Text by CLOT Magazine
At first glance, Artificial Intelligence and music have little in common. Music is one of the most emotional art forms allowing people to express their feelings like no other art form does. But music is not just pure emotion. It is built on numerous music theories like rhythm, harmony, timbre, and dynamics, among other elements. It is thus quintessentially based on mathematical and physical laws which dictate its technical perfection. Hence the history of musical evolution is inextricably linked to the advancements in maths and technology that have continuously produced new ways of expression for musical artists.
Artificial Intelligence is widely considered the acme of these technological advancements and whilst it is still in its infancy, it’s evident that the potential for AI’s applications is monumental and could greatly influence many facets of our lives. Unlike other scientific developments, AI has made its way into the mainstream culture and has involved everyone in the conversation about what kind of a path we want to carve into this new era of technology.
Although designed to ease the human workload, AI is not without complications and fear. Science fiction warns us that neglecting responsibility in AI’s development, both on an individual and a societal level, could yield catastrophic consequences. As we shape technology, it, in turn, shapes our culture.
AI x Music Festival organised by Ars Electronica and the European Commission as part of the STARTS initiative explores the interaction between human creativity and technical perfection.
In the words of the Artistic Director, AI x Music is an authentic encounter and exchange with the possibilities and protagonists of this new art form.
The festival will bring to Linz people from across the globe and a range of disciplines, including musicians, composers, cultural historians, scientists, tech designers, and AI developers, to start a conversation about the relationship between humans and machines. The festival involves a wide variety of media to encourage diverse interpretations. The program consists of concerts and performances that use AI-based music technology, lectures and conferences discussing possible applications of AI in music creation, workshops enabling visitors to engage with making or playing music using AI, and a multitude of exhibitions and installations, both artistic and scientific.
AI x Music festival will occur between September 6 and 8, 2019, in Linz, Austria. Still, on Thursday evening, September 5, 2019, as part of this year’s Ars Electronica Opening Event, one program block of four concerts is dedicated to improvisation and the interaction of man and machine with names like Memo Akten and Jennifer Walshe, Tomomi Adachis, Reeps One, and Ryoichi Kurokawa whose performance “subassemblies” will be captivating.
