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{{Short description|French research institute}}
{{other uses|Institut royal de la culture amazighe}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
[[File:Predio Ircam.jpg|thumb|Western façade of the IRCAM building]]

'''IRCAM''' ({{Langx|fr|Institut de recherche et coordination acoustique/musique}}; English: "Institute for Research and Coordination in Acoustics/Music") is a French institute dedicated to the research of music and sound, especially in the fields of [[Avant-garde music|avant garde]] and [[Electroacoustic music|electro-acoustical art music]].<ref>{{Cite web |title=IRCAM |url=https://www.ircam.fr/ |access-date=2025-10-04 |website=www.ircam.fr |language=en}}</ref> It is situated next to, and is organisationally linked with, the [[Centre Pompidou]] in Paris.<ref>{{Cite web |title=IRCAM |url=https://www.ircam.fr/lircam |access-date=2025-10-04 |website=www.ircam.fr |language=en}}</ref> The extension of the building was designed by [[Renzo Piano]] and [[Richard Rogers]]. Much of the institute is located underground, beneath the fountain to the east of the buildings.<ref>{{Cite web |title=History |url=https://www.ircam.fr/lircam/historique |access-date=2025-10-04 |website=www.ircam.fr |language=en}}</ref>

==A centre for musical research==
[[File:IRCAM machine room in 1989.jpg|thumb|right|IRCAM's machine room in 1989]]
Several concepts for electronic music and audio processing have emerged at IRCAM. [[John Chowning]] pioneered work on [[FM synthesis]] at IRCAM, and [[Miller Puckette]] originally wrote [[Max (software)|Max]] at IRCAM in the mid-1980s, which would become the real-time audio processing graphical programming environment Max/MSP. Max/MSP has subsequently become a widely used tool in electroacoustic music. Many of the techniques associated with [[spectral music|spectralism]], such as analyses based on [[fast Fourier transform]]s, were made practical by technological contributions at IRCAM. For instance, researchers at IRCAM have developed a special microphone capable of isolating each of the cello's four strings for separate amplification or electronic treatment. Along with tools for sound synthesis and analysis, IRCAM has played an instrumental role in developing programs for visualization of musical form with the creation of [[OpenMusic]], a Lisp-based visual programming language.<ref>{{Cite web|title = openmusic:home [OpenMusic]|url = http://repmus.ircam.fr/openmusic/home|website = repmus.ircam.fr|access-date = 7 November 2015}}</ref>

IRCAM provides classes to train composers in music technology.<ref>[http://www.ircam.fr/formations.html?&L=1 Software Training Courses] {{webarchive|url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090708015639/http%3A//www.ircam.fr/formations.html?%26L%3D1 |date=8 July 2009 }}, IRCAM</ref> Composers who do not have programming experience to create the technology end of a piece for ensemble and electronics are provided with an assistant who helps them to realise technically intensive parts of the piece. The assistant will follow the conceptual advice of a composer with no technology experience to realize a computer part, or will help a composer who can program in Max/MSP to make their "patch" more efficient and elegant. [[Tristan Murail]]'s ''[[Désintégrations]]'' is an example of a piece realized in this program by a composer with significant technological skill, whereas [[Harrison Birtwistle]]'s ''[[The Mask of Orpheus]]'' required an active and creative role for the technology assistants, such as Barry Anderson and Ian Dearden.

==A cultural centre for musical modernism==

Apart from electroacoustic programmes, IRCAM has programmes in contemporary classical music. It has disseminated music of post [[World War II]] modernist musicians such as that of [[Luciano Berio]] or [[Pierre Boulez]], as well as younger performers and composers. Musical spectralism such as that of [[Tristan Murail]], has also received support from IRCAM. Murail taught at IRCAM for a time.{{sfn|Anderson|2001}} [[Kaija Saariaho]], whose work has been influenced by spectralism, has also been supported by IRCAM.{{sfn|Born|1995|loc=p. 363, fn3}}

IRCAM has also helped to develop various performance models. A resident ensemble of IRCAM, [[Ensemble InterContemporain]], specialised in contemporary classical music, where each performer could be called upon to perform solo literature or ensemble literature. The Ensemble InterContemporain has been a model for many large ensembles in Europe, for example the [[Ensemble Modern]] and [[Klangforum Wien]]. Many classical contemporary pieces have been written for the [[chamber orchestra]] section of Ensemble InterContemporain.

