Beyond the Score:

Prof. Orit Wolf

We stand at a turning point in the history of music. For centuries, classical performance has been shaped by tradition, discipline, and reverence for the score. Yet the rise of Artificial Intelligence is challenging these very foundations. AI now composes, interprets, and even performs - raising questions that were unthinkable only a decade ago.

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What happens when algorithms learn to write symphonies, or when digital avatars take to virtual stages? Will audiences continue to gather for concerts in the “old” way, or will society demand new norms shaped by digital habits, immersive technologies, and data-driven insights?

How do we as musicians, educators, and leaders respond to these seismic shifts without losing the integrity and depth that live artistry requires?

The Core Questions

In this provocative lecture, Prof. Orit Wolf - international concert pianist, composer, and Associate Artist Professor at the Technion - explores the urgent questions shaping the future of performance in the AI era. Working daily alongside scientists and engineers at one of the world’s leading universities for science and technology, she has engaged deeply with the consequences of AI in multiple fields. This unique vantage point enables her to bridge art and science, revealing how classical music can adapt and thrive amid technological disruption.

• How will society’s digital habits and expectations transform the concert hall experience?

• Can AI-generated compositions coexist with human artistry, or will they redefine it?

• What happens to the role of the audience when its moods, preferences, and reactions can be measured in real time?

• How can performers embrace technological tools without compromising the values of live artistry?

• What opportunities might AI bring for exposing younger generations to classical music - beyond the rhetoric of decline?

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Bridging Tradition and Innovation

The tension between heritage and innovation is at the heart of this lecture. On one hand, classical performance has always celebrated continuity, discipline, and fidelity to tradition. On the other hand, AI offers tools for reinvention, democratisation, and unprecedented access. Rather than fearing the loss of authenticity, Wolf asks: What can we take from AI without fear? How can we use it to strengthen, not weaken, our art?

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From AI-assisted rehearsal tools to real-time audience analytics, from immersive concert formats to algorithmic compositions, Wolf examines the trends already emerging. The question is not whether live performance will survive - but how it will evolve.

Why This Lecture Matters

This is not a speculative talk about technology, but an urgent invitation to rethink the role of performance in society. For performers, educators, arts managers, and cultural leaders, the decisions made today will shape the future of classical music for generations to come. Will we cling to old forms with resistance and nostalgia, or embrace the new possibilities with vision and artistry?

With her trademark combination of live piano performance, sharp analysis, and open dialogue, Prof. Orit Wolf offers clarity and inspiration on one of the most pressing debates of our time.

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Format:

• Guest Lecture – 75 minutes

• Designed for audiences of 15–800 participants in academic, corporate, and cultural settings

• Combines live piano performance, storytelling, and interactive dialogue

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(Upon request, we can assist in arranging a baby grand piano through our trusted network of rental partners, ensuring the lecture can be delivered at any location.)