I have long been interested in extending the piano beyond the bounds of the classical piano recital, to work out how it can continue to surprise and engage with contemporary technology, aesthetics and ideas. In this work, I trained a multi-agent AI with a custom dataset based on composers Ravel and Debussy to respond in real-time to my improvisation with electronic sounds and interactive lighting. Ravel and Debussy were chosen because of the fluidity of their harmonies. This gives me a freedom to roam across changing chords and harmonic structures within my improvisation while still maintaining an echo of diatonicism, in the same way that the multi-agent AI gives me the freedom to explore emergent ways of performance while still maintaining an echo of the past.

I usually start my improvisation using motifs from previous performances before me. In this way, it gives me an anchor that is still referable to the moment and spontaneity.

This was a performance as part of the SonoTactile concert at Hanson Dyer Hall on 29 July 2025. This is a live improvisation on piano with an AI co-improvisor trained on a dataset of Ravel's Miroirs, with interactive lighting triggered also by the AI co-improvisor. This system allows me to literally play anything and be free, without needing to stay in particular harmonies and patterns. 

Thank you David Collins for the video, Joli Boardman and Calum Kenihan for the lighting hardware and Sophie Rose for curating and organising.