Tribute to Jean-Claude Risset

[Stephen McAdams <Stephen.McAdams@xxxxxxxx>]

Jean-Claude Risset, Sculptor and student of sound

Jean-Claude Risset has been awarded the most prestigious scientific
award in France, the Gold Medal of the Centre National de le Recherche
Scientifique (CNRS). This is the first time this award has been given to a
researcher in the engineering sciences section of the CNRS and it is
particularly telling that it has been given to a person who has always
followed a delicate path between the science and the art of sound.
Jean-Claude is a Research Director in the CNRS at the Laboratoire
d'Acoustique et de Mécanique in Marseille, where he founded and directed
the Computer Music team of the laboratory (try to imagine any other
country where computer can be found as an integral component of a
physics lab!). He is also an active composer whose work has centered
around electroacoustic music, particularly music created through
computer synthesis and computer-based sound processing techniques.
Jean-Claude was on of the pioneers of computer music, working with Max
Mathews at Bell Labs in the early years when computer music synthesis
techniques were being born. He has also made significant contributions to
our understanding of sound and music perception through his numerous
explorations in the realm of timbre perception and sound illusions.  He
was one of the select group of composers and scientists chosen by Pierre
Boulez to instantiate the Institut de Recherche et de Coordination
Acoustique/Musique (IRCAM). I  think readers of this list will join me in
rejoicing in the fact that someone dedicated to the scientific study and
artistic structuring of sound has attained this level of recognition and
that they will also join me in extending to Jean-Claude our heartfelt
congratulations.

Stephen McAdams
IRCAM, 1 place Igor-Stravinsky, F-75004 Paris, France
smc@ircam.fr    http://www.ircam.fr/
tel: (33 1) 4478-4838, fax (33 1) 4478-1540