On June 30, South Korea witnessed its first public appearance of a robot conductor at the National Theatre of Korea. The android, named EveR 6, co-conducted the performance titled “Absence” alongside conductor Soo-Yeoul Choi. Created by the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH), EveR 6 features a humanoid face and a human-like form with a torso, arms, neck, and head.
EveR 6 was trained using motion capture technology, which digitally records a conductor’s baton movements. The robot can also track the speed of the baton’s motions. The theatre released a teaser video on YouTube showcasing the rehearsal and training process before the performance.
Conductor Choi acknowledged the challenges robots face in real-time interaction and communication, particularly in a musical context. He mentioned that the robot’s critical weakness is its inability to listen. However, Choi was impressed by EveR 6’s detailed movements during the performance, stating that it exceeded his expectations.
During the concert, both Choi and EveR 6 took turns conducting pieces, with the robot guiding three out of five pieces and performing one piece side by side with Choi. Choi expressed that the recital demonstrated how robots and humans can coexist and complement each other rather than one replacing the other.
Audience reactions to the robot conductor were mixed. Some attendees praised its ability to maintain rhythm but noted a lack of “breath” in its performance. Others felt that the robot’s skills were at a basic level and suggested that equipping it with an artificial intelligence (AI) system could enhance its understanding and analysis of music.
While this performance marked South Korea’s first robot conductor appearance, similar events have occurred in other countries. Honda’s robot Asimo guest-conducted with the Detroit Symphony Orchestra in 2008, and in 2017, a robot named YuMi conducted a performance in Switzerland. In 2020, a Japanese-designed robot named Alter 3 conducted an “android opera” called Scary Beauty.
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