Integrated Interdisciplinary Music Practice And Quantum Computing Technologies

Project Information

IIMPAQCT

Grant agreement ID: 101109258

DOI

10.3030/101109258

Project closed

EC signature date 28 March 2023

Start date 1 June 2023

End date 31 May 2025

Funded under

• Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (MSCA)

Total cost

No data

EU contribution

€ 156 778,56

Coordinated by

UNIVERSIDADE DE COIMBRA
Portugal

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - IIMPAQCT (Integrated Interdisciplinary Music Practice And Quantum Computing Technologies)

Reporting period: 2023-06-01 to 2025-05-31

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

We live in a privileged time, with opportunities (and risks) brought about by emerging technologies and their impacts on the socio-cultural and creative practices of human communities. Quantum Computing (QC) in particular offers opportunities to review scientific and technological concepts, and opens up exciting possibilities to the creative Arts.
IIMPAQCT has the main objective of exploring and developing the cross-fertilization relationship between Quantum Computing Science and Creative Artistic Practice.
First and foremost, it aims at creating bridges (common language, collaborative productions) between professionals in these two fields of knowledge, which until now have been largely separated or interacted in a partial manner through isolated development efforts in each field, or disconnected from contextualized artistic practice and theory.
IIMPAQCT fosters a true integration that involves insights from creative artists in theoretical discussions and practical explorations in Quantum Computing, expanding and diversifying the community involved in QC, as well as bringing new expressive tools / creative applications of QC to the Arts (with a special focus on Music).
IIMPAQCT’s 4 main objectives include: 1) development of an informed interdisciplinary artistic practice able to contribute to practical and theoretical debates and engage in collaborations with artists, music performers, and researchers working in theory, analysis, and aesthetics; 2) making accessible tools for QAC (Quantum-computing Aided Composition) including code, examples, and documentation; 3) curriculum development, including a course syllabus, teaching materials, and delivery of workshops; and 4) building the foundations for, including the pursuit of opportunities that might enable the construction of, a distinct/unique artistic and academic career.
Achieving these objectives requires a multifaceted approach, encompassing multiple avenues to the desired convergence point. At IIMPAQCT, this approach is implemented simultaneously in three interdependent areas/dimensions: artistic creation, technological-scientific production, and curriculum development.
This has resulted in new artistic works, new conceptual and technological tools (software papers and conferences), and initiatives and courses to train a new generation of artist-researchers-scientists.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

Within the context of this project,
- I developed experimental work in the field of Art and Quantum Computing, resulting in both papers, and new and innovative artistic work
- I produced technological tools, including code and examples
- I strengthened and consolidated an international and national network of partners, through:
* Creating and growing/consolidating a first online community, which aims at establishing itself as a self-sustaining hub in this field, a dynamic memory of what is thought and produced, and a hub available to disseminate and continually update actions/research/creation, with the potential to generate interactions and collaborations that reinforce the community itself (community.quantumland.art).
* new collaborations with other Institutions, project applications and other ongoing projects: Initiated a new interest group “QC & Arts” within the research team of PQI (Portuguese Quantum Institute); collaborated with the MusicAnalytica winning ERA Chair application; collaborated on an EIC Pathfinder application consortium; collaborated with the QUEST (QUantum computing for Excellence in Science and Technology) ERA Chair project; established new QC-PAINT collective with researchers at DESY-CQTA; and co-organized 3 international conferences in the field (ISQCMC 2023 and 2025) or initiating a track in the field (MCM 2024).
- I actively participated in / was co-responsible for the creation of new training offerings, as well as for lecturing, at the postgraduate and continuing education levels. These participations involved supervision work, which also provided opportunities for dissemination.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

While pursuing this project there were significant contributions in both scientific-technological and curriculum development dimensions but, at the same time, it also made apparent both future potential and current limitations for the development of this work. For example, even though it was evident the increasing interest of both researchers, students, and artists in this intersection of fields, the implementation of more established research environments is still facing difficulty accessing hardware infrastructure. On the topic of practice-based research and the integration of creative practitioners in the academic research environment I still faced several institutional challenges, although more internationally recent COARA developments and new ORCID research output types are good indicators. Lastly, I’ve engaged with agents that tried or are trying to explore the commercialization aspects of this research but they are facing difficulties finding funding that could be appropriate for the nature of the work needed, which involves levels of uncertainty due to working with very new and emerging technology that is not yet fully established.