I’m pleased to be a (small) part of the most recent round of 60×60 events presented by Vox Novus. 60×60 is an hour-long concert featuring 60 1-minute pieces by 60 different composers. This year there are 6 different 60×60 concerts, totaling 360 pieces. Here’s what 60×60 director Robert Voisey says about the events:

“This is an event like no other event you have been to before. Every minute there is a new piece. 60×60 represents a diverse cross-section of music with different styles and aesthetics.  I can pretty much guarantee that you will love one of the pieces, it is a pretty good bet you will not like one of the pieces; regardless of whether you like or dislike the work in 60 seconds you will hear a new piece.”

There have been about a dozen events already including 60×60 Dance – “Order of Magnitude Mix” that happened this weekend at McGill University. Many others are upcoming, such as the presentations associated with ICMC 2010 at the Electronic Music Foundation Creative Resource Center (today and tomorrow, June 2 and 3) and Stony Brook University (June 3-5). Here’s a list of all six 60×60 mixes and every composer represented.

Nic Collins’s wonderful book, Handmade Electronic Music – The Art of Hardware Hacking is getting an update. Routledge is publishing a new edition with, according to Nic, “lots of new circuits and illustrations, more examples of artists’ designs, and a DVD with 87 1-minute video clips by hackers from all over the globe, as well as a series of step-by-step video tutorials.” I can’t wait to see it. After the jump are a number of events surrounding the release.

New York City
On Friday evening, April 17, from 6-7PM we’ll celebrate the book release at Bent 2009 at The Tank (354 West 45th Street.)  Books will be available for purchase (I’ll sign them with my illegible scrawl), I’ll screen some of the video from the DVD, demonstrate a few projects, and maybe give a brief performance.  Check the Bent website for more information: http://www.bentfestival.org/#Event/Nic_Collins_Handmade_Electronic_Music_Book_Release_Party.

Berlin
April 20 & 21 I’ll be presenting a 2-day hacking workshop at NK (Elsen Str. 52, 2. Hof.) The workshops will run from 11AM until 7PM, and we’ll have a concert, party, and book signing on Tuesday evening.  For more information see http://www.ausland-berlin.de/hardware-hacking-nicolas-collins.

Amsterdam
STEIM, the Vatican of hacking, is offering a 3-day workshop with me from April 24 to 26.  The workshops run 10AM to 5PM. For more information see http://www.steim.org/steim/workshops.php?id=133&b=1&r=1.  Then on Tuesday evening, April 28, we’ll have a little concert and book party at STEIM.

Chicago
On Saturday, May 2, at 3PM Quimby’s Bookstore (1854 W. North Avenue) is hosting a book release party. I’ll screen some video, demo a few projects, and the Chicago Symphacking Orchestra (CSO) will perform.