Aiming towards proposing new methods for creating large scale compositions that are non-linear, I will observe the behavior non-linear systems. By mapping the parameters of these complex systems to compositional elements, I will construct material in the form of short pieces for piano that will then be combined to create larger works. Each of these individual pieces, called a ‘system,’ is identified by specific instructions but can be morphed in real time by means of improvisation. The system is ever-evolving, yet static, deterministic, yet unpredictable, composed as well as improvised, standalone but can interact with others.
Zoe Efstathiou is pianist within contemporary improvised music, an electroacoustic music composer and a mathematician originally from Greece. Her interest shifts between the intricate relationships of the overtones of acoustic instruments, electroacoustic textures, and the sonic potential of light installations. Her music interpolates the momentary with the ever-evolving, exploring ideas related to time, expectation and memory. Her latest solo piano album 'Edge of Chaos' on iDEAL Recordings has been critically acclaimed, while she has been characterized as a 'stand-out player who has cultivated a truly personal and inimitable language.'
She holds a masters degree in Improvisation from the Academy of Music and Drama at the University of Gothenburg, an Advanced Postgraduate Diploma in Composition from the Rhythmic Music Academy in Copenhagen and a Bachelor in Mathematics from Lund University.
In this first presentation, I will outline my methods for using text-audio multimodal machine learning models for my research. In particular I will describe the ways I am using machine learning in my project not only as a tool but as a method for artistic research. I will share insights gained thus far and a series of questions, challenges and ethical concerns that have emerged through this work.
In that context, I will also talk about my experiences getting drawn into time-consuming tangents and research black holes, and I will ask the audience for their thoughts on how to identify and avoid such paths.