• Research

    The fundamental principle of IRCAM is to encourage productive interaction among scientific research, technological developments, and contemporary music production. Since its establishment in 1977, this initiative has provided the foundation for the institute’s activities. One of the major issues is the importance of contributing to the renewal of musical expression through science and technology. Conversely, sp…

    • Research Topics
    • The STMS Lab
    • Research Teams
    • Sound Systems and Signals: Audio/Acoustics, InstruMents
    • Acoustic and Cognitive Spaces
    • Sound Perception and Design
    • Sound Analysis-Synthesis
    • Sound Music Movement Interaction
    • Musical Representations
    • Analysis of Musical Practices
    • Projects
    • Sound Workshop
    • The Musical Body
    • Creative Dynamics
    • Finished Projects
  • Creation

    IRCAM is an internationally recognized research center dedicated to creating new technologies for music. The institute offers a unique experimental environment where composers strive to enlarge their musical experience through the concepts expressed in new technologies.

    • Composers & Artists in Studio
    • Mauro Lanza in studio
    • Chloé Thévenin in studio
    • Oren Boneh in studio
    • Tristan Murail in studio
    • Martin Matalon in studio
    • Sébastien Gaxie in studio
    • Murcof in the studio
    • Vimala Pons in studio
    • Lucie Antunes in studio
    • Deena Abdelwahed in the studio
    • Music-Fictions
    • Artistic Research Residency
    • Artistic Residencies: The Blog
    • Rendez Vous 24.25
    • 2024-2025
    • Replay Concerts
    • Seasons from 1996 to present
    • ManiFeste-2024 Website
    • ManiFeste festival from 2012 to 2024
    • L’Étincelle, IRCAM’s journal of creation
  • Transmission

    In support of IRCAM's research and creation missions, the educational program seeks to shed light on the current and future meaning of the interactions among the arts, sciences, and technology as well as sharing its models of knowledge, know-how, and innovations with the widest possible audience.

    • Training Courses
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    • 2025 ÉLAN award
    • Spatial Composition Workshop
    • In Situ Polytopes
    • ULYSSES Ensemble
    • Auditors
  • Innovations

    Engaged with societal and economic issues at the intersection of culture and IT, research at Ircam has forged a reputation for itself in the world of international research as an interdisciplinary benchmark in the science and technology of sound and music, constantly attentive to the new needs and uses in society.

    • The IRCAM Forum
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  • Research

    The fundamental principle of IRCAM is to encourage productive interaction among scientific research, technological developments, and contemporary music production. Since its establishment in 1977, this initiative has provided the foundation for the institute’s activities. One of the major issues is the importance of contributing to the renewal of musical expression through science and technology. Conversely, sp…

    • Research Topics
    • The STMS Lab
    • Research Teams
    • Sound Systems and Signals: Audio/Acoustics, InstruMents
    • Acoustic and Cognitive Spaces
    • Sound Perception and Design
    • Sound Analysis-Synthesis
    • Sound Music Movement Interaction
    • Musical Representations
    • Analysis of Musical Practices
    • Projects
    • Sound Workshop
    • The Musical Body
    • Creative Dynamics
    • Finished Projects
  • Creation

    IRCAM is an internationally recognized research center dedicated to creating new technologies for music. The institute offers a unique experimental environment where composers strive to enlarge their musical experience through the concepts expressed in new technologies.

    • Composers & Artists in Studio
    • Mauro Lanza in studio
    • Chloé Thévenin in studio
    • Oren Boneh in studio
    • Tristan Murail in studio
    • Martin Matalon in studio
    • Sébastien Gaxie in studio
    • Murcof in the studio
    • Vimala Pons in studio
    • Lucie Antunes in studio
    • Deena Abdelwahed in the studio
    • Music-Fictions
    • Artistic Research Residency
    • Artistic Residencies: The Blog
    • Rendez Vous 24.25
    • 2024-2025
    • Replay Concerts
    • Seasons from 1996 to present
    • ManiFeste-2024 Website
    • ManiFeste festival from 2012 to 2024
    • L’Étincelle, IRCAM’s journal of creation
  • Transmission

    In support of IRCAM's research and creation missions, the educational program seeks to shed light on the current and future meaning of the interactions among the arts, sciences, and technology as well as sharing its models of knowledge, know-how, and innovations with the widest possible audience.

