1. If not the sole,one purpose of an artististo give beautya new bodyineach of hispieces.
On the essence of anartisticidea,namelythatwithoutwhichapiece couldnotfulfil the aforesaid
purpose,the artistwill typicallybe uncompromising. Thisbecomesaserious problemwhenthe
artist’spiecesare issuedfromascientificmindsetandrequiresof the performersrigorousexecutions
of techniquestheyhave neverlearnedbefore. The artististheneitherinfluential enoughtoget
dedicatedperformersdespite the difficulties,orwill predictablytendtowantto doeverythingby
oneself.
Notbeingenoughof the influential type,Ifoundmyselfinthe lattercategory,andyetI wasnot
talentedenoughtogetsufficientskillsinasufficientlywide range of instruments.Attractedto
studyingabroadandbeinggiventhisopportunityinanErasmusexchange inthe thirdyearof my
musicologystudies,Istumbledacrossthe programme of MaynoothUniversityDepartmentof Music,
offeringclassesincomposition and…computermusic.
Computers seemedtobe the ideal performers forme,capable of perfectlyexecutingthe most
twistedof mycalculationswiththe utmostobedience.Thiswasthe beginningof ajourneythat
broughtme from the artisticto the scientificside of music.Iinvestedalotof energynotonlyinmusic
composition,butalsoinprogramming. (Findingthe rightsoftware formakingpopmusiciseasysince
popmusic isso popularandmillionshave aneedforit.The rightsoftware torealise amusical ideano
one had before is…well,software youhave towrite yourself.)
The skillsIdevelopedinprogrammingduringmymastersrousedthe attentionof the Departmentof
ComputerScience,whichofferedme ascholarshiptopursue a Ph.D..My initial ideahadbeentodo
my Ph.D.inelectronicmusiccomposition,butthe Departmentof Musicdidnot have fundingforthat
at that time.Followingmymentor’sadvice Iacceptedthe scholarshipoffer,and a few yearslater
became Doctor inComputerScience.
NowI am strong of a solidbackgroundinsignal processingandprogrammingindeed,butIfeel itis
time that I take at leastone stepback towardsthe artisticside of music.My current job at Citrix is
extremelyengaging,butyetIfeel somewhatoutof place,amidstcomputinggeniuseswithno
opinionon beauty. Myaction planto soonerratherthanlater take thisstep towardsart again is: to
builda portfolioof personal projects,some of whichIcouldmake publicandhopefully draw
attentionwith ;to enhance myvisibility andletcome tome maybe interestingoffers.