Participants build musical robots at the MNMade Festival in 2014. Photo by Adam Hammer ’05
The second annual MNMade Festival celebrates handmade electronic music from Minnesota Feb. 19-21 with music, robots and a robot concert at St. Cloud State.
MNMade Festival 2015 Schedule
Thursday, Feb. 19
• 6-8 p.m. – Troy Rogers, “Introduction to Musical Robotics,” Ruth Gant Recital Hall.
Friday, Feb. 20
• 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m. – Robotics Workshop and Robot Build, ISELF 206.
• 5-6 p.m. – Tim Kaiser, “Instrument Building and Improvisation,” Ruth Gant Recital Hall.
• 7:30 pm – Tim Kaiser concert, Ruth Gant Recital Hall.
Saturday, Feb. 21
• 9 a.m.- 4:30 p.m. – Robotics Workshop and Robot Build, ISELF 206.
• 7:30 pm – Concert featuring Troy Rogers, Workshop Participants, and their robot orchestra, Ruth Gant Recital Hall.
Hosted by the Department of Music and School of the Arts, the festival teaches participants how to build musical robots, compose music for the robots and present a concert robot concert for the grand finale. All events are free and open to the public.
Participants will also learn the history of mixing electricity, instrument building and automatons.
“No other university has or is doing anything like what we do at MNMade,” said Kristian Twombly, associate professor of music and new media. “The Department of Music at St. Cloud State is at the forefront of music programs in the state and region with events like MNMade.”
The festival features Troy Rogers ’01 leading the robot build and creation of the robotic concert music. Composer and instrument builder Tim Kaiser will discuss instrument design and improvisation, followed by a concert of “Folk Music from the Future” on Friday and Saturday.
Rogers has worked with one of the world’s largest and most advanced robot orchestras at the Logos Foundation in Ghent, Belgium. While there he apprenticed with Godfried-Willem Raes, developed a singing, speaking robot, and composed music. Rogers is currently a visiting lecturer in music at the University of Virginia.
Kaiser is a Duluth-based inventor who tours the country performing original compositions with his array of handmade sound machines. Kaiser has been featured on PBS’ series The Playlist and in various magazines.
- Register for the 2015 Festival.
- For more information, visit Facebook.com/MNMadeFestival.
