The Institute of the Environment held a ClimateMusic Performance on Dec. 4th. The event began with brief introductions to The ClimateMusic Project by Executive Producer and Founder Stephan Crawford, to the climate science data (Professor Isabel Montañez, Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Director of the Institute of the Environment) and its sonification for artistic expression (Professor Samuel Nichols, Music Dept., UCD).

The performance, CLIMATE, is a collaborative piece between composer Erik Ian Walker and Lawrence Livermore Berkeley Laboratory's Scientists, Dr. William Collins and Dr. Andrew Jones. The musicians who performed the piece are Erik Ian Walker (keyboards), Michèle Walther (violin), Thomas Dimuzio (Synthesizer and live sampling), and Scott Brazieal (keyboards). We'd also like to thank Executive Producer, Fran Schulberg, who was instrumental in bringing the performance to UC Davis.

The composition opens to silence that fills with the “sounds of the planets” as we travel through the Solar System to Earth. Walker sampled audio wave frequencies released by NASA for this opening sequence. When we arrive at Earth the year is 1800 and the score is relatively calm. As we speed through time we are confronted with the dissonance created by the increasing climate variables. Audience members remarked on the visceral feeling created by the mismatched rhythms as the score progresses into a future timeline.

Following the performance was a Q&A panel with the audience, speakers, and musicians, moderated by Professor Ian Faloona of the UC Davis Department of Land, Air, and Water Resources.

The goal of the ClimateMusic Project is to create awareness on climate issues through artistic expression. As Walker mentioned at the event, music has been used for centuries to rally communities around an idea, initiative, or goal. The piece hopes to inspire a call to action and reach a wider audience through artistic representation of climate data.

The music we hear is tied to climate variables including carbon dioxide concentration (tempo), near-Earth atmospheric temperature (pitch), Earth energy balance (distortion), and Ocean pH levels/Ocean Acidification (compositional form). As the score progressed the harmony heard between 1800 to 1995 rapidly became discordant. The music is not generated by the climate data but is affected, and changed by what the data prescribe. After a certain tipping point, the data becomes the generating force.

The score follows two possible scenarios for the future. Predominately tracking the scenario in which little is done to curtail carbon emissions. The second scenario represents a more hopeful scenario in which advancements are made to rein in emissions during the first half of this century. The ClimateMusic Project is developing a follow-up piece exploring climate solutions (including carbon sequestration) with LA-based artist, Raine Stern.

Be sure to keep an eye out for more events to come in the new year, including a nature-based decarbonization panel. You can stay up-to-date with upcoming events from the Institute by signing up for our newsletter here.