Steven Abrams

Although his heart still belongs to music, Steven Abrams currently works in the Software Technology department of IBM Research managing the Business Application Modeling group. With that team, he develops tools that help people describe, visualize, validate, design, and develop enterprise applications more easily and naturally than with traditional tools. Previously, Dr. Abrams spent several years working in and managing the Computer Music Center, where he led a series of projects (including Music Sketcher) that revolve around music, art, and creativity, with a goal of helping people to amplify their natural musical creativity. Under his direction, the Computer Music Center investigated some of the concepts used by composers in their creative process, such as structure, shape, and tension and relaxation; and it is developing tools that use these higher-level abstractions in ways that enhance the composer’s ability to create m usic. The goal of that work was to develop a better understanding of how people work on creative tasks in general and how technology can better support people in these tasks. In his new role, Dr. Abrams is taking lessons learned from the music domain and applying them to the creative tasks of designing and developing software systems.

Dr. Abrams originally started at IBM as a supplemental employee in May 1992, working on 2-D and 3-D geometric processing algorithms and system architecture for a rapid prototyping system in the Manufacturing Research group. He then joined Stratasys, Inc., where he helped to commercialize the rapid prototyping technology developed in the M. R. group (that technology is currently shipping in Stratasys's "Genisys" product). While working at Stratasys, Dr. Abrams finished his Ph.D. in Computer Science at Columbia University in the Robotics group. His thesis was on sensor planning for robots in an active environment, and it focused on multidimensional modeling and manipulation of computer vision constraints and the computation of 3-D swept volumes.

His research interests have changed quite a bit since then: Currently, he is focused on the development of practical models, algorithms, and representations for system architectures in ways that help IT architects work more efficiently -- an Architect's Workbench. Dr. Abrams can be reached through email at sabrams@us.ibm.com.

Because people are creative and computers are not, Daniel Oppenheim works to develop computer technologies that will support and encourage our natural abilities. Dr. Oppenheim, a composer, inventor, and designer, was the first researcher to join the IBM Computer Music Center in October 1993. He was co-designer of KidRiffs, a music exploration program for children that emphasizes the musical experience (KidRiffs won the 1995 Partent’s Choice award and a 1996 Consumer Electronics Show Innovation Award). He later developed the patented Music Morpher technology, the first application that enables real-time transformations between musical works in varied styles. Dr. Oppenheim’s major research focus has been music representation, with an emphasis on musical expression, compositional structures, and real-time interactions. His ideas of enhancing traditional representations by combining blocks and modifiers, and his recent prototyping and co-development of Smart Harmony, form the foundation for the Music Sketcher.

Dr. Oppenheim was born in Jerusalem, Israel, and graduated with degrees in Music Theory and Composition from the Rubin Academies in Jerusalem and Tel-Aviv. He received his doctorate degree in Computer Music and Composition at Stanford University, working at the Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics (CCRMA). His work led to development of the DMIX environment for musical composition and performance. A key feture of DMIX is its patented Slappable user interface, enabling a unique blending of contrasting user metaphors within a single workspace. Thus, graphical editing, algorithmic composition, computer programming, and real-time interaction and improvisation all blend into a single uniform workspace with a consistent user interface. DMIX has been used for composition and research in centers throughout the world, including the U.S., South America, Europe, Asia, and the Far East. Dr. Oppenheim is frequently invited to give lectures and teach classes relating to DMIX or computer music.

Dr. Oppenheim’s compositions include solo, ensemble, vocal, chorus, and orchestral works, as well as Electro-acoustic music, interactive works for soloist and computer, and works for theater. His works have been performed extensively in the US, Europe, Israel, and the Far East; and his music appeared on a CD series produced by Wergo. Dr. Oppenheim can be reached at music@watsom.ibm.com.

Don Pazel joined IBM in 1973 as a member of the Federal Systems Division, working in the area of tactical and strategic defense systems. He joined IBM Research in 1975, and, since then, he has specialized in programming languages and tools, distributed systems, and interactive media. Working with Harry Markowitz and Ashok Malhotra, Mr. Pazel contributed to designing and building the EAS-E programming language, which seamlessly integrated programming entities and relationships with database entities and relationships. Later, he led the design and implementation of a visual program debugging tool for the IBM VisualAge product. This led to leading a team in the design and implementation of a program debugger and event monitor for distributed systems. Mr. Pazel joined the Computer Music Center in 1997 and worked on conceptual and visual aspects of the Music Sketcher project.

Since then, Mr. Pazel has worked on the dynamic management of computing clusters, including aspects of resource allocation and recovery planning. Presently, he is engaged in a project in program conceptualization and visualization, an exension of his prior work on the Effigy visual programming language. With inspiration from his computer music experience, he is focusing on making the construction of complex programs easier by incorporating visualization techniques that take full advantage of the programmer's creativity.

Mr. Pazel received a B.S. in Mathematics from LaSalle University in 1972 and an M.S. in Mathematics from the University of Virginia in 1973. He studied piano with Ralph Burkhart and Pauline Lederer and holds a performance diploma in piano from the Westchester Conservatory of Music. He also studied composition with Dr. Ruth Schonthal. Still privately active in music, he enjoys studying and performing great classic pieces. Mr. Pazel can be reached at pazel@watson.ibm.com.

Jim Wright was a research staff member in the Computer Music Center since he joined IBM in 1993 until 2001, when the Center closed. He is currently part of the Stellation project, focusing on collaborative software development environments and the Eclipse tool framework.

Mr. Wright was the principal architect and team leader for the KidRiffs project, a multimedia consumer software product developed at the T. J. Watson Research Center and released in 1995. More recently, Mr. Wright has been involved with QSketcher, Music Sketcher, and standards activities (contributing to Mobile MIDI and MMA Downloadable Sounds, editing the specification for MIDI over IEEE-1394, and chairing the MMA Transport Layer Working Group).

Before joining IBM, Mr. Wright made significant contributions to the professional audio and music industry. At Otari Console Products, he developed post-production audio software and an automated mixing console. His software is in daily use at LucasFilms's Skywalker South, Francis Ford Coppola's production facility, and many other film and recording studios.

In the late 1990s, Mr. Wright and two partners formed MuLogix to provide design services and manufacture digital synthesizers. Clients included Korg (a major Japanese musical equipment manufacturer) and Wendy Carlos (creator of "Switched On Bach" and scores for Clockwork Orange and Tron). From 1984 through 1985, at Voyetra, Mr. Wright developed Sequencer Plus, the first commercially successful music sequencer for the IBM PC platform. Before that, he was Product Design Engineer for Unicord (now Korg USA), where he helped develop more than 25 synthesizers, drum machines, and other music products.

Mr. Wright received a B.A. in Music and Musical Technology from Hampshire College in 1977 and a certificate in Studio Guitar from the Musician's Institute in 1980. Mr. Wright's current research interests include collaborative authoring environments, human-computer interfaces for software developers, interactive music systems, and content representations. He can be reached at jwright@watson.ibm.com.