Friday

––– Morning (talk) –––

Talk: Technologies of Brass Instruments

An exploration of some of the technologies found in brass instruments from the University of Edinburgh’s Musical Instrument Collection.

  • Time: Friday 20 February, 11am – 12pm
  • Location: Centre for Research Collections (Collections Space), 6th floor of the University of Edinburgh Main Library (George Square)
  • Tickets: Eventbrite (Technologies of Brass Instruments)

Musical instruments are technologies that are positioned within the wider technological frameworks of any time and place. This session focuses on brass instruments, drawing on the world-renowned expertise of Edinburgh’s St Cecilia’s Hall and its Musical Instrument Museum.

People involved: Dr Sarah Deters, Dr Jenny Nex

––– Afternoon (workshop) –––

Workshop: Authenticity & AI

A workshop for musicians and music researchers exploring new questions around origins and originality in the era of ubiquitous machine-made music.

  • Time: Friday 20 February, 2–4pm
  • Location: ECA West Court (ECA Main Building, Lauriston Place)
  • Tickets: Eventbrite (Authenticity & AI workshop)
    Please note: Registering via the Eventbrite link above will put you in touch with the workshop organiser, Dr Martin Parker, who will contact you directly about participation. Places are limited (first come, first served!), so do register early if you can.

If you are a composer, performer, producer, promoter, record label, youth worker, community musician, music student, researcher, audio software developer, established creator or just starting out in the field, we want to meet you at this workshop to talk about these issues and other challenges and opportunities for your creative practices and cultural contributions.

People involved: Dr Martin Parker

––– Afternoon (panel discussion) –––

Panel discussion: Authenticity & AI: Panel Discussion (featuring PortraitXO, Dadabots and Franziska Schröder)

Does the origin story of your work still matter?

The rise of AI in music is forcing us to confront the very nature of authenticity. What makes your music ‘yours’ when a machine can generate sounds that are, on the face of it, indistinguishable from a human creator?

Recent developments in the area of Artificial Intelligence and music have brought a new focus on copyrights, process, technique and sonic identity. Alongside the rich possibilities for creative musical practices are new questions for creators and audiences.

Join us for a panel discussion with leading experts, each deeply connected with these themes and whose work aims to explore, understand and create around them. Dadabots, PortraitXO and Professor Franziska Schroeder present their thoughts on the futures opening up at the intersection where AI meets music. 

This event is part of the “Embracing the Complexities of Authenticity” project, supported by the Bridging Responsible AI Divides Programme, with funds received from the UKRI Arts and Humanities Research Council. The workshop is hosted by the Edinburgh chapter of the UNESCO Week of Sound.

People involved: Dr Martin Parker, Dadabots, PortraitXO, and Professor Franziska Schroeder.

––– Evening (concert) –––

Closing Concert: Recording Culture: 75 Years of the School of Scottish Studies Archives

A stellar lineup of singers and musicians celebrate the field recordings that inspire them and the Archives that hold them. Presented by the School of Scottish Studies Archives and Celtic and Scottish Studies in collaboration with the UNESCO Week of Sound in Edinburgh. Compered by Gary West.

The concert will feature the following performers: