Princeton Laptop Orchestra (PLOrk)
Princeton Laptop Orchestra (PLOrk) founders Perry Cook and Dan Trueman, in pre-concert interviews, explain the philosophy behind their laptop instruments and the on-the-fly computer coding that takes place during performances. PLOrk started as a freshman seminar course at Princeton.
"Most of our students don't know that these things are impossible," says Cook, "and therefore they're not." The PLOrkestra director opening this video is Ge Wang, who received his Ph.D. in computer science from Princeton in 2008. Wang is the founder of Stanford's MoPhO, a mobile phone orchestra. Wang and Cook also are cofounders of Smule, an iPhone applications company specializing in sonic media.
In the spring of 2009, Cook, a professor of computer science, is co-leading a Princeton Atelier workshop for Princeton students with performance artist Laurie Anderson. Student works-in-progress from the atelier can viewed on Cook's website.
Trueman, a professor of music who is affiliated with the computer science department, was recently feature on NPR playing a traditional Norwegian fiddle. NPR's video of Trueman can be viewed here.
Video by Lance Herrington.
