Ajay Kapur
Encyclopedia
Ajay Kapur is a computer scientist
, musician
, and educator known for his pioneering work in musical robotics and electronic instrument design. He has toured internationally with his self-designed electronic sitar and mobile robotic drummer, the MahaDeviBot and currently serves as professor at California Institute of the Arts
and the New Zealand School of Music
.
. For his senior thesis, he invented the Electronic Tabla
MIDI Controller. After graduating from Princeton, he engaged in graduate studies at the University of Victoria
in Victoria
, British Columbia
under Dr. George Tzanetakis. Kapur received his PhD in interdisciplinary studies combining electrical and computer engineering, computer science
, mechanical engineering
, music
, and psychology
in November 2007. His dissertation, "Digitizing North Indian Performance: Extension and Preservation Using Multimodal Sensor Systems, Machine Learning & Robotics," was published in 2008 by VDM Verlag Dr. Müller. While studying at the University of Victoria, he learned electromechanical construction techniques from renowned sound sculptor
Trimpin
.
. Since becoming the program director in early 2008, he has increased the program's focus on electromechanical design for musical robotics, DSP
, computer science, and world music
.
Since 2009 he has served as a PhD adviser and lecturer in the Sonic Arts program at the New Zealand School of Music
in Wellington
, New Zealand
. He remains an active publishing researcher, focusing on the field of machine learning
, musical interface design, and music information retrieval
.
Kapur is also founder and CEO of KarmetiK Technology LLC., a multifocus enterprise with an emphasis on new music, interactive multimedia
technology, and real-world audiovisual applications.
Kapur plays sitar
and percussion, and is one of the founding members of the Victoria-based KarmetiK Underground performing ensemble and artist collective
. He currently studies Sitar under Sarode virtuoso Aashish Khan
. Kapur focuses on creating electronic interfaces for traditional Indian instruments, including robotic instruments and electronic additions to classical instruments.
Computer scientist
A computer scientist is a scientist who has acquired knowledge of computer science, the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and their application in computer systems....
, musician
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
, and educator known for his pioneering work in musical robotics and electronic instrument design. He has toured internationally with his self-designed electronic sitar and mobile robotic drummer, the MahaDeviBot and currently serves as professor at California Institute of the Arts
California Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
and the New Zealand School of Music
New Zealand School of Music
The , located in Wellington, New Zealand, is a joint venture between Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University. Its main goal is to provide a top quality tertiary teaching faculty with programmes in Classical Performance, Jazz Performance, Music Studies, Composition and Sonic Arts...
.
Education
In June 2002, Ajay Kapur received his undergraduate degree in computer science from Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
. For his senior thesis, he invented the Electronic Tabla
Tabla
The tabla is a popular Indian percussion instrument used in Hindustani classical music and in popular and devotional music of the Indian subcontinent. The instrument consists of a pair of hand drums of contrasting sizes and timbres...
MIDI Controller. After graduating from Princeton, he engaged in graduate studies at the University of Victoria
University of Victoria
The University of Victoria, often referred to as UVic, is the second oldest public research university in British Columbia, Canada. It is a research intensive university located in Saanich and Oak Bay, about northeast of downtown Victoria. The University's annual enrollment is about 20,000 students...
in Victoria
Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
, British Columbia
British Columbia
British Columbia is the westernmost of Canada's provinces and is known for its natural beauty, as reflected in its Latin motto, Splendor sine occasu . Its name was chosen by Queen Victoria in 1858...
under Dr. George Tzanetakis. Kapur received his PhD in interdisciplinary studies combining electrical and computer engineering, computer science
Computer science
Computer science or computing science is the study of the theoretical foundations of information and computation and of practical techniques for their implementation and application in computer systems...
, mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering
Mechanical engineering is a discipline of engineering that applies the principles of physics and materials science for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. It is the branch of engineering that involves the production and usage of heat and mechanical power for the...
, music
Music
Music is an art form whose medium is sound and silence. Its common elements are pitch , rhythm , dynamics, and the sonic qualities of timbre and texture...
, and psychology
Psychology
Psychology is the study of the mind and behavior. Its immediate goal is to understand individuals and groups by both establishing general principles and researching specific cases. For many, the ultimate goal of psychology is to benefit society...
in November 2007. His dissertation, "Digitizing North Indian Performance: Extension and Preservation Using Multimodal Sensor Systems, Machine Learning & Robotics," was published in 2008 by VDM Verlag Dr. Müller. While studying at the University of Victoria, he learned electromechanical construction techniques from renowned sound sculptor
Sound sculpture
Sound sculpture is an intermedia and time based art form in which sculpture or any kind of art object produces sound, or the reverse...
