Adam Łukawski, music composer, computer programmer
affiliated researcher (Leiden University Centre for Digital Humanities, The Netherlands)
doctoral researcher (MetamusicX, Orpheus Institute, Gent, Belgium)
My role in the Metamusic cluster (PI: Paulo de Assis) is occupied by research on posthuman techniques for music composition including the use of AI, and Blockchain, and within the framework of concepts such as Hypermusic, Music 2.0, Assemblage Theory for Music (Paulo de Assis), and Performative Transactions (own concept intersecting the notion of transaction in AIs, blockchains and metaverses). These ideas form a conceptual framework for my current PhD research.
phd candidate (ACPA, Leiden University, The Netherlands)
My doctoral artistic research project investigates new methods for music composition with Artificial Intelligence. Especially, methods are developed that leverage a novel method of using multidimensional periodic sequences, a modular arithmetic framework, to encapsulate various music theory principles and create a computer-assisted set of methods for music composition and music information retrieval.
short biography
Artistically, I am interested in processes that allow exploring, managing and manipulating limits of performative topological spaces of possibilities. In my creative investigations, until 2019 I frequently composed and experimented with the use of aleatoric techniques, with special interest in limited aleatoricism. Later, I became interested in generative, and computer-assisted methods for composing notated music and focused on developing a new set of algorithms for periodic music tokenization used in a new computer-assisted method for music composition, which is currently the subject of my doctoral research. In general, I am passionate about automation processes. I composed works for soloists, ensembles, and orchestras, as well as electro-acoustic works. I also frequently write music for MIDI instruments. This text is full of links to external materials, so please feel free to click anything that is interesting to you.
I studied music composition with Julian Anderson, Richard Ayres and Willem Jeths, at Conservatorium van Amsterdam, receiving an honours Master's degree in Music Composition, and on exchange at Guildhall School of Music & Drama in London. I wrote works for ensembles including Exaudi Vocal Ensemble (click here to listen to their release of my "Hypnagogia" by Donemus Records), Maat Saxophone Quartet, Score Collective, and often collaborated in an interdisciplinary context with graphic artists, dancers, choreographers and theatre directors. Some of my works are published by Donemus Publishing in The Hague and were programmed for The Dutch National Opera & Ballet in Amsterdam (Opera Forward Festival), Muziekgebouw aan't IJ in Amsterdam, Splendor Amsterdam (Gesti Festival), Muziekhuis in Utrecht (Gaudeamus Festival), Concert Hall of The Polish Radio Philharmonic Orchestra in Warsaw (In Modo di Lutosławski), Barbican Milton Court in London, London Contemporary Dance School (The Place), Ehrbar Hall in Vienna. I gained experience as computer programmer while working freelance for startups, at the Polish Information Processing Society, and as a technological expert keynote speaker at Cortland/Apple Inc.
Recent publications:
- Łukawski, A., 2023. ‘Fractal of Periodic Spacetime Sequences as a Framework for an Interoperable Metaverse’. In: Zreik, K., Veyrat, M., Quiniou, M., eds., Computer & Media Art at the Age of Metaverses and NFT. Europia Productions, pp. 57-74.
- Paulo de Assis, Paolo Giudici, Adam Łukawski, ‘Music NFTs: Blockchain for Artistic Research?’, Research Catalogue (2022) https://www.researchcatalogue.net/view/1550111/1693670/0/0
Recent events/lecturing/panels:
- 7th Computer Art Congress: Computer & Media Art at the Age of Metaverse and NFT (Geneva University of Art and Design, Geneva, Switzerland, September 2022) (video)
- “Dance and the Blockchain. Commodification and ownership of embodied creativity in the crypto space.” (University of Gent, Belgium, August 2022). (video)
- “Music NFTs: blockchain for artistic research”, 2-day online seminar (Orpheus Institute, Gent, Belgium, May 2022)
- “New Mimesis: simulation, models, metaphors and data in music” (Canterbury Christ Church University, Canterbury, United Kingdom, January 2022)