New Frontiers of Classical Performance: Extending Music to Multimedia in Today’s Online Landscape andTomorrow’s A.I. Era
DMA Thesis at the Yale School of Music
Abstract: Classical music faces a growing challenge: connecting with modern audiences in an increasingly digital and visually driven world. Taking cues from success in other entertainment genres, multimedia performance seems to offer a powerful way to bridge this gap, creating an immediate and visceral connection to the stories within classical repertoire. In this thesis, I propose a framework for effective multimedia performance—examining its guiding principles, its application in past works, its potential for new adaptations, and its ability to evolve with emerging technology.
Drawing from research in music cognition, musicology, and film studies, I identify three core principles that shape how imagery can enhance or detract from a musical experience. Disney’s Fantasia serves as a high-profile case study, providing insights into what makes multimedia pairings compelling or distracting, helping refine these principles further. I then demonstrate their application through my own multimedia interpretation of Igor Stravinsky’s Histoire du Soldat. Finally, I consider how this performance model can adapt to technological shifts, particularly the rise of AI. As digital innovation reshapes how audiences experience art and music, I argue that multimedia offers a way for classical music to adapt to these changing patterns of entertainment consumption.