Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR)

Shaping the future of music
Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR)For hero only - don't use for anything else
The Interdisciplinary Centre for Computer Music Research (ICCMR) develops research combining music, science, and technology. We are shaping the future of AI-assisted music composition and production.
The impact of our research has been consistently recognised as world-leading by the last two Research Excellence Framework exercises (, and ), which is the system for assessing the quality of research in UK higher education institutions.
We are world-renowned for our ground-breaking research into Brain-Computer Interfacing to enable people with severe motor impairment to play music without physical movement. We are making possible direct communication between the brain and musical instruments.
Furthermore, in partnership with the University of Glasgow, Anglia Ruskin University, and the BBC, we are developing revolutionary broadcasting technology using AI to improve the lives of people suffering from dementia .
The ICCMR is pioneering research in , exploring the potential synergies between quantum computing and the music industries. We collaborate with companies such as , and (Deutsches Elektronen-Synchrotron) to leverage principles from quantum mechanics to inform new artistic, technological, and scientific developments in music. The impact of this research has recently been celebrated at the (UK), the (Berlin, Germany), the (Saudi Arabia), LOGIN 2024 (Vilnius, Lithuania), , to cite but a few examples.
The ICCMR is based in the Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Business , and affiliated to the Faculty of Health , and the Brain Research & Imaging Centre (BRIC) . We actively report our research outcomes in learned journals and conferences in music, digital arts, computing, engineering, psychology, neuroscience, and medicine.
 

Research areas

  • ?Quantum computing in music and the arts

  • ?AI for music

  • ?Music composition

  • ?Algorithmic composition

  • ?Music technology

 

Explore our research projects

RadioMe

A £2.7 million project, RadioMe uses artificial intelligence to adapt and personalise live radio, with the aim of transforming lives for people living alone with dementia. Funded by The Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), it addresses key causes of hospital admission for people with dementia, such as agitation and not taking medication correctly. Led by Professor Eduardo Miranda from the University and including other university partners, it will develop a way to remix live digital broadcast so that listeners will receive personal reminders, information and music to improve quality of life and allow people to remain living independently at home for longer.
Wave mid splash frozen in air

Song of the Sea: listening to climate change in action

Lampedusa visuals by Kaz Rahman

Contemporary and experimental music concerts

Professor Eduardo Miranda

QuTune

 
Eduardo Miranda ICCR STARTS prize

Grand prize of the European Commission for Innovation in Technology, Industry and Society stimulated by the Arts, ICCMR award

The composition Biocomputer Rhythms, by Eduardo Miranda, won an Honorary Mention at an initiative of the European Commission to foster arts and sciences connections.
BBC Radio 3 presenter, Tom Service, visits ICCMR

BBC Radio 3 presenter, Tom Service, visits ICCMR

ICCMR ground-breaking research on using single-cell organisms to build new kinds of computers for improvising music is featured in Music Matters.

A technological leap that will make current computation and AI systems look obsolete?

Tapping into the properties of quantum mechanics, the nascent field of quantum computing promises just that. In CTM Magazine, Professor Eduardo Miranda gives an overview of the history of computing and sound that led to this new leap and adds examples of his music practice with quantum computing.
Read the full article in CTM Magazine:
CTM Magazine
 

Harnessing the impact of quantum computing technology on the music industry

The ICCMR pioneering research into music AI with quantum computers has gauged the interest of important players in the music industry, including Peter Gabriel, Brian Eno, Ligeti Cultural Centre (Germany), and London Sinfonietta.
Read the article in the Physics World:
Harnessing the Impact of Quantum Computing Technology on the Music Industry - Professor Eduardo Miranda, Brian Eno and Peter Gabriel
 

Qubism – a groundbreaking new album fusing AI and quantum computing

The project demonstrates how advanced technology can enhance artistic expression, enabling the creation of unique soundscapes and compositions that defy traditional music-making methods, representing a fusion of creativity and cutting-edge technology, that's paving the way for new possibilities in music exploration.
Read the article in Forbes magazine:
 

Postgraduate opportunities
We offer unprecedented opportunities for collaborative and interdisciplinary postgraduate studies.
The ICCMR runs four doctoral programmes:
Should you be interested in pursuing your postgraduate studies and research ambition with ICCMR, please contact us at doctoralcollege@plymouth.ac.uk for more information.
ICCMR lead, Professor Eduardo Miranda , also welcomes research proposals for student placements, post-doctorate projects and visiting researchers. Do not hesitate to reach out.
 

Our researchers

Current doctoral students
Alexander Alani
Bethany Evision
Clive Mead
Colin Harrington
Dieter Hearle
Jared Drayton
Kathryn Ferguson
Maria Aguado Yanes
Martin McCorry
Peter Thomas
Suchitra Brasak
Xuhang Li
 

Research in the School of Art, Design and Architecture

Our researchers work across the arts and humanities fields, from fine arts to game design to architecture and environmental engineering. We have particular strengths in interdisciplinary collaboration from a local to a global scale to advance knowledge and catalyse change. The focus of research in the School is on addressing global and societal challenges, and researchers are actively engaged with stakeholders outside the University context to contribute to meaningful and tangible impact for people, the environment, and communities.
Four Tet performs in the midst of a Squidsoup light installation in 2019 (courtesy: Rikard Osterlund/Squidsoup)

SHAPE disciplines address global challenges associated with marine, health and sustainability through the lens of place

Through five place-based research themes, we investigate the intricate relationships between communities, the natural world, and technology.
Locally, we co-create sustainable solutions to complex problems in order to build resilient and thriving neighbourhoods, cities, and regions. This work transcends geographical, social and political boundaries to become applicable on a global level.
place-based research
SHAPE – Social Sciences, Humanities, and the Arts for People and the Economy
rlb night view