"Computer Synthesis of Musical Creativity" David Cope, UC Santa Cruz

David Cope
Professor Emeritus of Music
University of California at Santa Cruz

Tuesday, January 26, 2016

Title: Computer Synthesis of Musical Creativity

Abstract:
David Cope will explain why he created his computer program Experiments in Musical Intelligence, how this program works, and how he created over 11,000 music compositions with it. The presentation will include a musical Turing test, a composed-on-the-spot computer composition, and a discussion of how computer composition challenges many on issues of creativity.

Bio:
David Cope is Professor Emeritus of Music at the University of California at Santa Cruz, and teaches regularly in the annual Workshop in Algorithmic Computer Music (WACM) held in June-July at UC Santa Cruz. His books on the intersection of music and computer science include Computers and Musical Style, Experiments in Musical Intelligence, The Algorithmic Composer, Virtual Music,Computer Models of Musical Creativity, and Hidden Structure; these books describe the computer program Experiments in Musical Intelligence which he created in 1981. Experiments in Musical Intelligence’s works are published by Spectrum Press. They include Horizons for orchestra, three operas in the style of (and with librettos consisting of letters by the composers Mozart, Schumann, and Mahler), a symphony and piano concerto in the style of Mozart, a symphony by Beethoven, and a seventh Brandenburg Concerto in the style of Bach. Experiments in Musical Intelligence's works are available on five Centaur Records albums (Bach by Design, Classical Music Composed by Computer, Virtual Mozart, Virtual Bach, Virtual Rachmaninoff) and several discs by Epoc Records. Works composed in his own style include ten symphonies, ten string quartets, several chamber orchestra pieces, and a host of other works, most of which have been performed around the world.