Table, and Siren Organ). Participants will have until December 20, 2024, to submit their composition, which will be evaluated by juries and, ultimately, by the audience of a public concert that will take place in the end of the winter 2025.
The prizes consist of money, work commissions, residences, and a phonographic release.
Acknowledgements
We would like to thank our partner le Groupe Le Vivier for their generous contribution to the Totem Electroacoustic Competition with the ViU Prize (Vivier InterUniversitaire).
We also thank the Conseil des Arts et des Lettres du Québec, the Canada Council for the Arts and the Conseil des Arts de Montréal, which generously support our annual activities, allowing us to carry out the various artistic projects that we present each season.
For more information: