Composer Integrates Artificial Intelligence Into New Symphony Exploring Music and Democrac

The Boston Symphony Orchestra is preparing to present the world premiere of “Already and Not Yet,” a new composition by American composer Tod Machover that combines orchestral performance with interactive artificial intelligence to explore the relationship between human creativity and technology.

The work is scheduled to be performed at Boston’s Symphony Hall from October 22 to 24, under the direction of conductor Kent Nagano. Its AI system is designed to respond to musicians in real time, introducing new sound interactions during the performance.

The symphony consists of three movements representing different stages of tension, recovery and collaboration, drawing inspiration from the challenges facing democracy. The project aims to use technology to encourage dialogue among musicians and expand musical expression while preserving the central role of human performers in the creative process.