Musical Metacreation describes the process of making software that in turn makes music, partially or entirely by itself. This may be in the context of a live improvised musical performance, the creation of a new recorded work or score, or as part of a hybrid creative process in which the software plays a part alongside a composer. Musical Metacreation is the site of active research into techniques and methods that enable software programs to actively engage in music creation. The field aims both to simulate existing musical processes and to develop new ways of creating music that are not possible without machines and automation. Some systems are built with the grand aim of composing original scores; others are generative artworks whose output comes from the interaction of virtual software agents, with emergent and surprising results, and still others remain creative tools in the hands of performers, examining ways in which the compositional process can be part-automated and flexibly recoded.

This series of concerts is the result of an international response to a call for peer-reviewed works. It includes improvised duets between musicians and algorithms, algorithmically generated electronica, compositions derived from the machine learning of musical structure, and other strategies for software autonomy.

The MuMe Weekend is presented by the Design Lab at the University of Sydney, the Metacreation Lab at Simon Fraser University, Canada, and the Sydney Conservatorium of Music, in association with ISEA2013.
Organising committee: Oliver Bown (University of Sydney), Arne Eigenfeldt (Simon Fraser University, Canada), Philippe Pasquier (Simon Fraser University, Canada).

Additional local organisation: Ivan Zavada (University of Sydney), Ben Carey (UTS), Aengus Martin (UTS).

Works by: Agostino di Scipio, Shlomo Dubnov, Bill Hsu, Ben Carey, Oliver Bown, Toby Gifford and Andrew Brown, Oliver Hancock, Ben Swift and Andrew Sorensen, Renick Bell, Sick Lincoln, Arne Eigenfeldt, Chris Anderson, Micquel Parera Jaques, Rebecca Cernac, David Kim-Boyle, Brian Kelly, Ivan Zavada, Kenneth Newby, Roger Dean, Benjamin O’Brien, Kerry Hagan, Arne Eigenfeldt and Ajay Kapur, Miles Thorogood and Philippe Pasquier, Fredrik Olofsson.

With the musicians: Ben Carey, Roger Dean, Laura Altman, Simon Ferenci, Jon Watts.

All up-to-date information can be found at metacreation.net/mumewe2013/

Program

Saturday June 15

Panel Discussion
11am-1pm, The Old Darlington School

Improvising Algorithms
5.30-8pm, The Old Darlington School

Algorave
9-11pm, 107 Projects, Redfern

Installations
10am-5pm, The Old Darlington School

Sunday June 16

Composed Process
3pm-4.30pm, Recital Hall East, Sydney Conservatorium of Music

Studies in Autonomy
5pm-6.30pm, Recital Hall East, Sydney Conservatorium of Music

Installations
10am-5pm, The Old Darlington School

Venue Details

The Old Darlington School, University of Sydney, Maze Crescent, Darlington, NSW 2006
Access: Trains to Redfern station (7 minute walk), multiple buses to Sydney University, City Road – 352, 370, 422, 432, 426, 428, M30 (3 minute walk)

107 Projects, 107 Redfern Street, Redfern, NSW 2016
Access: Trains to Redfern (5 minute walk), bus to Redfern St – 308

Recital Hall East, Sydney Conservatorium of Music, University of Sydney, Macquarie St, NSW 2000
Access: Multiple trains/buses/ferries to Circular Quay (5 minute walk)