Hong Kong Baptist University unveiled on Thursday what promises to be a new musical experience that embraces artificial intelligence and further enhances HKBU's integration of art and technology.
With the theme East-West Encounters, the Hong Kong Baptist University Symphony Orchestra Annual Gala Concert 2024 will be held on April 19 and 20, 2024 at the HKBU Academic Community Hall.
One highlight of the concert is the use of virtual AI-generated dancers performing alongside the HKBU symphony orchestra
"The theme of this year’s concert reflects HKBU’s commitment to promoting the city as a center for cultural and artistic exchange between China and the rest of the world, showcasing the profound and diverse Chinese arts to the global community," Alexander Wai Ping-kong, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU, said in a press statement.
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One highlight of the concert is the use of virtual AI-generated dancers performing alongside the HKBU symphony orchestra. Members of the media were treated to a rehearsal of the concert on Thursday.
A team from HKBU led by Johnny M Poon, Dean of the School of Creative Arts had visited Yao ethnic villages in Guangxi Zhuang autonomous region, to record the local folk songs, dances, culture, and landscapes.
"Technologies have always been changing the way we perform, but nothing can replace the human touch and the years of training in an artist. In collaboration with technology, we experienced a sense of adventure that gives us the impulse to continue," Poon said.
Chen Jie, an assistant professor from HKBU’s Department of Computer Science, led a tech team that collected the motion data captured from Yao villages and utilized artificial intelligence to extract the kinematic and cultural characteristics embedded in this data. These were then incorporated into the Yao ethnic dances and rituals featured in the concert.
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"The foundation models that we use are specific to generating human appearances and motions. The high-quality data collected from the Yao villages allowed the models to quickly adjust to the motions that are uniquely Yao," Chen told China Daily.
"We are adopting unique and innovative approaches, utilizing technological elements to ignite a fresh artistic experience in the concert, encompassing both Chinese and Western music as well as other forms of art," said Alexander Wai Ping-kong, President and Vice-Chancellor of HKBU.
