Harmony in Complexity: Engaging Head-Hands-Heart towards a Resilient Future

Society is facing large sustainability challenges, that can only be solved using an interdisciplinary systems thinking approach.  Progressing towards a sustainable and resilient future requires systems change, including re-establishing the relationship between humans and nature, and sustainability education.  To reach sustainability transformation, higher education must teach students not only being able to adapt to change, but also to build their capacity to shape and create change. One way to achieve this, is to teach at the interface between the arts and sciences to promote affective as well as cognitive learning objectives and practical skill development.

One example of such interaction is the project ‘Harmony in Complexity’, which is a musical data sonification of one century of climate data (1924-2024), including an optional participatory performance.  Through a science-art cooperation, we combined scientific knowledge (head) with practical engagement (hand) and emotional connection (heart).  Inspired by a student brainstorm, we created a musical experience by sonifying the distinct and important global datasets of CO2 concentrations and planetary temperature anomalies. The CO2 concentrations are mapped to frequencies which are perceived as a musical tone, and the temperature anomalies are divided in three different zones in the Northern Hemisphere (tropical, temperate, northern) and converted to musical notes.  This resulted in a dual layer composition, integrating both the steady rise in CO2 concentration and the correlating temperature changes. To engage with the data and the data-sonification, we developed an optional guided musical audience participation with an embodied experience.  After presenting the musical piece including spoken explanations, the audience is invited to participate with body percussion mimicking natural elements like rain and wind, and vocal engagement.

The musical piece including audience engagement has been presented to an audience of over 200 people. People in the audience indicated afterwards that they were emotionally moved by the musical piece.  In the engagement part, the audience that consisted of people of all different backgrounds, age, gender, and discipline, felt connected and positive about the solutions that can be found if we engage together. Insights from this project will be integrated in the sustainability programmes at Utrecht University. By integrating arts and sciences, we aim to develop holistic education programs that empower students to become agents of positive change in a rapidly changing world.