There are regular concerts at IRCAM.<ref>[http://www.ircam.fr/99.html?&L=1 Concerts, Performances] {{webarchive|url=http://arquivo.pt/wayback/20090708234452/http%3A//www.ircam.fr/99.html?%26L%3D1 |date=8 July 2009 }}, IRCAM</ref>

==History==
In 1970 President [[Georges Pompidou]] asked Pierre Boulez to found an institution for research in music. In 1973 the section of the building underneath {{ill|Place Igor-Stravinsky|fr}} was finished, and IRCAM opened in 1977.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-08-11 |title=Pierre Boulez {{!}} Biography, Music, Compositions, & Facts {{!}} Britannica |url=https://www.britannica.com/biography/Pierre-Boulez |access-date=2025-08-20 |website=www.britannica.com |language=en}}</ref> From the outset, Boulez was in charge of the institute.{{sfn|Manning|2001}} The initial administrators included [[Luciano Berio]], [[Vinko Globokar]], [[Jean-Claude Risset]], and [[Max Mathews]]. 1990 Ircam established the Cursus Program for young Composers, a training in Computer Music and Composition. In 1992 Boulez, who then became honorary director, was succeeded by {{ill|Laurent Bayle|fr}}.{{sfn|Manning|2001}} In 2002 the philosopher [[Bernard Stiegler]] became the new head of the institute. On 1 January 2006, Stiegler became Director of Cultural Development at the Centre Pompidou and was replaced by {{Interlanguage link|Frank Madlener|fr}}.

The creation of IRCAM coincided with the rise of the debates about [[modernism]] and [[postmodernism]] in culture and the arts.{{sfn|Born|1995|p=32}}

Its multimedia library<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pôle documentaire|url=https://www.ircam.fr/ressources/|access-date=1 March 2023|website=www.ircam.fr|language=fr}}</ref> was established in 1996.<ref>[http://www.ircam.fr/62.html?L=1 Chronological History] {{webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120802180211/http://www.ircam.fr/62.html?L=1 |date=2 August 2012 }}</ref> It is one of the first music [[hybrid library|hybrid libraries]] to have been created with close to 1000 hours of recorded music and over 2,000 scientific articles available online, in addition to its physical collections of [[sheet music]] and books on music and related domains.

Several international conferences have been held at IRCAM:
* ICMC, the yearly [[International Computer Music Conference]], in 1984
* ISMIR 2002, the 3rd international conference on [[music information retrieval]], in October 2002<ref>{{Cite web|title=ISMIR 2002 - 3rd International Conference on Music Information Retrieval|url=https://ismir2002.ismir.net/|access-date=1 March 2023|website=ismir2002.ismir.net}}</ref>
* NIME-06, the 6th International Conference on [[New Interfaces for Musical Expression]], in June 2006
* Acanthes, a yearly summer festival and series of composition workshops started in 2012<ref>{{Cite web|title = Acanthes@IRCAM|url = http://acanthes.ircam.fr/indexgb.html|author=Frank Madlener|publisher = acanthes.ircam.fr|access-date = 7 November 2015}}</ref>

==Research and development teams==
* Instrumental acoustics
* [[Room acoustics]]
* [[Music therapy]]
* Musical perception and [[Music cognition|cognition]]
* [[Sound analysis|Analysis]]/[[Sound synthesis|synthesis]]
* Music representations
* [[Free software]] and software engineering
* [[Sound design]]
* [[Online services]]

===Software developed at IRCAM===
Some software is being developed at IRCAM, such as [[OpenMusic]], AudioSculpt, OMax, Spat, Modalys, [[Antescofo]] and [[Orchidée]].

Orchidée is developed as a tool to aid in orchestral composition in which musical scores using traditional instruments are generated by imitating a target input sound. It is used in [[Jonathan Harvey (composer)|Jonathan Harvey]]'s 2008 piece, "Speakings", a composition based on emulating speech patterns and inflections. Orchidée is capable of computing the complex combinatorial possibilities of an orchestra based on ''musical attributes'' such as dynamics and instruments, ''perceptual attributes'' such as brightness, and ''timbre models''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://futureradio.co.uk/podcast/2010/september/chance-music-jonathan-harvey|title=Chance Music with Jonathan Harvey (interview)|author=Bob Shingleton|publisher=[[Future Radio]]|date=5 September 2010|access-date=27 November 2010|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724060020/http://futureradio.co.uk/podcast/2010/september/chance-music-jonathan-harvey|archive-date=24 July 2011}}</ref>

