World Premiere of Scientific Symphony Based on Human Genome
Newswise — While scientists labored for nearly 50 years discovering the physical structure of DNA and finally completed mapping the human genome in 2000, it took only five years for a musician to compose a complete symphony based on this groundbreaking research.
Ball State University alumnus and Indianapolis native Ryan Fraley's symphony is not just influenced by the human genome — arguably the most important scientific discovery of the 21st century — most of the notes are based on actual strands of DNA.
When a complete copy of the human genome was mapped, Fraley became fascinated with using the data as source material for a musical composition. The limitless supply of nonrandom data is perfectly suited for composition, Fraley said.
Fraley assigned notes to certain aspects of the human genome to produce lines of music. He then identified the most melodious sections, which provided the basic framework for his five-movement symphony.
"The fact that these data represent the code for life itself appeals to the artist as well as the scientist. I started at random points on each chromosome, encoding musical pitches until enough thematic material existed. Because much of the material was too random to make melodic sense, I ended up encoding about four times more sequences than needed. Allowing myself the freedom to pick and choose good data, I was able to use sequences that naturally implied a harmonic structure."
The world premiere of this scientific symphony will take place at 7 p.m. April 20 at the Indiana State Museum in Indianapolis as part of the museum's human genome traveling exhibit. It will be performed by the Ball State University Wind Ensemble.
It is a complex piece that is testing the musicians' abilities, and the intensity of the music paints a vivid musical picture of the human genome. Audience members will be able to visualize a double helix floating above the musicians as they play, said Joseph Scagnoli, ensemble conductor, who commissioned the piece for Ball State's David and Mary Jane Sursa Performance Hall's inaugural season.
"This is a very technical piece that requires a full complement of instruments, including a contrabassoon, piano, English horn, harp and even a Tibetan singing bowl," Scagnoli said. "Few composers are able to write a piece at this level. It is stretching the ability of our musicians, but they're willing to put in the extra effort because they sense that this is a visionary symphony; it has a special feeling that resonates with everyone who hears it and plays it."
The symphony, which will be recorded at Sursa Hall April 24, will showcase the $21 million Music Instruction Building. Ball State's newest building has 73,000 square feet of academic space, a cutting-edge digital recording studio and the 600-seat, "tuneable" hall.
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