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Introducing prospective students to the department’s degree programs and research – this is what the Open Day at Anhalt University on June 1st is about. At this year’s event, the laboratory choir of the Erasmus research project showcased its talent, demonstrating how computer science and technology can be harnessed creatively and innovatively. With two pieces from its repertoire, the choir singers impressed audiences across national borders.

This illustrates that computer science can transcend boundaries, whether they be national, disciplinary, or mental barriers. The laboratory choir of the research project Choir@Home – in collaboration with the University of Liechtenstein, the Mozarteum in Innsbruck, and the expertise of Professor Carôt of Anhalt University – not only surpasses traditional choral music boundaries but also expands technical perspectives and the canon of information transmission, thus overcoming numerous boundaries in the process.

Labor Choir Performs at the University of Anhalt’s Information Day

Bringing future students closer to the studies and research focuses of the faculty – these are the tasks of the Information Day at the University of Anhalt. This year, the event was enriched by a special highlight: the laboratory choir of the Erasmus research project Choir@Home performed and impressively demonstrated how innovative technologies in computer science and technology can be creatively applied.

Musical High Tech

The performance did not only focus on choir management and outstanding sound but also on the technological advancements that enable the laboratory choir’s joint music-making. The digital laboratory choir’s performance was not only a musically enriching but also a wonderful example of what networking without data transmission delay can achieve. The visitors of the Open Day had the chance to enjoy to the diversity of computer science studies as well as the wide range of applications for computer scientists.

International and Interdisciplinary Cooperation

The choir is part of the research project Choir@Home, which was developed in close collaboration with the University of Liechtenstein, the Mozarteum in Innsbruck, and Professor Carôt from Anhalt University of Applied Sciences. This cooperation demonstrates how musical and technological disciplines can merge, opening up new, exciting perspectives. The laboratory choir’s work not only extends the traditional boundaries of choral music but also the technical possibilities of information transmission. By using modern technologies, a new canon is being created that enriches both art and science. The impressive performance of the laboratory choir vividly demonstrates the potential inherent in the networking of different disciplines and international collaborations. It offers an inspiring glimpse into the future of computer science and music and its transformative power. Anhalt University and the Erasmus research project Choir@Home have proved that together they are capable of paving innovative and creative paths for the future. The Open Day once again highlighted that Anhalt University is a great place for providing students with a base to explore their enthusiasm, interests and ideas.

 

 

This year’s Long Night of Research in Innsbruck on May 24 was a highlight for music and choir lovers and technology enthusiasts alike. With the performance of our cross-border online choir as a special treat.

While project manager Janine Hacker gave visitors an update on the project via livestream about the current status of the project, including the hurdles and challenges, choirmaster Markus Rohregger explained in person how latency – the time delay in transmission – prevents performing music together when using traditional technology. Our laboratory choir shone with several selected pieces, for which the singers only had a very limited amount of time to rehearse. The visitors were c

learly amazed by this modern form of choral experience and followed the performance with keen interest.

A revolutionary concept: Choir@Home

As part of the Choir@Home project, the online choir has specialized in experimenting with the boundaries of traditional choral music as well as breaking new ground in the field of digital music performance. Presenting the results at the Long Night of Research has been the perfect way of letting a diverse audience experience what it is like when technology and traditional art forms are in sync – and results in innovative and impressive concert experiences.

Texts and intonation were learned, rehearsed in voice groups, and coordinated in the entire choir. In six intense rehearsals, the nuances were fine-tuned and coordinated with the pianist – not in person as is usual for a choir, but online using the ultra-low latency software Soundjack. This innovative approach was the central task of our laboratory choir within the framework of the cooperative Erasmus project Choir@Home, implemented in collaboration with the Mozarteum Salzburg in Innsbruck, and the University of Liechtenstein and the University of Applied Sciences Anhalt.

Live for the first time

As part of the Vocal Pedagogy Symposium in Munich „In (Kon-)Takt – Generationen durch Musik verbinden“ on March 22 – 23, the choir was able to perform live for the first time and play in front of an audience. This performance marked the first major premiere of our project.

