The World’s First AI‑Assisted Concert Fuses Technology and Tradition
During EEF 2023, a milestone event unfolded on the stage of the Mariinsky Theatre. The performance showcased artificial intelligence in live music, blending cutting edge algorithms with the artistry of a full orchestra. The project spotlighted how machine learning can interact with human creativity in real time, creating a new kind of listening experience for audiences in Canada, the United States, and around the world.
At the center of the concert was Sber’s neural network, which carried out the main task of interpreting and guiding the musical flow. The ensemble, led by the Grand Symphony Orchestra, performed Petr Dranga’s Symphony No. 1 with the neural network providing adaptive input. The collaboration demonstrated a practical application of machine intelligence in orchestral settings, highlighting how technology can respond to the evolving dynamics of a live performance.
According to Alexey Minin, a leading specialist in control technologies for experimental machine learning systems at Sberbank, great attention is being paid to artificial intelligence development. The project used the SymFormer network and extended its capabilities through additional training. Minin noted that the event’s uniqueness lay in the neural network’s ability to improvise in real time, drawing on the information it receives during the performance. This real‑time adaptability marks a shift in how audiences experience musical interpretation and tempo shifts on stage.
Composer Petr Dranga described the rehearsal process as inclusive of artificial intelligence. He explained that he decides when to activate the AI controller during the piece, acknowledging the collaborative nature of the work between musician and machine. The rehearsal framework allowed the system to learn from the musicians and from the live acoustics, refining its responses as the concert developed.
Symphony No. 1 for Artificial Intelligence and the Grand Symphony Orchestra adheres to a traditional classical structure while embracing the possibilities of modern technology. The composition unfolds in four movements. In the first two movements, virtuoso soloists from China contributed performances that were partially pre‑recorded. SymFormer managed the onstage expression through a virtual synthesizer, shaping the atmosphere and emotional color of the music. In the final two movements, the system delivered live improvisations, offering audiences a fresh, unrehearsed sonic landscape that evolved with each moment on stage.
The concert demonstrates how artificial intelligence can augment human musicianship without replacing it. It illustrates a collaboration where algorithmic insight and human discernment combine to expand the expressive range of classical music. Attendees experienced a performance that felt both familiar and unexpectedly novel, with AI-driven textures interweaving with traditional orchestral timbres to create a compelling auditory narrative.
As the field advances, the example set by this event provides a blueprint for future symphonic projects that integrate AI responsibly. Musicians, conductors, and technologists can collaborate to design performances that balance automation with artistry, ensuring that the human voice remains central even as intelligent systems contribute new possibilities. The experience invites audiences to rethink improvisation, tempo, and phrasing as a dialogue between living performers and intelligent instruments, rather than a one‑sided display of computational power.