IRCAM software is distributed via a subscription-based Forum.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Accueil &#124; Ircam Forum|url=https://forum.ircam.fr/?L=1|access-date=1 March 2023|website=forum.ircam.fr}}</ref> As of 2011, IRCAM Forum has 534 members including individual artists and art institutions around the world.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.ircam.fr/uploads/media/RA2011.pdf |title=Ircam Activity Report 2011 |access-date=16 October 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130521025140/http://www.ircam.fr/uploads/media/RA2011.pdf |archive-date=21 May 2013 }}</ref> IRCAM Forum members gather yearly at IRCAM for workshops regarding new technologies developed at IRCAM and elsewhere. IRCAM has also created a music file format, <code>.sf</code>.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Kabal |first1=Peter |title=Audio File Format Specifications |url=https://www.mmsp.ece.mcgill.ca/Documents/AudioFormats/IRCAM/IRCAM.html |website=Audio File Format Specifications |publisher=Department of Electrical & Computer Engineering |access-date=9 September 2023}}</ref>

In the domain of music and generative artificial intelligence IRCAM has developed a learning framework for generating a neural network model from audio data named RAVE (Realtime Audio Variational autoEncoder) and that allows both fast and high-quality audio waveform synthesis (20x real-time at 48&nbsp;kHz sampling rate on standard CPU). Models can be used in real time for various applications, audio generativity/timbre transformation/transfer either as a [[Vst plugin|VST plugin]] or using [[Max/MSP]].

There are also partnerships with companies such as Cycling 74 ([[Max/MSP]]) and Flux:: (IRCAM Tools) for the development of proprietary software.

