Dr. Dimitrije Buzarovski

IRAM in Its Second Year

        The Institute for Research and Archiving of Music has been present in the Macedonian scientific and educational environment almost two years. This period of development of IRAM was extremely successful and rich with various activities. It is not an exaggeration to say that IRAM became a pivot institution for promotion of new ideas, and  with its  impressive achievements it stirs up the  lethargic scientific and research scene in Macedonia. What is even more impressive, is that  all the activities of IRAM are project based, or a result of the enthusiasm of the young researchers.

      This paper’s main concern will be the presentation of  the achievements of IRAM’s  activities until now.
 

      Digitization of Macedonian music folklore

     The digitization of the Firfov Collection was the first large action for the preservation of the Macedonian cultural heritage in digital format. This extremely  valuable collection of recordings mainly carried out by the founder of Macedonian ethnomusicology Zhivko Firfov in the 60s and the 70s, was in possession of Firfov’s family. Their interest and understanding of the vulnerability of the sound carriers (the collection was recorded on cassettes), contributed to the cooperation between the Firfov family and IRAM. After the pilot and test recordings, over 3000 minutes of the audio materials of this cassette collection were digitized and stored on  HD in 44.1 KHz/16 bit format. At the moment , there are two HD masters (kept in different rooms) at UKIM FM. Also, 4 masters/copies were printed on 46 CDs. In accordance with the archiving laws, these 4 sets were distributed to different locations (one at the Etnomusicological archive of Zurich University, one to Firfof’s family, one for everyday use at UKIM FM, and one with Prof. D. Buzarovski).

      The digitization of this  collection needed adequate methodology not only for the storage of the primary data (the audio), but also for the secondary (the textual and graphic  data about the audio files and the participants in the performance and recording), and  for the tertiary (analytical) data. The digitization of the audio files from the Firfov Collection was conducted in accordance with the standards and recommendations of international organizations of sound archives, which proves that IRAM has adopted and mastered the technology for conversion. The methodology used for the storage of the secondary data was also developed succeeding the experiences of the leading sound archives in the world. As a result, the fields of the secondary database were defined, and more than 40% of the textual secondary data was entered. Also, about 50 photos and other graphic materials related to the performers were digitized.
 

         Recording of concerts of Macedonian composers and performers

        IRAM is not only interested in the folklore and cultural heritage from the past, but equally concerned with the digitization and preservation of the contemporary Macedonian music culture. During the last year in the IRAM studios and in the concert halls in Skopje over 400 minutes of audio (from 6 concerts and other events) has been recorded. At the moment IRAM performs only live recordings from the events, as at UKIM FM there is no adequate acoustic isolated room for other types of recordings.

       Eight video documentaries

       The need for the digitization of the graphic materials for the secondary database initiated the idea for the first video documentaries about the participants (singers and others) during the creation of the  Firfov’s Collection. Although this collection was recorded more than three decades ago, more of the singers and participants in the recording are still alive. This enables collection of some of the missing data about the conditions, motives, participants etc. of the original material, but also a re-recording of some of the songs from the collection. From an ethnomusicological point of view this new recordings are especially important, as they enable insight into the changes of the original material in this time span of several decades.
       The first three documentaries recorded in the winter/spring 2002, presented two of the female vocal groups from the collection: “Bapchorki” and “Kosturchanki”, and the collector of folk songs Gjorgji Donevski. The next documentary was recorded in the house of the family Sandjakovski. Father Sandjakovski is an offspring of the famous Macedonian composer of orthodox chant from the XIX century - Kalistrat Zografski.
       At the same time, an additional 4 documentaries were recorded on IRAM’s events and conferences : London Conference (November 2001), Zurich Conference (June 2002), Struga Conference (September 2002), and the opening of the IRAM’s students’  radio (January 2003).
      The video and audio recordings of these documentaries was done entirely with IRAM’s equipment. It is important to note that from January 2003,  we have also mastered the complete editing of the video,  (previously done partly in IRAM) using Final Cut Pro software. With this step, the final product of the whole process of creation of the documentaries is done in IRAM.

       Digitization of records for UKIM FM library

       Among the other accompanying IRAM activities related to the high efficiency of the usage of IRAM’s studios is the digitization of the records from the UKIM FM library. The records are normally damaged after multiple playbacks, which continuously decreased the number of playable records at UKIM FM library. With the transfer into a digital CD format, we have extended the life of some of the valuable, or most frequently used records. During the last year there were more than 40 records which were digitized for these purposes.
 

        Publishing 5 books  and 2 CDs

IRAM publishing activities cover two major areas:
- books on digital recording and archiving of the sound
- books with papers from IRAM conferences.

       IRAM continued the publishing of books on digital recording and archiving which started at UKIM FM with the first text-book for the sonology students. The two books that followed were: English-Macedonian Glossary of Technical terms and the Introduction in Digital Archiving of Sound. IRAM has also published all the papers from the two conferences organized by IRAM in London (Nov. 22nd, 2001) and in Struga (Sept. 22nd, 2002).
      The books from the conferences contain the first 2 CDs published by IRAM, one with the sound examples for the papers of the London Conference, and one with sound examples from the Firfov Collection.

      This number of 2 CDs does not include the other 7 CDs (IRAM’s recordings from concerts) which were mastered in IRAM, and distributed in a limited number for special occasions. (The first CD fully produced and burned in the UKIM FM was the recording of Buzarovski’s Nocturnes  for piano, in September 2000).

       It is important to point out that all the books from IRAM’s conferences are in English. One of the central goals of IRAM is to enable global promotion and access to IRAM’s materials.
 

