Listen To Tod Machover’s “already and not yet” With The Boston Symphony Orchestra
From October 22 through 24, Tod Machover’s already and not yet received its world premiere with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Maestro Kent Nagano at Symphony Hall in Boston.
Commissioned by the Boston Symphony Orchestra, this groundbreaking new work explores the evolving relationship between music, human creativity, and artificial intelligence, viewed through the lens of the current crisis of democracy worldwide (read the BSO’s extensive notes here.). The concert program was conducted by acclaimed maestro Kent Nagano, with mixing of acoustic-with-electronic sounds by Media Lab PhD student Ana Schon.
already and not yet features a live AI system designed by Media Lab PhD student Manaswi Mishra, which listens and responds to both individual soloists and the entire orchestra in real time, creating a fluid and magical musical dialogue between human performers and AI. Machover’s innovative use of AI in this piece was extensively covered in the press and media, including MIT News, The Boston Globe and National Public Radio’s All Things Considered. An exceptional review of the new piece – including an assessment of its perspective on both democracy and AI – appeared in The Los Angeles Times.
And for those who missed the performances, and for everyone who would like to experience them again, we are delighted to share a collection of recordings and behind-the-scenes materials documenting this event.
Listen to the full performance on WCRB
Relive the Saturday, October 24 performance of already and not yet with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Kent Nagano. This archived broadcast also includes Tod Machover’s onstage introduction to the piece, beginning at 16:11.
An in-depth conversation with Tod Machover
Watch a one-hour conversation exploring the ideas, creative process, and technology behind already and not yet, featuring Tod Machover, WGBH Music’s Brian McCreath, and NOVA’s Caitlin Saks.
Inside the AI system: A live demonstration
How does the AI actually listen and respond to an orchestra? Watch MIT Media Lab PhD candidate Manaswi Mishra demonstrate the technology behind the piece, joined by Tod Machover on cello.
already and not yet represents a new paradigm for what can happen when human musicians and AI create together — not as “autonomous machine composing” nor as "performers using traditional tools, but as a real collaborator between human and machine in a fluid, subtle, exciting and evolving musical experience.
We are grateful to the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Maestro Kent Nagano, and all the musicians, researchers, and collaborators who helped bring this ambitious project to life.