Messiaenic Asparagus
Faculty Mentor
Jonathan Middleton
Presentation Type
Creative Work
Start Date
4-13-2026 5:20 PM
End Date
4-13-2026 6:30 PM
Location
Art Building Gallery
Primary Discipline of Presentation
Music
Abstract
How does one capture natural processes through sound? Data sonification provides an avenue for composers wishing to infuse their music with organic material; with algorithmic software (like Music Algorithms), users can transform their datasets (such as DNA, protein, or the Fibonacci sequence) into auditory “displays.” This practice is not only useful for composition, but as an optional sensory experience of data. Using protein data from Asparagus officinalis, Messiaen’s mode 7, and Messiaen’s “Angel Chords,” “Messiaenic Asparagus” intends to convey the life cycle of asparagus shoots. A vibraphone and piano work in both harmony and dissonance to create an atmosphere of creeping growth, and the slowing back into dormancy.
Recommended Citation
Brickey, Madison, "Messiaenic Asparagus" (2026). 2026 Symposium. 2.
https://dc.ewu.edu/srcw_2026/cw_2026/mus_2026/2
Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 International License.
Messiaenic Asparagus
Art Building Gallery
How does one capture natural processes through sound? Data sonification provides an avenue for composers wishing to infuse their music with organic material; with algorithmic software (like Music Algorithms), users can transform their datasets (such as DNA, protein, or the Fibonacci sequence) into auditory “displays.” This practice is not only useful for composition, but as an optional sensory experience of data. Using protein data from Asparagus officinalis, Messiaen’s mode 7, and Messiaen’s “Angel Chords,” “Messiaenic Asparagus” intends to convey the life cycle of asparagus shoots. A vibraphone and piano work in both harmony and dissonance to create an atmosphere of creeping growth, and the slowing back into dormancy.
