On Sunday, December 15, 2024, the Center & Clark were delighted to host the Balourdet Quartet for a return engagement during the 30th anniversary season of Chamber Music at the Clark. Among the guests in attendance was composer Nicky Sohn, who introduced her composition “Galaxy Back to You,” which was premiered at this event. It’s not often that living composers’ works are premiered at the Clark Library, and we were honored to be part of this historic occasion!
Commissioned by the Balourdet Quartet, “Galaxy Back to You” was inspired by a gift from Sohn’s partner, who “named” the galaxy formally known as Messier 106 or NGC 4258 for the composer. The Balourdet Quartet requested that Sohn use artificial intelligence in composing the work, so she employed ChatGPT to help in the design of the music, though not in the actual composition. The AI program determined the outline and produced the section titles.
To view the schedule of upcoming concerts during the 30th anniversary season of Chamber Music at the Clark and learn when tickets go on sale, visit https://www.1718.ucla.edu/events/categories/music
-Jeanette LaVere, Manager of Programs and Development