Trimpin
Trimpin
Trimpin is a Seattle, Washington-based kinetic sculptor, sound artist, musician, and composer, most of whose pieces integrate both sculpture and music in some way, and many of which make use of computers to play these instruments...
.
Current
Ajay Kapur currently serves as the program director for the Music Technology: Interaction, Intelligence, and Design (MTIID) program at California Institute of the ArtsCalifornia Institute of the Arts
The California Institute of the Arts, commonly referred to as CalArts, is located in Valencia, in Los Angeles County, California. It was incorporated in 1961 as the first degree-granting institution of higher learning in the United States created specifically for students of both the visual and the...
. Since becoming the program director in early 2008, he has increased the program's focus on electromechanical design for musical robotics, DSP
Digital signal processing
Digital signal processing is concerned with the representation of discrete time signals by a sequence of numbers or symbols and the processing of these signals. Digital signal processing and analog signal processing are subfields of signal processing...
, computer science, and world music
World music
World music is a term with widely varying definitions, often encompassing music which is primarily identified as another genre. This is evidenced by world music definitions such as "all of the music in the world" or "somebody else's local music"...
.
Since 2009 he has served as a PhD adviser and lecturer in the Sonic Arts program at the New Zealand School of Music
New Zealand School of Music
The , located in Wellington, New Zealand, is a joint venture between Victoria University of Wellington and Massey University. Its main goal is to provide a top quality tertiary teaching faculty with programmes in Classical Performance, Jazz Performance, Music Studies, Composition and Sonic Arts...
in Wellington
Wellington
Wellington is the capital city and third most populous urban area of New Zealand, although it is likely to have surpassed Christchurch due to the exodus following the Canterbury Earthquake. It is at the southwestern tip of the North Island, between Cook Strait and the Rimutaka Range...
, New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
. He remains an active publishing researcher, focusing on the field of machine learning
Machine learning
Machine learning, a branch of artificial intelligence, is a scientific discipline concerned with the design and development of algorithms that allow computers to evolve behaviors based on empirical data, such as from sensor data or databases...
, musical interface design, and music information retrieval
Music information retrieval
Music information retrieval is the interdisciplinary science of retrieving information from music. MIR is a small but growing field of research with many real-world applications...
.
Kapur is also founder and CEO of KarmetiK Technology LLC., a multifocus enterprise with an emphasis on new music, interactive multimedia
Multimedia
Multimedia is media and content that uses a combination of different content forms. The term can be used as a noun or as an adjective describing a medium as having multiple content forms. The term is used in contrast to media which use only rudimentary computer display such as text-only, or...
technology, and real-world audiovisual applications.
Kapur plays sitar
Sitar
The 'Tablaman' is a plucked stringed instrument predominantly used in Hindustani classical music, where it has been ubiquitous since the Middle Ages...
and percussion, and is one of the founding members of the Victoria-based KarmetiK Underground performing ensemble and artist collective
Artist collective
An artist collective is an initiative that is the result of a group of artists working together, usually under their own management, towards shared aims...
. He currently studies Sitar under Sarode virtuoso Aashish Khan
Aashish Khan
Aashish Khan Debsharma is an eminent Indian classical musician, known for his virtuosity on the Sarod. He was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2006 in the 'Best World Music' category for his album "Golden Strings of the Sarode"...
. Kapur focuses on creating electronic interfaces for traditional Indian instruments, including robotic instruments and electronic additions to classical instruments.
Publications
(Partial Listing Only)- Kapur, A. Digitizing North Indian Music: Preservation and Extension using Multimodal Sensor Systems, Machine Learning and Robotics, VDM Verlag Dr. Müller, Germany, 2008. ISBN 978-3-639-06097-3.
- Vallis, O., Hochenbaum, J., & A. Kapur. “Extended Interface Solutions for Musical Robotics”, Proceedings of the IEEE International Symposium on Multimedia. Berkeley, USA, December 2008.
- Tzanetakis G., Kapur, A., Schloss, W.A., & M. Wright. “Computational Ethnomusicology”, Journal of Interdisciplinary Music Studies, 1(2), pp. 1–24, 2007.