9.
New Studios in Utrecht and Bilthoven A consequence of the end of Philips’ commitment to electronic music was that CEM was no longer able to use the Philips studio’s equipment for concert sound reproduction. If CEM still wanted to realize its concert plans the following season, it needed to obtain its own portable system. Gaudeamus already had some useful devices, and others were bought to form a complete set of equipment. This portable setup had its own car and was managed by the technician Jaap Vink.31 At a CEM assembly, Kok suggested that with some small additions, the same equipment could also be used to produce and record electronic music in a studio.32 The organization decided to open a small studio in Bilthoven,
musicians would be able to work there, and in spite of
Figure 9. The electronic music
its own home base and that of Gaudeamus. The aim was for
Reeser’s original proposal, the university would not offer an
studio at Technische Hogeschool
the educational studio to be ready for use by the time the
educational program. For the moment, the Utrecht studio
Delft after renovation, 1959.
production studio in Utrecht opened.33 Five composers were
would only take over production tasks from Eindhoven.
working in the Bilthoven studio by June 1961, and seven others had shown interest. Vink, at first only responsible for the
CEM now had a new task. After all, its first priority had been
31
establishing a studio for educating composers.30 The studio in
Jaap Vink later became an important staff member at
Delft would stay open for another year, but no new students
provide technical assistance at the studio.34
the Institute of Sonology and
were accepted after October 1, 1959. 32
remained in that position until
At the end of October 1960, the Philips studio in Eindhoven
his retirement in 1993.
was relocated to a 1921 former office building in Utrecht.
Minutes of the CEM assembly
It was renamed the Studio for Electronic Music, or STEM (in
of July 14, 1960. 33
30
Minutes of the CEM assembly of November 19, 1959.
26 – PART 4
mobile concert equipment, was now receiving a stipend to
Walter Maas & the Contactorgaan Elektronische Muziek: A Lifeline for Electronic Music in the Netherlands
34
Minutes of the CEM assembly
Dutch, stem means “voice”) and became operational again in
of August 26, 1960.
January 1961. STEM initially occupied just four rooms on the
Minutes of the CEM assembly
ground floor, which housed Vermeulen’s office, a technical
of June 12, 1961.
workshop, a four-channel playback room and the studio itself.
75 Years Gaudeamus
