New York, USA Fri, Jul 16, 2021 at 4:00 pm EDT
Chicago, USA Fri, Jul 16, 2021 at 3:00 pm CDT
Los Angeles, USA Fri, Jul 16, 2021 at 1:00 pm PDT
UTC, Time Zone Fri, Jul 16, 2021 at 8:00 pm
During the past year, the global COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the already in progress shift towards remote learning and remote interactions. While Zoom and other video conferencing platforms have been the main tools used in this recent phase, we desire more “presence” than these 2D platforms seem to allow. Recent developments of low-cost Virtual Reality (VR) headsets coupled with the rise of multi-user “Social VR” platforms, have led to a situation in which casual users without expensive gaming setups can easily attend shared VR experiences.
In this talk we will discuss the various ways we have utilized Social VR (via the Altspace platform) for musical purposes. We will discuss our experience of hosting educational music lectures that utilized custom built virtual instruments, creating a kinetic sound sculpture for virtual Burning Man (BRCvr), and building an exhibit hall for a virtual gala session for the Society of Electro Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS) conference. Additionally we will discuss our thoughts on the possibilities and pitfalls of musical performance in Social VR along with a glimpse into our plans for the future.
During the past year, the global COVID-19 pandemic has accelerated the already in progress shift towards remote learning and remote interactions. While Zoom and other video conferencing platforms have been the main tools used in this recent phase, we desire more “presence” than these 2D platforms seem to allow. Recent developments of low-cost Virtual Reality (VR) headsets coupled with the rise of multi-user “Social VR” platforms, have led to a situation in which casual users without expensive gaming setups can easily attend shared VR experiences.
In this talk, we will discuss the various ways we have utilized Social VR (via the Altspace platform) for musical purposes. We will discuss our experience of hosting educational music lectures that utilized custom built virtual instruments, creating a kinetic sound sculpture for virtual Burning Man (BRCvr), and building an exhibit hall for a virtual gala session for the Society of Electro Acoustic Music in the United States (SEAMUS) conference. Additionally we will discuss our thoughts on the possibilities and pitfalls of musical performance in Social VR along with a glimpse into our plans for the future.
Music in Social VR Panelist
Music in Social VR Panelist
Music in Social VR Panelist
Victoria Szabo is a Research Professor of Visual and Media Studies and Gender, Sexuality, and Feminist Studies at Duke University. She also directs the Information Science + Studies Program and the PhD in Computational Media, Arts & Cultures. She has a PhD in Victorian Literature and Culture and works in digital humanities and media art, with an emphasis on location-based urban histories, multimodal cultural heritage, and digital storytelling. Before moving to Duke, she worked in Academic Technology at Stanford University. She is also part of the Psychasthenia Studio Art collaborative and the international Visualizing Cities consortium. She has been involved in a variety of SIGGRAPH Art-related roles, including SIGGRAPH Art Gallery Chair, Art Papers Chair, Art Papers Chair for SIGGRAPH Asia, Chair of the Year-Round Digital Arts Community for the Org, and is the current Chair of the Arts Advisory Group. She is also part of the SIGGRAPH Governance Committee. Victoria is the Art Papers Chair for SIGGRAPH 2025.
