The American virtuoso's affinity for the music of today is no secret. Her latest collaboration is with composer David Lang, one of the leading figures in minimalist music.

Artificial intelligence, the famous AI, is everywhere. It is being used in all sectors, and music is no exception. The design of artificial neural networks capable of simulating musical intelligence - of interpreting works or producing scores - is of increasing interest to composers and performers. While many artists are skeptical, others see AI as a field of play and experimentation rather than a source of concern. This is the case of Hilary Hahn, who also collaborates with many composers: Mark-Anthony Turnage, Franghiz Ali-Zadeh, Gillian Whitehead and David Lang.

David Lang's new piece, dedicated to the violinist, is called "Hors du corps". The composer wrote it using notes generated by an artificial intelligence program. His idea: to write a piece in which he and the computer would be equal in terms of composition. Or at least as equal as a human with his character and a software program that coldly produces calculations can be! The score therefore contains an equal number of notes provided by the musician and by the machine, notes that alternate with each other, so as to create a real impression of unity.

This compositional work is part of a larger research project hosted by the Colburn Music School in Los Angeles called " DeepMusic.ai ", of which Hilary Hahn is a co-founder. The project brings together researchers, composers and performers with the ambitious goal of bridging the current gap between art and artificial intelligence technology in an attempt to find a common language. Quite a program! 

Suzanne Gervais