Faculty Directory
Luke Dahl headshot
LD

Luke S. Dahl

Assistant Professor
Unit: College of Arts and Sciences
Department: Department of Music
Office location and address
Wilson 110
30 South Lawn
Charlottesville, Virginia 22904
Biography

Luke Dahl is Assistant Professor of Composition and Computer Technologies at University of Virginia where he teaches classes on music technology, audio signal processing, and music interaction design. Luke earned his PhD in Computer-Based Music Theory and Acoustics from the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA) at Stanford University, and a bachelor’s in Electrical Engineering at the University of Michigan. His research interests include music-related movement, new interfaces for musical expression, and music signal processing.

At CCRMA Luke was a founding member of the Stanford Laptop Orchestra (Slork) and the Stanford Mobile Phone Orchestra (MoPho). His musical works include SoundBounce for mobile phone orchestra, which was performed at NIME in Sydney, and TweetDreams for audience interaction and live Twitter data, which was premiered at the MiTo Settembre Musica Festival in Milan and has been performed in Oslo, San Francisco, and at TEDx Silicon Valley. He also produces and performs electronic dance music and ambient music.

Before returning to academia Luke worked at the Joint E-mu/Creative Advanced Technology Center where he developed reverb algorithms for the SoundBlasterLive sound card products and co-authored five patents on audio signal processing, and at Apple where he worked on audio for iPod and laptop products.


Recent courses as listed in the Student Information System (SIS) Course Catalog:
MUSI 2350: Technosonics: Digital Music and Sound Art Composition
Credits: 3
Technosonics is an introduction to the history, theory, and practice of electronic music and sound art. We will focus on the role of new technology in shaping musical thought, production, and culture from the turn of the century through today. Listening examples are drawn from a broad range of styles and genres, including experimental computer music, ambient and dance music, sound art, and multimedia.
MUSI 2993: Independent Study
Credits: 1–3
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 3390: Introduction to Music and Computers
Credits: 3
Students gain hands-on experience with synthesizers, music notation software, and the control of MIDI instruments via computer. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 3993: Independent Study
Credits: 1–3
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 4545: Computer Applications in Music
Credits: 3
Topics involving the composition, performance, and programming of interactive computer music systems. Prerequisite: Instructor permission or MUSI 3390.
MUSI 4610: Sound Synthesis and Control
Credits: 3
This course will cover the basic skills needed for building new musical interfaces. The first skill, and the primary topic of this course is Sound Synthesis. We will learn about the most common ways for digitally generating (synthesizing) musical sounds. This includes various concepts from musical acoustics and psychoacoustics. But it also includes the practical details of how to actually synthesize sound on a digital computer.
MUSI 4993: Independent Study
Credits: 1–3
Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 7540: Computer Sound Generation and Spatial Processing
Credits: 3
Studies in sound processing, digital synthesis and multichannel audio using RTCmix running under Linux. Students learn techniques of computer music through advanced composition, analysis of representative works, and programming. Prerequisite: Instructor permission. The course is intended for graduate students in music.
MUSI 7582: Composition
Credits: 3
This course focuses on particular compositional types, in this case choral composition. There are a series of graded exercises, graded compositions, and a major final project that is presented during the final exam period.
CPE 7993: Independent Study
Credits: 1–3
Detailed study of graduate course material on an independent basis under the guidance of a faculty member
MUSI 8810: Advanced Composition
Credits: 3
Advanced Composition Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 8820: Advanced Composition
Credits: 3
Advanced Composition Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 8910: Supervised Research
Credits: 3
Reading and/or other work in particular fields under supervision of an instructor. Normally taken by first-year graduate students. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 8920: Supervised Research
Credits: 3
Reading and/or other work in particular fields under supervision of an instructor. Normally taken by first-year graduate students. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 8993: Independent Study
Credits: 1–3
Independent study dealing with a specific topic. Requirements will place primary emphasis on independent research. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 8998: Non-Topical Research, Preparation for Research
Credits: 1–12
For master's research, taken before a thesis director has been selected.
MUSI 8999: Non-Topical Research
Credits: 1–12
For master's thesis, taken under the supervision of a thesis director.
MUSI 9998: Non-Topical Research, Preparation for Doctoral Research
Credits: 1–12
Preliminary research directed towards a dissertation in consultation with an instructor. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
MUSI 9999: Non-Topical Research
Credits: 1–12
For doctoral dissertation, taken under the supervision of a dissertation director. Prerequisite: Instructor permission.
ECE 9999: Dissertation
Credits: 1–12
Formal record of student commitment to doctoral research under the guidance of a faculty advisor. May be repeated as necessary.