Generating Music with NKS

From Mathematica to a Live Performance

Katarina Milkovic

New England Conservatory of Music

In the summer of 2004, I produced and performed the first scores of musical excerpts generated with NKS in Mathematica. Since then, through collaboration with Wolfram Research, especially Dr. Peter Overmann, I developed multiple sound textures and strategies for generating large musical form with NKS. The presentation is an attempt to demonstrate the evolution of NKS music from 30-second long sound samples to a live performance of musical work based on elementary rules. A compositional procedure will be explained and illustrated step by step, from the choice of elementary rules and arrangement of musical material, to creation of a large structure and musical score. Special attention will be paid to demonstration of numerous possibilities of “NKM Composer”, the application for sound in Mathematica.

[presentation materials]