Machover and Minsky: Making Music in the Dome

Thursday, June 3, 2010

6:00 pm - 7:30 pm

Hayden Planetarium, American Museum of Natural History

How does music help order emerge from the mind’s chaos? How does it create and conjure thoughts, emotions and memories? Legendary composer and inventor Tod Machover explores these mysteries with Artificial Intelligence visionary Marvin Minsky. The two iconoclasts revisit their landmark musical experiment, the Brain Opera, and offer an exclusive sneak peak at Machover’s upcoming opera, Death and the Powers, a groundbreaking MIT Media Lab production that explores what we leave behind for the world and our loved ones, using specially designed technology, including a chorus of robots. Featuring a performance by Soprano Joélle Harvey.

Moderator

Tom AshbrookNPR Host

Tom Ashbrook is an award-winning journalist brought to public radio by the attacks of September 11, 2001, when he was enlisted by NPR and WBUR-Boston for special coverage, after a distinguished career in newspaper reporting and editing. He is the host of On Point. Ashbrook’s journalism career spans twenty years as a foreign correspondent, newspaper editor, and author.

Joélle HarveyOpera Singer

A native of Bolivar, New York, soprano Joélle Harvey is quickly becoming recognized as one of the most promising young talents of her generation. She is the recent recipient of a 2009 Sara Tucker Study Grant from the Richard Tucker Foundation.

Marvin MinskyCognitive Scientist

Marvin Minsky is one of the pioneers of artificial intelligence and had made numerous contributions to the fields of AI, cognitive science, mathematics and robotics. His current work focuses on trying to imbue machines with a capacity for common sense.

Tod MachoverComposer

Tod Machover, called “America’s Most Wired Composer” by the Los Angeles Times, is celebrated for creating music that breaks traditional artistic and cultural boundaries.

Search Icon

Search Form

Machover and Minsky: Making Music in the Dome

Moderator

Participants

Footer Menu