"Today's concert program started as a retrospective of some activities at Concordia. The program was transformed by the September events and is now about peace, introspection, self-knowledge and the unknowable." - Kevin Austin

I experienced a moment of disbelief when I learned of the 20th anniversary of electroacoustic concerts here at Concordia University. Could it really be 20 years already? But then of course it could... I remember the first few concerts I attended as a student in 1989 in the Administration building basement in a cramped room, with 8 speakers not more than 2 meters away. The concerts were hot and the 30-40 people in attendance were almost sitting on top of each other - a far cry from the present set-up in the Oscar Peterson Concert Hall.

Since those concerts I have learned of the 'early' days, (amazing stories believe me!), and have managed to participate in the planning of the more recent series. I hope this year will bring many of these old and newer stories to light, and with the aid of our 'Carte Blanche' presenters (all past ÉuCuE 'hosts') share some of the moments together.

I would like to tip my hat to all of the many people who have contributed to these series. From the tech crews who unfailingly manage to set up the speakers/ cables/ power/ mixer to the concert programers to curators who have aided with complete and 'half-concerts' to the composers and sound projectors who have astounded so many ears, and to the audiences, who have sat in the many different configurations (sometimes putting up with speaker changes mid-concert) in our continuing efforts to get the spatialization 'just right'.

But I'd like to save the highest praise for the one person who started it all and who has nurtured this series, in one way or another, for all of the 20 years: Kevin Austin. It is through his determination and dedication to this art form and his unfailing support for electroacoustics at Concordia that ÉuCuE is an internationally renown and respected concert series.

Bravo Kevin! Bravo ÉuCuE!

Ian Chuprun
ÉuCuE Concert Manager