The fresh multidisciplinary MIT postgraduate studies in music technology and computer science will include faculty, laboratories and curricula from across the Institute.
The program is the result of cooperation Section of Music and Theater Art in the School of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (SHASS); Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS) v Engineering School; and MIT Schwarzman College of Computing.
“The launch of a new postgraduate program in music technology strikes me as both a necessary and provocative gesture – an important step in an era that is rapidly being redefined by the exponential development of computing, artificial intelligence and human-computer interaction of all kinds,” he says Jay Scheib, head of MIT’s Section of Music and Theater Arts and professor of the class of 1949.
“Music plays an elegant role at the center of the extraordinary convergence of art and technology,” adds Scheib. “This is the right time to launch this program, and if not at MIT, then where?”
MIT practitioners define music technology as a field of scientific research in which they investigate, discover, and develop fresh computational approaches to music, including music information retrieval; artificial intelligence; machine learning; generative algorithms; interaction and performance systems; digital instrument design; conceptual and perceptual modeling of music; acoustics; audio signal processing; and software development for original expression and music applications.
Eran Egozyprofessor of music technology and co-director of the program, says MIT’s focus on technical research in music technology is always focused on the humanistic and artistic aspects of music making.
“There are a lot of MIT students who are great musicians,” Egozy says. “We will approach music technology as computer scientists, mathematicians and musicians.”
With the launch of the fresh program – offers in addition to those available at MIT Media Laboratory and elsewhere – Egozy believes MIT is becoming the obvious destination for students interested in music and computer science, preparing influential graduates for roles in academia and industry while helping to shape original, big-picture thinkers who can tackle face substantial challenges.
Researching substantial ideas
The program will include two master’s and doctoral degrees:
- The Master of Science (MS) is a two-semester, thesis-based program available exclusively to MIT students. All admitted students are automatically awarded a one-semester scholarship. Enrollment for the first class will take place in the fall of 2025.
- The Master of Applied Science (MAS) is a two-semester course-based program open to all students. All admitted students are automatically awarded a one-semester scholarship. Applications for this program will open in fall 2025.
- The PhD program is available to all students who would apply to the MIT School of Engineering.
Anna Huanga fresh MIT assistant professor, who shares a faculty position between the MIT Section of Music and Theater Arts and the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing, is working with Egozy to develop and launch the program. Huang joined MIT this fall after spending eight years at Magenta at Google Brain and DeepMind, leading efforts in generative modeling, reinforcement learning and human-computer interaction to support human-AI partnerships in music creation.
“As a composer-turned-AI researcher specializing in generative music technology, my long-term goal is to develop AI systems that can shed new light on how we understand, learn, and create music, and learn from interactions between musicians to change the way we approach human-AI collaboration,” says Huang. “This new program will allow us to further explore how music applications can, for example, illuminate problems in understanding neural networks.”
Fresh music building named after The Edward and Joyce Linde Institute at MIT, which features rooms equipped with enhanced music technologies, will also support transform music education with versatile concert halls and optimized rehearsal facilities.
The natural home of music technology
MIT’s world-class, top-ranked engineering program, combined with its focus on computation and conservatory-level music education offerings, make the Institute a natural home for the continued advancement of music technology education.
The collaborative nature of the fresh program is the latest example of interdisciplinary work taking place across the Institute.
“I am thrilled that the School of Engineering is collaborating with MIT’s section of music and performing arts on this important initiative, which represents the convergence of diverse fields of engineering – such as artificial intelligence and design – with music,” he says Anantha Chandrakasandean of the School of Engineering, director of innovation and strategy, and the Vannevar Bush professor at EECS. “I can’t wait to see what innovative projects students will create and how they will push this new field forward.”
“Everyone on campus knows that MIT is a great place to make music. But I want people to come to MIT because of what we do in music,” he says Augustine RayoKenan Sahin, dean of SHASS. “This unique collaboration with the Schwarzman College of Computing and the School of Engineering will make this dream a reality, bringing together the world’s best engineers with our extraordinary musicians to create the next generation of music technologies.”
“The new master’s program offers students an unparalleled opportunity to explore the intersection of music and technology,” he says Daniel Huttenlocherdean of the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and the Henry Ellis Warren Professor of EECS. “It equips them with a deep understanding of this confluence, preparing them to develop new approaches to computational models of music and be at the forefront of this emerging field.”