Music has been at the center of my life for almost five decades. It started at the piano when I was a young child, and over the years it came to include performing, teaching, composing, electronic music and MIDI, notation and engraving, research, and leading at a community music school. I have learned a great deal about how music is made, how it is taught and performed, and how it lives in a community. Most of all, I have seen firsthand the impact music can have on people and communities.

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I believe deeply in human-made music, and I believe live musicianship can never be replaced. There is something about a person making music – breathing, touching an instrument, singing, listening, responding, improvising – that no technology should ever diminish. Participation in the arts and culture cultivates the human spirit, and arts education develops, shapes, and reflects our humanity. And when used correctly, technology can too.

 

My curiosity has led me to AI, the newest instrument in my musical endeavors. I have not left my training behind; instead, I’ve embraced the best of my background to create something new. What AI does give me is a new way to pursue musical possibilities, find connections I might not have found otherwise, and bring ideas into sound. But the technology does not decide what matters; I do. The imagination, the intention, the taste and judgment, the listening, and the responsibility for the final result all remain fully mine.

 

As a teacher, I believe that AI music should be taught as an advanced subject, after conventional composition, theory, and ear training. Artistic judgment, intent, and identity are foundational, as is good decision-making. A creator should be able to provide a strong rationale and explanation for every artistic decision they make. AI should enhance these skills, not replace them. There is no substitute for good musicianship.

 

As an educational administrator, I see a need for balance: nurturing each artist while preparing them to work with technology. Both are essential going forward. The question then arises, “What can we learn by working with new technology?” There are frontiers to be discovered through both experimentation and research: creating new musical genres; investigating new uses for music; and using cutting-edge music technology to improve wellness, pedagogy, and access. Perhaps we will discover new ways to express ourselves.

 

At the heart of it all is the developing artist.​ Machines should never replace musicians, but we can discover new possibilities together. I believe this is especially true in the creative arts. I am always curious to find out what becomes possible when a musician picks up a new instrument and starts to explore.