History

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.

  • 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.