    • Training Courses
    • Training Courses 2025.26
    • Max, Max for Live
    • Computer-Assisted Composition
    • ASAP & Partiels
    • Sound spatialization
    • Generative AI
    • Practical Information
    • Higher Education
    • Cursus Program on Composition and Computer Music
    • Master ATIAM
    • Sound Design Master's Program
    • Mixed-Music
    • AIMove Master
    • Discover Research at IRCAM
    • Cultural Outreach
    • Cultural Mediation at Middle School Students
    • Médiations culturelles au lycée
    • Digital Workshops
    • TACT
    • Images of a Work Collection
    • Group Tours
    • ManiFeste-2025 Festival Academy
    • 2025 ÉLAN award
    • Spatial Composition Workshop
    • In Situ Polytopes
    • ULYSSES Ensemble
    • Auditors
  • Innovations

    Engaged with societal and economic issues at the intersection of culture and IT, research at Ircam has forged a reputation for itself in the world of international research as an interdisciplinary benchmark in the science and technology of sound and music, constantly attentive to the new needs and uses in society.

    • The IRCAM Forum
    • Softwares
    • Ircam Amplify
    • Innovative art-science-technology processes
    • Forum Vertigo
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    History

    Edit






    Facing the place Stravinsky, IRCAM was created in 1970 by President Pompidou, eager to associate a center for musical creation with the national center of art and culture Georges Pompidou to make a multidisciplinary cultural center.

    Edit
    • Construction de l'Espace de projection
      Construction de l'Espace de projection
    • L'Ircam avant la construction de la fontaine créé par Niki de Saint-Phalle et Jean Tinguely L'Ircam avant la construction de la fontaine créé par Niki de Saint-Phalle et Jean Tinguely © Serge Korniloff
      L'Ircam avant la construction de la fontaine créé par Niki de Saint-Phalle et Jean Tinguely L'Ircam avant la construction de la fontaine créé par Niki de Saint-Phalle et Jean Tinguely © Serge Korniloff
    • Transport et mise en place des bouches devant l'Ircam
      Transport et mise en place des bouches devant l'Ircam
    • Construction du bâtiment conçu par Renzo Piano
      Construction du bâtiment conçu par Renzo Piano
    • Construction du bâtiment conçu par Renzo Piano
      Construction du bâtiment conçu par Renzo Piano
    • L'Ircam en travaux avec l'annonce de sa saison artistique 1994-1995
      L'Ircam en travaux avec l'annonce de sa saison artistique 1994-1995
    • Visuel de la saison artistique 1996-1997  © Michal Battory
      Visuel de la saison artistique 1996-1997 © Michal Battory
    • L'Ircam en 1998
      L'Ircam en 1998
    • L'Espace de projection Espace de projection © O. Panier des Touches
      L'Espace de projection Espace de projection © O. Panier des Touches
    • Création du festival Agora, concert à l'Espace de projection  © O. Panier des Touches
      Création du festival Agora, concert à l'Espace de projection © O. Panier des Touches
    • Lancement de la collection Musique/Sciences en coédition avec Delatour-France en 2006
      Lancement de la collection Musique/Sciences en coédition avec Delatour-France en 2006
    • Inauguration du système de spatialisation sonore par Wave Field Synthesis et Ambisonics à l'Espace de projection  © Philippe Migeat
      Inauguration du système de spatialisation sonore par Wave Field Synthesis et Ambisonics à l'Espace de projection © Philippe Migeat
    • L'Ircam en 2012 avec la première édition du festival ManiFeste  © Éric Laforgue
      L'Ircam en 2012 avec la première édition du festival ManiFeste © Éric Laforgue

    Key Dates

    2020

    La Banque des Territoires (Caisse des dépôts), Believe, and  E.T.R.E joined their capital with that of IRCAM for the development of Ircam Amplify. 

    2019

    Ircam creates Ircam Amplify, its commercial entity for audio innovations. Conceived as a real bridge between the state of the art of audio research and the industrial world at global level, Ircam Amplify will be a key player in the sound revolution in the twenty-first century.

    2017

    First edition of the Vertigo Forum on creation and innovation in connection with digital technologies.

    2016

    IRCAM is at the heart of European scientific and artistic research through its coordination of the European H2020 project: Vertigo Starts.
    The ULYSSES Network of academies and the Interfaces project on the renewal of the concert form are launched with Creative Europe.

