Workshop: Choir in the Loop


Singer-Aware AI Composition Practice

The organising team of the AIMC 2025 workshop "Choir in the Loop: Singer-Aware AI Composition Practice" invites researchers and composers to submit SATB choral pieces that were co-created with AI systems to explore how the relationship between human composer, human choral performers and computational systems develops in the normal practice of choral rehearsal.

Selected works will be rehearsed and performed in a live, open session with the university choir Café Latte of Vrije Universiteit Brussel, during the workshop at AIMC 2025. These may also be taken up into the regular repertoire of the choir.

Aims and Participation

This workshop explores the interaction between AI co-created choral composition and human performance through an open rehearsal by Café Latte, the Vrije Universiteit Brussel university choir. Rather than focusing on abstract symbolic output or "Musical Turing Test" evaluation, the session aims to highlight the performative and interpretive role of human singers engaging with AI-generated music in a live setting.

During the workshop, selected pieces will be rehearsed publicly, allowing composers, performers, and audience members to observe and reflect on how singers bring AI compositions to life. Composers of selected pieces are invited to attend AIMC 2025 in person to introduce their composition, explain the AI methods used, and provide performance guidance to the choir.

By involving composers, performers, and audience members, this session is an opportunity to survey the reality of AI music performance and the potential, limitations and development of singer-aware generative models and practices.

Musical Requirements


Requirement Details
Creative Process Works must have been created with the assistance of AI, whether through generation, transformation or interactive co‑creation. Human curation and adaptation are allowed, especially if they enhance singer-awareness or live performability.
Artistic Focus Pieces can explore interaction between singers, between the choir and the AI system (mediated by the composer), or offer performative challenges where human interpretation and dynamics can enrich the music beyond computer playback. Live interaction with the AI system is also allowed, but it should support rather than obscure or inhibit the choir's performance.
Difficulty All submitted pieces should have a difficulty level suitable for an amateur university choir of minimum 20 singers. To gain insight into the choir's repertoire and performance style, or to find inspiration, please refer to the provided recordings and social media links below. The choir will rehearse the selected pieces in two dedicated sessions prior to the workshop. Scores should be finalised in advance as the parts will be learnt in rehearsals preceding to the workshop one; no sight reading will occur, but other live AI instructions are possible. If in doubt, feel free to ask.
Technical Setup One projection screen for the choir, another (duplicating the first one's image) for the audience, and speaker output will be available.
Voicing Written for SATB choir. Two to four parts are permitted, including occasional divisi where appropriate.
Accompaniment A cappella or with piano accompaniment.
Length 2 to 5 minutes.

Submissions will be reviewed by the workshop team and the choir director. Selection criteria include: musical and scientific interest, feasibility within the time-limited rehearsals, and potential to illuminate performer-AI interaction.

Two to three works will be selected, with feedback provided where possible.

About Café Latte

Submission

The deadline for submissions is 18/08/25 (23:59 CEST). Your submission should contain:

  • Score in PDF format
  • Short abstract (maximum 500 words) describing the creative process and the role of AI
  • Optional audio realisation MIDI or synthesis in MP3 format (not required)
  • Optional Software for live interaction (if relevant; should be simple to set up)
  • Short README explaining the submitted files and answering the questions:
    1. If selected, will you attend the open rehearsal on 10/09/25? (encouraged)
    2. Which Creative Commons (CC) license do you wish to release your piece as? To be considered, you must release the piece as one of the licenses listed on this webpage (required)

Please send your submission as a single compressed folder by email to ward.gauderis@vub.be with subject line "AIMC 2025 Choral Submission - [Your Surname]". Confirmation of receipt will be sent within three days.

Contact

For questions about suitability or practicalities, contact Filippo Carnovalini or Ward Gauderis.

We look forward to hearing your music and exploring singer‑aware AI composition together!

Filippo Carnovalini (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Ward Gauderis (Vrije Universiteit Brussel)
Joris Grouwels (KTH Royal Institute of Technology)
Margot Van den Brande (Café Latte: The VUB Choir)
Geraint Wiggins (Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Queen Mary University of London)