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What if our data sounded like music? | Jonathan Middleton | TEDxSpokane

When mathematician and musician Jonathan Middleton began translating weather patterns into musical notes, he discovered an entirely new way to understand and experience data through sound. Through fascinating demonstrations, including an auditory weather forecast, he reveals how musical interpretation of data can uncover patterns and insights that visual analysis might miss. Middleton's unconventional journey at the intersection of music and mathematics proves that following our unique passions, however unusual they may seem, can lead to groundbreaking innovations in how we perceive and analyze the world around us.Jonathan Middleton is professor of Music Theory and Composition at Eastern Washington University. He holds a DMA in music composition from Columbia University and his compositions have been recorded on the ERM and Origin Classical labels. In addition to being a modern-day classically trained composer, he is a published author for a composition textbook called “Essentials for Composers,” and a co-author for four research articles about data-to-music transformation. He designed and launched a Web-based tool for converting data into music called “musicalgorithms” in 2004-05. Since then, has held sonification research residencies at Stanford University (2007-08) and Tampere University in Finland (2015-17).This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more at https://www.ted.com/tedx

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