David Barton, Ph.D.
Area Coordinator of Music,
Professor of Music
David K. Barton earned the BA (1968), MA (1972), and PhD (1975) degrees in Music with major emphasis in Composition, all from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He also studied in the Faculty of Music, University of Edinburgh, Scotland, as part of his undergraduate training. He has been a member of National Institute for the Humanities Summer Seminars at Brandeis University (1979), Harvard University (1983 and 1997) and New York University (1988), and participated in a Computer Music Seminar at the University of Chicago (1985).
He has held teaching positions in the College of Creative Studies and Department of Music, University of California, Santa Barbara (1971-74), and the College Conservatory of Music, University of Cincinnati (1974-76); and since 1976 has been on the faculty of Indiana University South Bend, where he presently is Professor of Music, Director of Graduate Studies, Director of the IU South Bend Computer Music Studio, and Music Area Coordinator for the Ernestine M. Raclin School of the Arts.
Barton’s specialty as a composer is computer-assisted electronic music improvisation. Since 1988 he has been the coordinator of a performance ensemble, PLATO & the Western Tradition, which performs regularly at IUSB, and which has performed at many other venues in Michiana and elsewhere in the United States. This ensemble has recorded more than 1,500 improvisations. Since 1992, Barton has involved IU South Bend students in electronic music improvisation with the IU South Bend Electronic Music Ensemble. Barton has a catalogue of 75 conventional instrumental and vocal compositions, plus nearly 100 electronic music compositions and recorded solo improvisations. He also has created a number of video pieces, usually to be presented as adjuncts to improvisation performances.
