The project 'Outward Threads' is an artistic investigation rooted in music composition, integrating machine learning and artificial intelligence for the creation of new musical works. Conducted between 2020 and 2025 at the Grieg Academy (University of Bergen), the project culminates in a final presentation featuring three pieces for various instruments, voices, and electronics. Some of these works have been developed in collaboration with video artist Andrea Urstad.

PROGRAM
‘Versificator – Render 3’ for vocal ensemble; Vocal Ensemble Tabula Rasa (Sigrun Jørdre, sopran; Rikke Lina Sorell Matthiesen, sopran; Tord Kalvenes, tenor; Arild Rohde, tenor; Jakub Niedziela, bass.)

‘Elevator Pitch’ for cello and electronics; Elide Sulsenti, cello; Juan Vassallo, electronics.

Intermission (15 mins.)

‘Oscillations’ (cycle of works inspired by Schubert-Müller’s ‘Winterreise’, in collaboration with video artist Andrea Urstad.)

(i)                  Ludvig Lindström, voice;
(ii)                Diana Galakhova, piano;
(iii)              Késia Decoté, piano; Anders Hannevold, piano, accessories; Sergej Tchirkov, accordion; Alexander Fiske Fosse, narration.

About ‘Outward Threads’
The project ‘Outward Threads’ is an artistic investigation rooted in music composition, integrating computational frameworks from machine learning and artificial intelligence to create new music. It seeks to develop a fresh approach to established compositional methodologies within computer-assisted composition, as well as incorporating novel tools. 

Theoretically, the project examines various forms of creative cognition and their manifestation in Western art contemporary music composition, drawing insights from cognitive sciences and AI. These discussions provide a framework for presenting each composition within the project and serve as starting points for exploring individual creative processes, methodologies, and techniques.

The goal is to deepen the understanding of these cognitive processes and their interactions in the creative process, aiming to bridge the gap between purely neurocognitive approaches and practice-based research. In a broader context, the project examines ethical aspects of music and composition and the composer’s role in society. Finally, it considers the impact of new technologies -particularly generative AI- on creative processes and discusses influential practitioners and current trends in the field.