STEIM (STudio forElectroInstrumentalMusic) was a center forresearch and development of new musical instruments in the electronic performing arts, located inAmsterdam,Netherlands. Beginning in the 1970's, STEIM became known as a pioneering center forelectronic music, where the specific context of electronic music was always strongly related to the physical and direct actions of a musician. In this tradition, STEIM supported artists in residence such as composers and performers, but also multimedia and video artists, helping them to develop setups which allowed for bespoke improvisation and performance with individually designed technology.
STEIM existed since 1969. It was founded byMisha Mengelberg,Louis Andriessen,Peter Schat,Dick Raaymakers,Jan van Vlijmen,Reinbert de Leeuw, andKonrad Boehmer. This group of Dutch composers had fought for the reformation of Amsterdam's feudal music structures; they insisted on Bruno Maderna's appointment as musical director of theConcertgebouw Orchestra and enforced the first public fundings for experimental and improvised electronic music in the Netherlands.[1]They were offered a budget for their collective multimedia opera "Reconstruction" which was premiered in theHolland Festival in 1969.[2]The technology used in this opera was then taken to Amsterdam's Prinseneiland which was STEIM's first location. Soon, in 1971, the studio moved to theGroenburgwal in the city center, where there was more space for workshops and concerts. From 1986-2015, STEIM was located at theAchtergracht in the city center's southern area in a building containing including three studios, a concert hall, hard and software workshops, offices, and a guesthouse. Under the direction of Michel Waisvisz (1949-2008, artistic director since 1981), the STEIM residency program attracted international artists to develop individual instruments and interfaces for the performance of electronic music.[3]
After moving to a smaller location near the Lelylaan station in 2015, STEIM officially ceased to exist as an organization at the end of 2020 due primarily to cuts within the Dutch national cultural funding system.[4]
Crackle Box (Kraakdoos), Crackle Synth, by Michel Waisvisz, Geert Hamelberg, Peter Beyls and Nico Bes (1975)[5]
The Hands, byMichel Waisvisz (since 1984). One of the world's first gestural MIDI controllers. Two wooden frames for the hands with switches, potentiometers, tilt sensors, and ultrasound.
Hyperstring Project, byJon Rose. Extending a Violin Bow with Sensors. (since 1985)
STEIM Sensor-Lab. Portable Mini-Computer which translates analogue Sensor data into MIDI Code. (1989)
As a headline for most of STEIM's instrumental developments it can apply that "Touch is crucial in communicating with the new electronic performance art technologies".[8] As in traditional musical instruments, it is believed here that also in contemporary developments the physical touch of a musician contains essential aesthetic factors. These qualities tend to get lost in the non-realtime use of studio technology, in which the process of music production gets rather rational but bodily involved. The Touch philosophy — which can be considered as STEIM's interpretation of the widely used terminteractivity — theoretically subsumes several stages of STEIM's developments,[9] from the analogue touchable "Crackle" surfaces in the 1970s[10] to today's experimental Gestural MIDI Interfaces.
STEIM was a foundation whose primary financial support came from theDutch ministry of Culture. It invited international artists in residence of all different musical and artistic styles and scenes. Aside from offering support in theoretic and practical development of contemporary musical instruments, STEIM also hosted in-house concerts, exhibitions and workshops. The work in progress of supported artists was presented during open studio events.
^Whitehead, Kevin (1998).New Dutch Swing. An in-depth examination of Amsterdam's vital and distinctive Jazz Scene. New York.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
^Davies, Hugh (1996).Elektroakustische Live-Performance. Zur Geschichte und Gegenwart des STEIM.
^Otto, Andi (2017).Das SensorLab und The Hands als elektroinstrumentale Pionierentwicklungen des STEIM in den Jahren 1984-2000 [The SensorLab and The Hands as pioneering developments at STEIM in the years 1984-2000] (in German). Dissertation. Universitätsbibliothek der Leuphana Universität Lüneburg. pp. 159–252.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: date and year (link)
^Collins, Nicolas (2006).Collins, Nicolas: Handmade Electronic Music. The Art of Hardware Hacking. New York.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