The project team is proud to have successfully mastered the experiment and extends heartfelt thanks and congratulations to our choir! They embraced the challenge of live performance and excelled at it. While the pianist was present in Munich, the sound of her e-piano was synchronized online with the channels of the individual singers and output as a unified sound. This meant a particular technical challenge for the pianist Alexandra Milborn, who had to stay a step ahead of the singing, but also for the choir director Markus Rohregger. For him, it meant leaning back during the performance and enjoying the results of the intense preparations, as direct choreographic input was at this stage no longer possible.

Live collaboration

But that was not all – the second premiere was also impressive. The Ohm Choir of the Technische Hochschule Nürnberg Georg Simon Ohm was present live and sang together with the digital laboratory choir. To top it all off, the audience also participated in this unique experiment. At the technical end of things everything ran smoothly, with Professor Alexander Carôt in charge of the technical adjustments and balancing the voices equally with those of the live choir. The project team is delighted with the outcome of this very special challenge in such a short amount of time. The entire experiment confirmed that innovative technologies and dedicated collaboration across borders can create surprising and impressive musical experiences. As project team, we look forward to the next steps in our project and are excited to share similarly thrilling premieres with you in the future.

 

It is the first time that all project members are in one room and technically connected non the less. In addition to reflecting on and discussing the organizational direction of the project, the launch of LabChoir 2.0 was celebrated. Once again, some new singers met in the virtual space to work on the new pieces and rehearse them in the best possible way, away from each other but still together. The fact that choirmaster Markus Rohregger was in the same room as project coordinator Dr. Janine Hacker and Professor Heike Henning, who lent their voices to the choir, was absolutely unique. Professor Alexander Carôt provided the technology and took care of the fine-tuning with the necessary sensitivity, supported by Susanne Häfner (with the camera). All 30 participants in the digital laboratory choir 2.0 had been sent the FastMusicBox in advance so that they could form the choir together using the appropriate hardware and the low-latency Soundjack software.

A great project, from which the participating institutions – University of Liechtenstein, Mozarteum Salzburg in Innsbruck and the Anhalt University of Applied Sciences – expect not only great joy, but also a lot of knowledge. What problems arise in virtual, low-latency music-making? What do the music teachers have to be prepared for and what do the participating singers have to expect?

The first laboratory choir has already gained a wealth of knowledge about being a digitale low-latency choir, which is being put to immediate use.

Only six rehearsals preceded the singing of the first choral pieces Bell Carol an Jouluhymni by the Laboratory Choir. The first arrangement is now available on YouTube and represents a great result of the Erasmus+ research project Choir@Home. The special thing about it: the 34 participants from six countries did not sing in a room as usual, but used the digital low-latency software Soundjack to make music together. The singers‘ voices came together directly, resulting in a choir that actually sang in sync without any noticeable delay. The choir was conducted by Markus Rohregger from the Mozarteum Salzburg, who was able to influence both the individual vocal groups and the overall effect during the rehearsals.

The participants enthusiastically took on the special demands of singing together, who were able to see each other via a conference system, but could only hear each other with low latency. The fact that the singers had to concentrate primarily on listening posed a particular challenge. However, with headsets and equipped with modern technology, the hurdles were easily overcome.

Physical distance no longer played a role: singers from Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Italy, Liechtenstein and the USA are part of the laboratory choir and thus form the basis for a new scientific approach to choral and music education in a digital context as well as for technical reflection and media use.

 

 

On 12th July 2023, the first information event about the online lab choir took place via Zoom, attracting a diverse group of participants eager to learn more about this unique opportunity. The event was led by Dr. Janine Hacker (University of Liechtenstein), Markus Rohregger (University Mozarteum Salzburg) and Prof. Dr. Alexander Carôt (Anhalt University of Applied Sciences), as well as other members of the Choir@Home research project.
At the information event, meeting participants could gain insights into the project motivation, structure and timeline, and, most importantly, learn more about the role of the online lab choir in the project. Specifically, participants got to know the music pieces that will be rehearsed and received first instructions concerning the hardware and audio equipment to be used. The information event provided a good opportunity to clarify initial questions and dissolve worries regarding the technological setup. Participants showed great appreciation for the attention to detail regarding the provided technological infrastructure, promising a smooth and enjoyable rehearsal process. Aside from the organizational aspects, the event fostered a first opportunity to meet the participants.
The online lab choir still has a few spots left. Interested? More information can be found here.
The next information events will take place on 19th of July and 16th August. We are looking forward to seeing you online!