== Notable works composed at IRCAM ==
{{Unreferenced section|date=October 2022}}
* [[Hanspeter Kyburz]]: ''ΟΥΤΙΣ'', music theatre for ensemble and electronics (2000–2012)
* [[Georges Aperghis]]: ''Machinations'', musical spectacle for four women and computer (2000)
* [[Clarence Barlow]]: ''Çogluotobüsisletmesi'', versions for piano (1978), magnetic tape (1980), and piano with tape (1980)
* [[George Benjamin (composer)|George Benjamin]]: ''Antara'' for ensemble and electronics (1986–87)
* [[Luciano Berio]]: ''Chemins ex V'', for clarinet and 4C computer (1980)
* Luciano Berio: ''Orfeo II'', opera for voice, orchestras, and tapes (1984)
* Luciano Berio: ''La Voix des voies'', spectacle-exposition for tape and diaporama (1977)
* [[Harrison Birtwistle]]: ''[[The Mask of Orpheus]]'' (1986)
* [[Pierre Boulez]]: ''[[Anthèmes]] II'', for violin and electronics (1997)
* Pierre Boulez: ''[[Dialogue de l'ombre double]]'', for clarinet and tape (1985); version for bassoon and electronics (1995)
* Pierre Boulez: ''[[...explosante-fixe...]]'', version for two flutes, [[MIDI]]-flute, electronics, and orchestra (1993)
* Pierre Boulez: ''Répons'', for six soloists, chamber ensemble, electronic sounds, and live electronics (1981–1984)
* [[John Cage]]: ''Roaratorio'', an Irish Circus on ''[[Finnegans Wake]]'' (1980)
* [[Unsuk Chin]]: ''Double Bind?'' for violin and electronics (2006)
* [[John Chowning]]: ''Stria'', for magnetic tape (1977)
* [[Chaya Czernowin]]: "Hidden", for string quartet and electronics (2014)
* [[Edison Denisov]]: ''Sur la Nappe d'un étang glacé'', for nine instruments and tape (1991)
* [[Luis de Pablo]]: ''Tornasol'' (1980–81)
* [[Michel Decoust]]: ''Interphone'', for soprano and tape (1977)
* [[Jacob Druckman]]: ''Animus IV'' (1977)
* [[Pascal Dusapin]]: ''To Be Sung'', chamber opera in 43 numbers (1992–93)
* [[Karlheinz Essl]]: ''Entsagung'' (1993) for ensemble and electronics
* [[Lorenzo Ferrero]]: ''Ombres'' (1984) for ensemble and live electronics
* [[Luca Francesconi]]: ''Etymo'' (1994)
* [[Rolf Gehlhaar]]: ''Pas à pas'', for tape and [[spatial music|spatialization]] equipment (1981)
* [[Gérard Grisey]]: ''Les Chants de l'Amour'', for twelve mixed voices and magnétic tape (1982–1984)
* [[Georg Friedrich Haas]]: ''Les temps tiraillés'', for 2 violins, bassoon, and electronics (2008)
* [[Jonathan Harvey (composer)|Jonathan Harvey]]: ''Advaya'', for cello and electronics (1994)
* Jonathan Harvey: ''Bhakti'' (1982)
* Jonathan Harvey: ''[[Mortuos Plango, Vivos Voco]]'', for concrete sounds treated by computer (1980)
* Jonathan Harvey: ''Ritual Melodies'', for magnetic tape (1990)
* Jonathan Harvey: String Quartet No. 4 with live electronics (2003)
* Jonathan Harvey: ''Speakings'', for orchestra and live electronics (2008)
* [[York Höller]]: ''Antiphon'', for string quartet and tape (1977)
* York Höller: ''Arcus'' (1978)
* York Höller: ''[[The Master and Margarita#Opera and musical theatre|The Master and Margarita]]'', opera in two acts after the novel by [[Mikhail Bulgakov]] (1989)
* York Höller: ''Résonance'' (1982)
* [[Panayiotis Kokoras]]: ''Morphallaxis'' (2008) for ensemble and electronics
* [[Barbara Kolb]]: ''Millefoglie'' (1985)
* [[Philippe Leroux]]: ''M'' for ensemble and electronics
* [[Michaël Lévinas]]: ''Rebonds'' (1993)
* [[Magnus Lindberg]]: ''Joy'' for orchestra and electronics
* Magnus Lindberg: ''Related Rocks'' for two pianos, two percussionists, and electronics (1997)
* Magnus Lindberg: ''Ur'' (1986)
* [[Luca Lombardi (composer)|Luca Lombardi]]: ''Hasta que caigan las puertas del odio'', for choir (1977)
* [[Tod Machover]]: ''Soft Morning, City!'', for soprano, contrabass and tape (1980)
* Tod Machover: ''[[VALIS]]'', opera for six voices, 4X computer, and images (1986–87/1988)
* [[Mesías Maiguashca]]: ''Fmélodies'', for ensemble and tape (1982)
* [[Philippe Manoury]]: ''Jupiter'' for flute and live electronics
* Philippe Manoury: ''Pluton'' for piano and live electronics
* Philippe Manoury: ''En Echo'' for soprano voice and live electronics
* {{ill|Yan Maresz|de||fr||it}}: ''Sul Segno'', for harp, guitar, cymbalon, contrabass and electronic equipment (2004)
* [[Tristan Murail]]: ''L'Esprit des dunes'', for chamber ensemble (1993–1994)
* [[Emmanuel Nunes]]: ''Lichtung I'' (1988/1991)
* Emmanuel Nunes: ''Lichtung II'', for chamber ensemble and electronics (1996)
* [[Michael Obst (composer)|Michael Obst]]: ''Kristallwelt'', for Ensemble and Electronics (1983)
* [[Robert H.P. Platz]]: ''Pièce noire'', for thirteen musicians and tape (1990)
* [[Henri Pousseur]]: ''Liège à Paris'' (1977)
* [[Horațiu Rădulescu]]: ''Incandescent Serene'', for contrabass and tape (1982)
* [[Roger Reynolds]]: ''The Angel of Death'', for solo piano, chamber orchestra, and six-channel computer-processed sound (2001)
* Roger Reynolds: ''Archipelago'', for orchestra and magnetic tape (1983)
* [[Terry Riley]]: ''Salome Dances for Peace'', for string quartet (1986)
* [[Jean-Claude Risset]]: ''Inharmonique'', for soprano and tape (1977)
* Jean-Claude Risset: ''Mirages'', for six musicians and tape (1978)
* Jean-Claude Risset: ''Songes'' (1979)
* [[Manuel Rocha Iturbide]]: ''Transiciones de Fase'', for brass quartet and electronics (1994)
* [[Frederic Rzewski]]: ''Instrumental Studies'' (1977)
* [[Kaija Saariaho]]: ''Lonh'', for soprano and electronics (1995–96)
* Kaija Saariaho: ''NoaNoa'', for flute and electronics (1992)<ref>{{IRCAM work|title=Kaija Saariaho: ''NoaNoa''|id=11579|access-date=4 July 2022}}</ref>
* [[Karlheinz Stockhausen]]: ''[[Samstag aus Licht#Scene 2: Kathinkas Gesang als Luzifers Requiem|Kathinkas Gesang als Luzifers Requiem]]'', version for flute and 6-channel tape (1985)
* [[Marco Stroppa]]: ''In cielo, in terra, in mare'', radiophonic opera on texts by Adolfo Moriconi (1992)
* [[Jukka Tiensuu]]: ''Nemo'' for ensemble (1992)
* [[Alejandro Viñao]]: ''Epitafios'', for mixed choir and electronics (1999)
* [[David Wessel]]: ''Antony'' (1977)
* David Wessel: ''Contacts Turbulents'', for saxophone and electronics (1986)
* [[Trevor Wishart]]: ''VOX-5'', an electroacoustic piece based around extended vocal techniques (1986)
* [[James Wood (musician)|James Wood]]: ''Mountain Language'', for [[alphorn]], cow bells, MIDI keyboard and electronics (1998)
* [[Iannis Xenakis]]: ''Psappha'', electronic version (1976/1996)
* [[Frank Zappa]]: ''Perfect Stranger'' (1984)
* [[Hans Zender]]: ''Lo Shu III'', for flute and twenty-four instrumentalists (1979)

