Virginia Tech professor creates free music software to keep students connected during COVID-19 pandemic

BLACKSBURG, Va. (WFXR) — A Virginia Tech professor wants to bring people together through music by creating a new program called “L2ork-Tweeter.”

Ico Bukvic launched the free music software back in April after the COVID-19 outbreak shut the university down, which meant all of the students’ scheduled concerts, ensembles, and performances were canceled.

Bukvic says he wants the app to use music as a way to connect people during the coronavirus pandemic.

“Bring your collaborators together to ideate, to improvise, to compose, and eventually perform in front of a live audience that can also tune through using the same tool,” he said. “My hope is it will help build communities. Build and strengthen existing communities of people, of creatives. It is about connecting people. It is not about technology. Technology is there to serve as a catalyst.

The app’s design allows users to make sounds in interactive ways. In addition, thanks to a unique component of the software, the user does not need to know how to play a traditional instrument to make music — just an internet connection and a keyboard.

“I was looking for ways of how I could connect people in this time of need,” Bukvic said. “When we’re all isolated, it can have all kinds of adverse effects on our well being. Music is clearly there as a connecting thread that helps us bring people together and helps us forget about all of the daily hardships.”

The professor says he has more plans for the free software. More specifically, Bukvic wants to use it to broadcast a live performance and create an option for users to play live instruments when they collaborate.

You can download Bukvic’s software here: http://l2ork.music.vt.edu/main/make-your-own-l2ork/tweeter/