Instruments embedding musical memories for live performance and smart composition
Computer music designer, researcher, and musician, Jérôme Nika (FR) develops his own software instruments in collaboration with Ircam, and in interaction with expert improvisers and composers. The DYCI2 library of generative musical agents / intelligent software instruments (open source and freely distributed) combines machine learning models and generative processes with reactive listening modules. This “digital lutherie” has now reached a stage of maturity sufficient to serve as a basis for a purely musical research, combining “meta-composition” and free improvisation: composing the “musical memories” of improvising agents, the structures underlying their musical discourses, their listening and reaction mechanisms, and allowing the form to be generated by pure interaction. More than 60 artistic performances have brought these tools into play since 2016 (Ensemble Modern, Frankfurt; Annenberg Center, Philadelphia; Centre Pompidou, Collège de France, Le Centquatre, Paris; Montreux Jazz festival, etc.), particularly in improvised music (Steve Lehman, Bernard Lubat, Benoît Delbecq, Rémi Fox) and contemporary music (Pascal Dusapin, Marta Gentilucci). This exhibition will show a collection of videos from these artistic collaborations.