On June 3, Vanderbilt University’s College of Connected Computing and Blair School of Music hosted an inspiring gathering at Vanderbilt University–New York City, bringing together alumni and friends to explore the future of music in the digital age. The evening highlighted the intersection of the arts and technology, underscoring Vanderbilt’s commitment to fostering and amplifying radical collaboration and innovation across disciplines.
This first-of-its-kind collaboration between the CCC and Blair engaged alumni across multiple areas of Vanderbilt as well as community members from the Chelsea neighborhood and New York City at large. From the cocktail hour to the onstage panel discussion, conversations buzzed on the dynamic relationship between artistic expression and digital innovation, showcasing how these fields can collaborate to create new forms of creativity and engagement.
The panel featured William Brittelle, Grammy-winning, genre-fluid composer, producer, and creator of hyper-text and multimedia, and Blair alumnus, B.Mus.’99, alongside Enongo Lumumba-Kasongo, renowned underground rapper/producer and Assistant Professor of Music at Brown University. The discussion was moderated by Matthew Johnson-Roberson, the founding dean of the College of Connected Computing.
The event also showcased new audio and video from Konami Dream: An Alternate Reality ’90s Hacker/Rap Collective central to the world of Eternal September, an expansive project by Brittelle in partnership with the Brown Arts Institute, exemplifying how technology is reshaping music and the very narratives it creates.
Before taking the stage, William, Enongo, and Matthew shared their thoughts on what music in the digital age meant to them:
The creative potential of digital identities
“When I think about music and the digital age, I think a lot about the power of avatars,” Lumumba-Kasongo explained, highlighting how these digital personas allow musicians to navigate and redefine their artistic spaces. “I think there’s an exciting space for transformation as it relates to being a musician, in particular being a rapper.”
The expanded possibilities for collaboration and storytelling in the digital realm
“Digital technologies have been really helpful in terms of expanding music making into visual worlds, storytelling, different ways of mapping narratives,” Brittelle remarked, illustrating how these innovations foster new forms of artistic expression. “It also really helps facilitate collaboration…there’s more freedom to make things and more flexibility.”
The democratizing potential of technology in music creation
“This is one of the most exciting times for music in the sense that this technology can be an incredible creative partner and can help people make music, think about music, and get their music heard in ways that we couldn’t do before”, said Dean Johnson-Roberson, noting how emerging tools can empower young creators to take control of their musical destinies.
As the evening concluded, discussions illustrated how emerging technologies are shaping music, storytelling, and our experience of art today. Attendees left inspired by the potential for new ideas and exchanges that these collaborations across disciplines could bring in the future.
“This NYC campus event was a wonderful way to engage with our alumni, especially as the Blair School further expands music technology offerings and develops deeper interdisciplinary connections at Vanderbilt,” shared Melissa K. Rose, dean of the Blair School of Music.
This event highlighted the innovative spirit of Vanderbilt and set the stage for future initiatives that will continue to celebrate how we redefine the arts and technology.
