Instruments That Talk Back: Celebrating the Legacy of Don Buchla

An exhibition surveys the work and impact of Don Buchla, a synthesizer pioneer and influential figure in electronic music. Encompassing performances, workshops, and lectures, the project charts a path from Buchla’s analog instruments developed in the 1960s to his digital innovations of the 2000s. Organized by MMT’s associate director Lisa Platow, Instruments That Talk Back engages with Buchla’s  core collaborators, including composers, engineers, and scholars, as well as contemporary artists who perform newly composed pieces using instruments Buchla designed. The exhibition includes a physical installation of Buchla instruments that visitors can operate, allowing them to see, hear, and interact with his work, and gain new understandings about sound design, music technology, and cultural history.  

The total grant amount represents project funding plus an additional 20% in unrestricted general operating support.