==Affiliations==
IRCAM is part of a consortium with Stanford's [[Stanford University centers and institutes#Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics|Center for Computer Research and Acoustics]] (CCRMA) and the [[Center for New Music and Audio Technologies]] (CNMAT) in [[Berkeley, California]].

==See also==
* {{ill|Elektronmusikstudion|sv}}, Stockholm
* [[GRIM]] ({{Lang|fr|Groupe de recherche et d'improvisation musicales}}), Marseille
* [[SDIF]] (Sound Description Interchange Format), developed at IRCAM and CNMAT
* [[STEIM]] (Studio for Electro Instrumental Music), Amsterdam
* [[WORM (Rotterdam)|WORM]], Rotterdam studio and venue
* [[List of music software]]

==References==
{{Reflist}}
'''Sources'''
* {{cite book|last=Anderson|first=Julian|year=2001|chapter=Murail, Tristan|title=[[The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]|editor1=Stanley Sadie|editor-link=Stanley Sadie|editor2=John Tyrrell|editor2-link=John Tyrrell (musicologist)|location=London|publisher=Macmillan}}
* {{cite book|last=Born|first=Georgina|year=1995|title=IRCAM, Boulez, and the Institutionalization of the Musical Avant-Garde|location=Los Angeles|publisher=[[University of California Press]]}}
* {{cite book|last=Manning|first=Peter|year=2001|chapter=Institut de Recherche et Coordination Acoustique/Musique [IRCAM]|title=[[The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians]]|editor1=Stanley Sadie|editor-link=Stanley Sadie|editor2=John Tyrrell|editor2-link=John Tyrrell (musicologist)|location=London|publisher=Macmillan}}

==Further reading==
* Anderson, Julian. 1989. "Désintégrations." Within liner notes to ''Tristan Murail''. Montaigne MO 782175.
* Dearden, Ian. "The Electronic Music of ''The Mask of Orpheus''." Within liner notes to ''[[The Mask of Orpheus]]'' by Harrison Birtwistle. NMC D050, 1997.
* Machover, Todd (ed.). 1984. "Musical Thought at IRCAM". ''Contemporary Music Review'' 1, part 1. London: Harwood Academic Publishers. {{ISBN|3-7186-0272-5}} ISSN 0749-4467
* [[Joan Peyser|Peyser, Joan]]. 1976. ''Boulez: Composer, Conductor, Enigma.'' New York: Schirmer Books.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Institut de recherche et coordination acoustique/musique}}
* {{Official website|https://www.ircam.fr|IRCAM}} – official site
* [https://brahms.ircam.fr/?L=1 {{lang|fr|Base Relationnelle d'Articles Hypertextes sur la Musique du 20e Siècle}} (BRAHMS)] [relational database of articles on music of the 20th century] {{in lang|fr|en}}

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{{Computer music}}
{{Electronic music}}

{{Authority control}}

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[[Category:Experimental music]]
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[[Category:Centre Pompidou]]