I, rubato
Posted on May 14, 2008
Filed Under music, news
HT: Dee-Ann Durbin (AP) f
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n5KbRwHg6zA]
Honda robot conducts Detroit Symphony to warm response
DETROIT (AP) — The lights dimmed, the sold-out hall grew hushed and out walked the conductor - shiny, white, 4 feet 3 inches tall.
ASIMO, a robot designed by Honda Motor Co., met its latest challenge Tuesday evening: Conducting the Detroit Symphony in a performance of “The Impossible Dream” from “Man of La Mancha.”
“Hello, everyone,” ASIMO said to the audience in a childlike voice, then waved to the orchestra.
As it conducted, it perfectly mimicked the actions of a conductor, nodding its head at various sections and gesturing with one or both hands. ASIMO took a final bow to enthusiastic shouts from the audience.
Just remember, Robot… Never look at a trombone section. It only encourages them.
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Great title, by the way
It is. I wish I could take credit, but I can’t. HT to Dee-Ann Durbin of the Associated Press, or whoever wrote an earlier version of the press release.
P.S. I’ve replaced the static photo with a YouTube clip of the performance. I’m somewhat surprised that they didn’t put “him” on a podium - it had to have been hard for the back row horns to see. Not that it really mattered — I’m sure the orchestra was on auto-pilot, at least from the sound of it.