17 February 2026, 14:15 – 15:00
Screening Hall 1
This panel explores how AI is being used in audiovisual production for the performing arts and what this means in real terms. It looks at how AI supports capture, editing and post-production, and whether it genuinely improves efficiency and affordability. The discussion asks if the artistic outcome is different from traditional production methods, whether the quality is comparable, and by whose standards. It also addresses what is lost when creative teams are reduced, what new possibilities emerge for orchestras and producers, and where this is all heading.
Moderator
Henk Van der Meulen
Music and Media Consultant
Henk van der Meulen studied at the Amsterdam Conservatory and with John Cage, later attending masterclasses by Morton Feldman. He has combined composing concert music with work in theatre, dance, film and television, while also performing as a pianist and conductor.
Speakers
Becky Lees
Director, LSO Live
Becky Lees leads international media and digital strategy for the London Symphony Orchestra, overseeing LSO Live, broadcasts, webstreams, and partnerships with artists, management and media collaborators.
Ernst Buchrucker
Managing Director, Unitel
Ernst Buchrucker is a lawyer by training and has been working in the film industry since 2004. In 2010 he was appointed as the Managing Director of Unitel and as such he was responsible next to a few hundred productions for launching Classica as a worldwide Pay TV channel dedicated to Classical Music in more than 40 countries. Since 2017 he is member of the supervisory board of Fidelio, an SVOD service for Classical Music.
Jakub Fiebig
CEO & Co-founder, OnstageAI, Inc.
Jakub Fiebig, OnstageAI’s CEO, integrates the music industry with the latest AI technologies. He partners with renowned orchestras, festivals and music schools, pioneering products and solutions for live concert production processes.
Michael Beyer
Video Director
Michael Beyer, trained as a pianist and director for music theatre, television and film, has served as director of photography for over 250 music productions for television, cinema broadcasts, DVDs and webstreams.
- IMZ