       Sonology program at UKIM FM

      IRAM activities are deeply interconnected with the sonology program at UKIM FM. This program was opened three years ago, (the first students were enrolled in the program in 2000/2001 academic year) and the first graduates received their diplomas last December. Until now, more than 20 sonology and other undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students are participating in IRAM’s activities - recording, archiving and researching.

        IRAM Internet Students’ Radio

        The recordings done at IRAM, (some of them from IRAM’s own production , i.e. the recordings from the concerts, and some of them as a digitization of historical recordings), were used as basic material for the establishment of IRAM Students’ Radio. Officially opened on January 24th, this Internet radio updates its audio streaming page with a new program every second week. It is very important to note  that the programs are entirely produced at IRAM’s studios. At the moment, the programs are concerned with the presentation of the Macedonian composers and performers, (kinds of audio portraits). Their duration is approximately 150 minutes, and they consist of both recordings of the compositions and performances and interviews with the composers and performers. After gaining some experience, we plan to extend the programs to other areas, such as talk shows, documentaries, cultural news, presentation of theoretical papers etc.

        IRAM’s Council for Audio Heritage (CAH)

        The main concern of IRAM, the protection of the sound cultural heritage, resulted in the formation of IRAM’s Council for Audio Heritage. The official first meeting was held on January 24th, at UKIM FM. All major institutions dealing with archiving of sound cultural heritage were present:
- Institute for Folklore
- UKIM Library
- Macedonian Academy of Science and Arts
- Macedonian Radio and TV
- The Council for Broadcasting.

        This was a very important meeting as it proved the seriousness of the problem and the urgency for immediate action. The event attracted the media which covered the meeting and IRAM’s activities in several articles, TV and radio programs.
 

        IRAM’s web site

        IRAM’s web site is a part of the Macedonian Music Council web site (www.mmc.edu.mk). At the moment,  IRAM’s web site presents the complete versions of the papers from the London and Struga Conferences, including the audio samples and graphic materials (photos, graphs etc.).  Also, IRAM Internet Students’s Radio is included in this web site, with textual, graphic and audio files.

       As IRAM and MMC goals overlap, IRAM has started an updating process of the complete page of MMC. In fact, parallel with each new IRAM Students’ Radio program, which is devoted to Macedonian composers or performers, their page, which is originally part of MMC list of composers, performers, musicologists and ethnomusicologists is re-disigned and updated with text, graphic (JPG and MPEG files, scores in Finale and Sibelius format) and audio.

       We would like to emphasize that all the materials at IRAM’s web site, as well as MMC site, are in English (except the IRAM Students’ Radio interviews), again enabling global communication.
 

       IRAM’s studios

       IRAM activities could not have been accomplished without the digital recording equipment. At the moment at UKIM FM there are 3 studios, which were designed, installed and maintained by the IRAM staff. They include various hardware and software: three  Macintosh computers (G3 and G4) with Pro Tools Digi 001, Logic Audio, Final Cut Pro 3, Sibelius, BarbaBatch and other software, two 02R mixing consoles, one Yamaxa MX 12/4 console, three DAT and one  ADAT machine, Capybara, mini DV SONY camcorder and recorder, patchbays, interfaces, MIDI controllers, 15 microphones, amplifiers, loudspeakers etc.
      Having in mind that among the common sound archives’ problem is the obsolete hardware, we have paid special attention in obtaining some of the analog software which soon, or even now, could not be found. IRAM possesses:  Revox  two channel 38/19 real to real recorder, Tandberg four channel 19/9.5 real to real recorder, AKAI turntable, two Marantz cassette decks, 16 mm film projector and some other analog equipment with  historical value.

      It is also important to point out that we have built and Ethernet connection between all the studios and machines which facilitates the communication, but also avoids duplicating of the same pieces of hardware or software in each studio, and enables optimal use and functioning of all equipment.
 

      IRAM conferences

     The Second London Conference “Reflections on Macedonian Music - Past and Future”  is the third in a row conference organized by IRAM (First London Conference in 2001 and Struga Music Autumn Conference in 2002). After the first conference in London, we were encouraged to continue, not  by the direct impact on the audience which was present at this event,  but more because this and the following conferences were an additional incentive, a stimulus for the researcheses around IRAM to prepare the papers. Once the conferences were organized, we published the papers both in a hard copy (book) and on the Internet, thus enabling dissemination of IRAM’s achievements, ideas, experience to a much larger audience.

      This conference is similar example. The seven papers, written by the UKIM FM professors and the students from the UKIM FM master’s and doctoral program, are presenting their researches in two areas:
- performance
- composition.

      The first three papers cover performance practice in Macedonia in its major divisions: piano, string and wind instruments. The other four papers are concerned with the Macedonian composers: starting with the research of Stefanija Leshkova regarding the new works by Macedonian composers in the period between 1991-2001, and  followed by the presentation of the composer Toma Proshev,  and the generation of four composers: Stojkov, Avramovski, Nikoleski, Toshevski. The last paper promotes the group of young composers educated at UKIM FM.

      At the end of our paper, as an illustration for the achievements of IRAM in this period, we would like to quote Mr. Romano Prodi, The President of the European Commission , who mentioned IRAM in his speech  titled “ Education, tolerance and vision: Europe's way forward Saints Cyril and Methodius University” delivered in Skopje, 21 February 2003:
“...Education, research and culture, with programmes such as Tempus, help us to anticipate major political processes in Europe and to speed up efforts to bring peoples and States closer.
Such cooperation has already brought many benefits. These include a new electronic music studio for the digital recording of ancient folk songs and a centre for seismic engineering...”
The entire speech can be found at:
http://www.europa.eu.int/rapid/start/cgi/guesten.ksh?p_action.gettxt=gt&doc=SPEECH/03/94|0|RAPID&lg=EN