Students, Alumni, and Faculty Represent Berklee at International Computer Music Conference

Students, alumni, and faculty will present original compositions and academic papers at the 50th International Computer Music Conference(Opens in a new window) (ICMC), happening June 8–14 on the Berklee campus, as well as at several other local institutions and locations in Boston. The global event explores a range of topics—from quantum computing to electronic instruments to AI—and features a series of interactive workshops, innovation showcases, live performances, keynote and panel discussions, and a media arts gallery open to the public on select days.

The conference received over 1,000 submissions from across the world, each of which underwent a double-blind peer review. Boston Conservatory at Berklee students Hangzhong Lian and Diego Peralta were chosen to present their respective pieces Anaphorism and The world which has become objectified. Three recent Electronic Production and Design (EPD) graduates also had their work selected: Zeo Yin ’24, whose piece “Touch” will be featured in the listening room at Emerson College’s media arts gallery; Ngar Yin Bethanie Liu BM ’24, who will perform her original composition “Traverse”; and Xiaosha Li ’24, whose work on algorithm-based generative video will be demoed at an innovation showcase. Performance alum Zihao Yin BM ’18 had his piece “Assembly Line” selected for the listening room as well.

On the faculty side, EPD professor Dr. Richard Boulanger will deliver a keynote address on the pioneering technologies of early computer music, incorporating elements of live programming using Csound (the core language for computer music-making) and demonstrations of hardware modules developed by Berklee students. In addition, Boulanger and alum Hung Vo, known as the trailblazing EDM artist-entrepreneur Strong Bear, will lead an open jam session with other Berklee students and alumni in the virtual Metaverse, where musicians from anywhere in the world can join live(Opens in a new window) through a VR headset by programming music with Csound.

“What has always been great about Berklee is the diversity of expertise and our excellence in so many different areas, which now very much includes music technology,” said Boulanger, participating in what will be his 47th ICMC. “The fact that we are such a large part of the 50th anniversary celebration of the most famous organized event in the field is a testament to the remarkable level of artistry and innovation among our students, faculty, and alumni. It really is a futuristic embodiment of the spirit of Berklee!”

Other faculty presenters include assistant professor Collin Russell BM ’14, whose composition Brush will be featured in the listening room; assistant professor Rachel Rome and her piece jaden piblik, a collaboration with poet Jacques Fleury that will be heard in the immersive sound walk at the Boston Public Garden; associate professor Matthew Davidson, who had both a piece of music and a paper accepted; composition professor Derek Hurst, who will present his piece Whir; and assistant professor Lee Gilboa, who collaborated with the activist organization Breaking the Silence on her audio documentary The Right Not (To Be).

“I am very touched that my piece was selected as it’s an extremely personal project with a peace-forward message,” Gilboa said about the documentary, which examines individual, collective, and national identities in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. “It’s always a highlight for me to get to hear the work of our students and I’m excited that we have a chance to celebrate the talents of the next generation at this prestigious event.”

Additional key contributions were made by assistant director of operations Brian Sears, serving as co-technical director for the ICMC, associate professor Akito van Troyer, the paper and installation co-chair for the conference, and Berklee Online instructor Carlos Arana, who is a featured panelist for a discussion on AI in computer music.

“The inter-institution connection has added a unique dimension to this particular ICMC. We have an opportunity to connect people from communities that don’t always interact with one another, and hopefully this will inspire new ideas and encourage ongoing exchanges of information and creativity,” said van Troyer, who will present Laboratory of Found Sound, a piece that harnesses the acoustic properties of everyday objects to create music.

The International Computer Music Conference takes place June 8–14 at Berklee College of Music, Boston Conservatory at Berklee, Northeastern University, New England Conservatory, and Emerson College, with additional participation from MIT. The theme of ICMC Boston 2025 is Curiosity, Play, Innovation—A 50th Anniversary Celebration of Creativity in Music, Science and Technology, an homage to pioneering researcher and educator David Wessel, who organized the inaugural ICMC at Michigan State University in 1974.

To learn more about ICMC Boston 2025 or to register for the event, visit the conference website(Opens in a new window).