{"type":"ScholarlyArticle","title":"Algorithmic Composition Using Narrative Structure and Tension","authors":[{"name":"Francisco Braga","slug":"francisco-braga","given":"Francisco","family":"Braga","affiliation":""},{"name":"Gilberto Bernardes","slug":"gilberto-bernardes","given":"Gilberto","family":"Bernardes","affiliation":""},{"name":"Roger B. Dannenberg","slug":"roger-b-dannenberg","given":"Roger B.","family":"Dannenberg","affiliation":""},{"name":"Nuno Correia","slug":"nuno-correia","given":"Nuno","family":"Correia","affiliation":""}],"abstract":"This paper describes an approach to algorithmic music composition that takes narrative structures as input, allowing composers to create music directly from narrative elements.\r\nCreating narrative development in music remains a challenging task in algorithmic composition.\r\nOur system addresses this by combining leitmotifs to represent characters, generative grammars for harmonic coherence, and evolutionary algorithms to align musical tension with narrative progression.\r\nThe system operates at different scales, from overall plot structure to individual motifs, enabling both autonomous composition and co-creation with varying degrees of user control.\r\nEvaluation with compositions based on tales demonstrated the system's ability to compose music that supports narrative listening and aligns with its source narratives, while being perceived as familiar and enjoyable.","doi":"10.24963/ijcai.2025/1116","url":"https://ijcai.org/proceedings/2025/1116","pdf":"https://ijcai.org/proceedings/2025/1116.pdf","markdown":"https://ijcai.org/proceedings/2025/1116.md","bibtex":"https://ijcai.org/proceedings/2025/bibtex/1116","volume":{"slug":"2025","title":"Proceedings of the Thirty-Fourth International Joint Conference on Artificial Intelligence","short_title":"IJCAI 2025","url":"https://ijcai.org/proceedings/2025/","year":2025,"location":"Montreal, Canada","dates":"16-22 August 2025","editors":"James Kwok","isbn":"978-1-956792-06-5","publisher":"International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence Organization","doi_prefix":"10.24963/ijcai.2025"},"section":"AI, Arts & Creativity","track":"AI, Arts & Creativity","number":1116,"pages":{"first":10045,"last":10053},"keywords":["Methods and resources: Evolutionary algorithms","Theory and philosophy of arts and creativity in AI systems: Autonomous creative or artistic AI","Theory and philosophy of arts and creativity in AI systems: Computational paradigms, architectures and models for creativity","Application domains: Other domains of art or creativity","Application domains: Music and sound","Methods and resources: Other methods or resources"],"videos":[],"references":[],"license_note":"Copyright International Joint Conferences on Artificial Intelligence."}