ARS ELECTRONICA: Pianographique

Pianographique - Music and Images by Humans and Machines combines two current artistic research projects of Ars Electronica, both dedicated to the creative fusion of instrumental music and digital technologies. The concert begins with AI-composed musical pieces by Ali Nikrang, a composer and computer scientist who develops systems for composing his instrumental music in dialogue with AI and then arranges them for different ensembles. The music is created in collaboration between humans and machines, and during the performance, parts of the music are jointly interpreted by a self-playing computer piano and a human string quartet.

The second part of the concert will be performed by Maki Namekawa, who brings to life human-created music with her unique virtuosity and sensitivity. Few pieces could be better suited for this dramatic juxtaposition than Keith Jarrett's legendary Köln Concert, which she will perform in its entirety.

Both parts will be accompanied by images also created in collaboration between humans and machines. The real-time digital visualizations, designed by Florian Berger and Cori O'Lan, respond live to the music, its dynamics, harmonies, and timbres, giving rise to the visual worlds of this concert evening.

Programme

Part I: AI Reflection #1-3
AI composed music pieces by Ali Nikrang for self-playing piano and string quartet with real-time digital visualizations by Cori O’Lan.

Part II: Sounding Letters
AI composition by Ali Nikrang for self-playing piano and real-time visualizations by Florian Berger.

Part III: Keith Jarrett - The Köln Concert
Maki Namekawa’s interpretation of Keith Jarrett’s “The Köln Concert” with real-time digital visualizations by Cori O’Lan will be performed for the first time at the Ars Electronica Festival in September 2023.