Matias Fernandez Rosales Transfer of formal models for instrumental, electronic and mechanical musical composition: mosaic rhythmic canons, rhythmicons and Brownian motion

En bref

November 7th 2025
at 11:00 am

HEAR de Strasbourg
1 place Dauphine, 67000 Strasbourg
salle 23 (at 11:00 am)

Misha (université de Strasbourg)
5 allée du Général Rouvillois, 67000 Strasbourg
salle Table ronde (at 2:15 pm)

Free entry

 

     On Friday November 7th, 2025, Matias FERNANDEZ ROSALES will defend his thesis in musical interpretation and creation entitled ‘Transfer of formal models for instrumental, electronic and mechanical musical composition: mosaic rhythmic canons, rhythmicons and Brownian motion»’, carried out under the scientific supervision of Xavier HASCHER (professor in musicology at the Université de Strasbourg, member of the College GLAREAN, the ITI CREAA and the ACCRA) and Moreno ANDREATTA (research director in mathématics at the CNRS, member of the College GLAREAN, of ITI CREAA and the ACCRA), and under the artistic supervision of Daniel D'ADAMO (professor of composition at the Haute école des arts du Rhin de Strasbourg, member of the College GLAREAN), at the Université de Strasbourg and with the support of the College GLAREAN, the ITI CREAA and the ACCRA.

     The defence will take place in two stages:

  • at 11:00 am, the screening of the audiovisual recording of the artistic performance at the end of the thesis organised on June 30th, 2023, followed by a discussion with the jury, at the HEAR de Strasbourg;
  • at 14:15 pm, the thesis defence at the Université de Strasbourg.

Composition of the scientific jury

     The scientific jury is composed of:

  • Carlos AGON, professor in computer science at the Sorbonne Université an researcher at the IRCAM (France) - reviewer
  • Moreno ANDREATTA, research director at the CNRS in Mathematics at the IRMA (Univeristé de Strasbourg) (France)
  • Daniel D'ADAMO, professor of composition at the Haute école des arts du Rhin de Strasbourg (France)
  • Karim HADDAD, researcher in music computer science at the IRCAM et composer (France)
  • Xavier HASCHER, professor in musicology at the Université de Strasbourg (France)
  • Nathalie HEROLD, lecturer in musicology at the Sorbonne Université (France)
  • Isabel PIRES, associate professor in music sciences at the Universidade NOVA of Lisboa and composer (Portugal) - reviewer
  • Laurent POTTIER, professor in musicology at the Université Jean Monnet de Saint-Etienne (France) - president of the jury

Composition of the artistic jury

     The artistic jury is composed of:

  • Moreno ANDREATTA, research director at the CNRS in Mathematics at the IRMA (Univeristé de Strasbourg) (France) - guest
  • Daniel D'ADAMO, professor of composition at the Haute école des arts du Rhin de Strasbourg (France)
  • Karim HADDAD, researcher in music computer science at the IRCAM et composer (France)
  • Xavier HASCHER, professor in musicology at the Université de Strasbourg (France) - guest
  • Vasiliki KOURTI-PAPAMOUSTOU, professor of composition (electronic music) at the Hochschule für Musik Freiburg (Germany)

Abstract

     Cette recherche explore la modélisation informatique des idées compositionnelles comme méthodologie pour générer et organiser la matière musicale. Elle montre comment la programmation permet d’implémenter des théories mathématiques et musicales et de les transformer en matériaux sonores applicables à la musique instrumentale, électroacoustique et mécanique. Trois modèles sont étudiés : les pavages rythmiques par canons d’entrées régulières, produisant des mosaïques rythmiques sans limite de voix ni de quantité de rythmes ; le modèle de relativité musicale d’Henry Cowell ; et les mouvements browniens, inspirés des techniques stochastiques de Xenakis. À travers l’analyse d’œuvres composées dans ce cadre, la thèse met en lumière la versatilité et le potentiel créatif de chaque modèle, montrant leur capacité à produire des résultats musicaux divers et personnalisés. L’approche s’appuie sur OpenMusic, Max/MSP et le package bach, en dialogue avec l’esthétique de Grisey, Xenakis et Vaggione.

     This research explores the computer-based modeling of compositional ideas as a methodology for generating and organizing musical material. It shows how programming makes it possible to implement mathematical and musical theories and transform them into sound materials applicable to instrumental, electroacoustic, and mechanical music. Three models are studied: rhythmic tilings through canons of regular entries, producing rhythmic mosaics without limits in the number of voices or rhythmic density; Henry Cowell’s model of musical relativity; and Brownian movements, inspired by Xenakis’s stochastic techniques. Through the analysis of works composed within this framework, the thesis highlights the versatility and creative potential of each model, showing their capacity to produce diverse and personalized musical results. The approach relies on OpenMusic, Max/MSP, and the bach package, in dialogue with the aesthetics of Grisey, Xenakis, and Vaggione.