New Electronic Frontier

The second challenge is to teach the computer to have ideas of its own and to choose from among them, not in a random way, but with the same underlying logic that a musician uses. "I don't pretend to think that I would program a computer to do anything like what an improviser would do," Dobrian admits. "But, rather, could I get a computer to do some sort of response to what a human performer does that a human performer finds interesting enough to want to play along with it?

"My interest now is to see what the computer wants to do, if that's not too anthropomorphic a way to put it. In other words, what are the sorts of things that a computer is good at doing, and how can we have it do those things in such a way that convinces us that it's music? That requires a very open mind to be willing to experience these new types of music."

The Gassmann Electronic Music Series, featuring Pedro Eustache, at UC Irvine Concert Hall, W. Peltason Dr. & Mesa Rd., Irvine, (949) 824-2787. March 10, 8 p.m. Free. All ages.