The Choir@Home project team has initiated the formation of the online lab choir. The lab choir will start to rehearse in September 2023 and support the evaluation of the concepts and solutions developed within the project.
For the online lab choir, we are currently looking for enthusiastic singers who would like to join us in trying out new concepts and technologies for conducting online choir rehearsals. The result of the rehearsals will be digital Christmas project in the form of a video to be broadcast at various Christmas markets.
If you are you a music enthusiast eager to explore online choral singing, we invite you to join our online lab choir!

Why should you participate?

1. Seamless online rehearsals: Experience online rehearsals in real-time and enjoy a smooth singing experience.
2. Free high-quality audio equipment: Benefit from the high-quality audio equipment, provided free of charge.
3. Have fun and make new friends: Connect with other enthusiastic choral singers from around the world.
4. Shape the future: Through your participation you contribute to shaping the future of online choral singing. Ultimately, making it accessible and enjoyable to everyone.

Joining in is easy! These are the requirements:

• Hardware: Laptop / PC / Tablet, stable internet connection with cable connection (LAN).
• Singing skills: Everyone is welcome to join (singing experience is desirable, but not mandatory).
• Contribution: Commit to attending rehearsals and recording your part. Your willingness to participate in surveys and consent for recordings of rehearsals for research purposes is essential for this project.

Timeline:

• July 2023: Registration until 31 July 2023
• July/August 2023: Voluntary information events on 12.07., 19.07., 16.08. (GMT+2): 7pm-8pm
• September/October 2023: Six online rehearsals on Wednesdays (13.09., 20.09., 27.09., 04.10., 11.10., 18.10. (GMT+2): 7pm-8:30pm)
• October 2023: Recording of the videos
• November 2023: Video editing
• December 2023: Broadcasting at various Christmas markets

How can I sign up?

Simply fill out the following form: https://forms.office.com/e/ihvwiVUYBF
More information: https://choirathome.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/Invitation_OnlineLabChoir_Christmas_EN.pdf
If you have any questions or need more information, don’t hesitate to contact us.

After our project kick-off meeting in September, the project team has been working diligently over the past few months to review the literature on online choral singing, improve the Soundjack platform (and even joined a virtual concert), and draft questions for our online survey. After months of virtual meetings, it was finally time to meet again in person earlier this week! 

The first day of the meeting took place at the Stella Vorarlberg Privathochschule für Musik in Feldkirch, Austria. Surrounded by the sounds of rehearsals in the adjacing rooms, the project team on-site, ie. Alexander Carôt (HSA), Markus Rohregger (Mozarteum University), and Janine Hacker (University of Liechtenstein), discussed the status quo of the project and the survey (to be launched soon). A dinner at an Italian restaurant concluded day 1. 

The second day took place at the University of Liechtenstein. The on-site team was gladly joined online by Heike Henning (Mozarteum University) and Susanne Häfner (HSA). In addition, Mirjana Schädler, conductor of the choir of the University of Liechtenstein, and Clarissa Frommelt (Agentur für Internationale Bildungsangelegenheiten Liechtenstein) were guests of the workshop. At our meeting, we exchanged thoughts about the online laboratory choir and many creative and exciting ideas for digital projects for the lab choir emerged. A nice #lunchWithAView at the caféteria of the University of Liechtenstein marked the end of our meeting.  

The project team would like to thank the Stella Vorarlberg Privathochschule für Musik for the opportunity to hold part of the workshop on their premises, as well as Mirjana and Clarissa for their contributions to the workshop. 

Below, you can find some pictures from our hybrid workshop 😊 

If you are interested in participating in our survey on online choir rehearsals or singing with us online, please contact us.