    2015

    IRCAM becomes an associated member of the Comité Colbert.
    Launch of the Music Technology Program with New York University.

    2014

    Creation and launch of a doctoral program of research in composition with Sorbonne Universités, l’UPMC et Paris-Sorbonne.
    Launch of the UMPC Mobility and Quality of Life in Urban Environments Chair with PSA and Renault.

    2013

    Emergence of three start-ups from IRCAM: Niland, Phonotonic, and Mogees.
    The Forum workshop, a community of IRCAM software users, celebrates its 20th anniversary.
    Publication by the éditions Symétrie of the collective work Théories de la composition musicale au XXe siècle

    2012

    First edition of ManiFeste, an international festival and multidisciplinary academy.
    Inria / IRCAM common research team on synchronous languages.
    Inauguration of the new multi-channel system of sound diffusion in the Espace de projection using the WFS and Ambisonic systems.

    2011

    Launch of the IRCAMAX collection of patches for Max for Live.

    2010

    The University Pierre et Marie Curie (UPMC) joined the CNRS and the French Ministry of Culture and Communication at IRCAM in the Mixed Research Unit 9912.
    The IRCAM Tools series of 5 plug-ins was launched in partnership with Flux::.

    2009

    Agora Festival: the first use of the WFS system in a concert situation with Philippe Schoeller's creation.
    First call to applications for the artistic research residency.

    2008

    The launch of a new collection of contemporary music recordings, Sirènes, bringing together the talents of the Ensemble intercontemporain, IRCAM, and Kairos.
    IRCAM forms a partnership with the CentQuatre, a new cultural establishment founded by the city of Paris, where the institute will implement an experimental stage.

    2007

    Creation of the new Cursus II program for young composers in partnership with Le Fresnoy and European music conservatories.

    2006

    Frank Madlener succeeds Bernard Stiegler as the director of IRCAM : IRCAM's artistic policy becomes the institute's general policy.
    The first edition of the multidisciplinary journal L'étincelle on musical creation at IRCAM is published.
    The Musique/Sciences book collection in launched in collaboration with Editions Delatour France and IRCAM-Centre Pompidou.

    2005

    The first edition of the annual revue L'Inouï is published in conjunction with the Editions Léo Scheer.

    2004

    Creation of new musical research groups (orchestration, rhythm, voice).

    2002

    Bernard Stiegler becomes director of IRCAM.
    Completion of the Musique Lab software designed by IRCAM for the French Ministry of Education for music education in middle and high schools.
    Creation of Résonances, a meeting among internationally renowned scientists on new technology for music.

    1999

    François Raffinot joins IRCAM to head the new choreographic creation departement.

    1998

    First edition of the Agora Festival.
    Creation of a visual programming software program for the creation of applications for computer-assisted composition - OpenMusic.

    1996

    Inauguration of the IRCAM multimedia library.

    1995

    IRCAM and the CNRS join forces to create the STMS IRCAM-CNRS joint lab (UMR 9912).
    Creation of the Spatializater software program used for concert hall acoustics and urban acoustics.

    1994

    Launch of a collection of recordings in collaboration with the Ensemble intercontemporain and Adès.
    Creation of AudioSculpt, a computer program that enables users to manipulate sound.

    1993

    Creation of the IRCAM Forum (IRCAM software users' group).
    Beginning of the industrial relations policy at IRCAM.
    Establishment of the ATIAM master's program

    1992

    Laurent Bayle succeeds Pierre Boulez as director and Pierre Boulez becomes honorary director.
    Publication of the revue Résonances and the Cahiers de l'Ircam collection.
    First open house.

    1990

    Creation of the International Cursus Program for Composition and Computer Music.

    1988

    Creation of the Max software program designed to process the interaction between computer and performer in real-time.
    Creation of the Modalys software program for synthesis via physical modeling.

    1986

    Publication of the first issue of the revue InHarmoniques.

    1981

    Perfection of the 4X System, the last link in a series of digital sound processors that was first conceived in 1976.
    The premiere of the first work produced by Pierre Boulez at IRCAM, Répons.

    1978

    First public manifestations at Ircam.

    1977

    Opening of the building designed by Renzo Piano and Richard Rogers.

    1970

    Pierre Boulez is invited by Georges Pompidou to create and head an institute specialized in musical research and creation under the aegis of the Centre Pompidou.

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