Tod Machover, called “America’s most wired composer" by the Los Angles Times and a "musical visionary" by the New York Times, will be in residence at UVM on Oct. 13 and 14. His visit includes a talk and a concert, both free and open to the public. 

The talk, "Robotic Operas, City Symphonies and Beyond," will take place on Friday, Oct. 14 at 2:30 p.m. in the UVM Recital Hall. Machover will perform Friday evening at 7:30 in the Recital Hall. 

A co-founding member of the MIT Media Lab, where he is the Muriel R. Cooper Professor of Music and Media and directs the Opera of the Future Group, Machover was named 2016 Composer of the Year by Musical America.

Machover is renowned for designing new technologies that enhance music performance and creation. He has built Hyperinstruments -- “smart” performance systems that extend the expressive options of traditional instruments -- for virtuosi from Yo-Yo Ma to Prince. He has also developed musical tools designed for everyone, such as Guitar Hero, which grew out of his MIT lab. As a composer, Machover is best known for his visionary operas -- the most recent being the “robotic” Death and the Powers which was a finalist for the 2012 Pulitzer Prize -- and for musical projects that build community and promote collaboration, such as his City Symphonies which have been created around the world since 2013, including in Perth, Lucerne, and Detroit.

In his talk, Machover will outline the guiding principles behind his work at the MIT Media Lab over a 30-year span, creating music and developing technology to stretch composition, performance, listening and participation. He will also discuss directions for future work, including the development of The 8th Art, combining all senses and expressive forms, and potential new synergies between music and neuroscience with both therapeutic and artistic applications.

In the concert, Machover will be joined by area performers Mary Bonhag (soprano), Evan Premo (bass), and David Feurzeig (piano) for perfomances of works spanning his career, all of them using technology in different ways. Machover himself will perform on the Hypercello, an instrument designed for Yo-Yo Ma that extends the acoustic cello’s expressive range with live electronics triggered by advanced sensors on the performer’s hand and bow. Additional vocal pieces round out the program, including Miranda’s poignant aria from Machover’s most recent opera, "Death and the Powers."

These events are made possible by the Burack President’s Distinguished Lecture Series of UVM, the UVM Humanities Center, and the Departments of Music & Dance, Theatre and Computer Science. 

PUBLISHED

10-09-2016
University Communications