Ephemeral Music: Electroacoustic Music Collections in the United States

Electroacoustic music, created in a digital environment without using traditional notation on paper, relies on the use of technology for its interpretation and performance. The widespread use of this compositional technique challenges archivists to guarantee the long-term preservation and access to the original sonic experience of these creative works which can be thought of as born-digital records. Composers often rely on a combination of commercial software and home-grown hardware to create electroacoustic compositions, and performance becomes the only avenue of experiencing the work as a whole. This music is slowly disappearing since standards for its long-term access have not been developed and the creators are not taking a proactive approach to move into a sustainable access model. This paper reports on the results of a recently completed study of electronic music collections in libraries and archives across the United States to establish the span of such collections, current collection strategies, and relevant preservation strategies. This study lays the foundation of future preservation and effective long-term access initiatives for born-digital music as well as similar born-digital artistic works.