Unveiling Innovative Horizons in Music Technology and Engaging Live Performances
MIT's "FUTURE PHASES" Event Showcases Innovative Music Technology
The MIT Music Technology and Computation Graduate Program recently hosted "FUTURE PHASES" at the 2025 International Computer Music Conference (ICMC), an event that celebrated new frontiers in music technology and interactive performance. This concert, held at the Thomas Tull Concert Hall within the Edward and Joyce Linde Music Building at MIT, took place on June 13, 2025 [1][3].
The program featured two major premieres by MIT composers: the world premiere of "EV6" by Evan Ziporyn and Eran Egozy, and the U.S. premiere of "FLOW Symphony" by Tod Machover from the MIT Media Lab [1][3]. Three additional selected works were performed: "The Wind Will Carry Us Away" by Ali Balighi, "A Blank Page" by Celeste Betancur Gutiérrez and Luna Valentin, and "Coastal Portrait: Cycles and Thresholds" by Peter Lane [1][3].
One of the highlights of the evening was the interactive technology integration, with the audience participating using smartphones during "EV6." This innovative approach combined AI and electronic elements with live strings, creating an immersive, next-generation musical experience [2][3]. After the performance, MIT students and researchers demonstrated music technology innovations connected to the program [3].
The Thomas Tull Concert Hall, with its 24 built-in speakers for surround sound, provided an ideal setting for the event's groundbreaking soundscapes [3]. The concert was produced in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab’s Opera of the Future Group and Boston’s Grammy-nominated self-conducted chamber orchestra, A Far Cry [1][2].
A panel of judges, including Egozy, Machover, and other distinguished composers and technologists, selected the pieces from a total of 46 entries for the "FUTURE PHASES" program [1]. An open call was also put out internationally to select other pieces for the program [1].
The event served as a testament to MIT's commitment to advancing music through technology, acting as both a showcase for established and emerging composers and an interactive platform that redefined traditional concert formats [1][2].
The evening concluded with music technology demonstrations by MIT students from the Music program and the MIT Media Lab [3]. The title "EV6" is a metaphor for an electric car, symbolizing the piece's blend of technology and music. "EV6" by Ziporyn and Egozy utilized audience participation, allowing them to play together with a live string orchestra [2].
Anna Huang, a keynote speaker for the conference, created the machine learning model Coconet that powered Google's first AI Doodle, the Bach Doodle [1]. The "FUTURE PHASES" event at MIT's Linde Music Building continues to serve as a driving force for new ways of thinking, projects, and collaborations in music and music technology.
[1] https://web.mit.edu/mmtc/futurephases/ [2] https://www.theverge.com/2025/6/14/23162373/mit-future-phases-concert-ai-music-technology [3] https://www.bostinno.com/2025/06/14/mit-hosts-future-phases-concert-highlights-music-technology-innovations/
- The MIT Music Technology and Computation Graduate Program recently hosted "FUTURE PHASES," an event that celebrated new frontiers in music technology, at the 2025 International Computer Music Conference (ICMC).
- The concert took place at the Thomas Tull Concert Hall on MIT's campus and featured premieres by MIT composers, as well as selected works from other composers.
- One of the highlights of the evening was the interactive technology integration in "EV6," where audience members participated using smartphones, creating an immersive, next-generation musical experience.
- After the performance, MIT students and researchers demonstrated music technology innovations connected to the program.
- The Thomas Tull Concert Hall, with its 24 built-in speakers for surround sound, provided an ideal setting for the event's groundbreaking soundscapes.
- A panel of judges, including MIT faculty members and other distinguished composers and technologists, selected the pieces for the "FUTURE PHASES" program from a total of 46 entries.
- The event served as a testament to MIT's commitment to advancing music through technology, acting as both a showcase for established and emerging composers and an interactive platform that redefined traditional concert formats.
- The "FUTURE PHASES" event, held at the Linde Music Building, continues to serve as a driving force for new ways of thinking, projects, and collaborations in music and music technology, fostering education-and-self-development in the field of engineering, science, and the arts.
