This two-day event explores creative outcomes from the Yale Planetary Solutions (YPS) Seed Grant project “Addressing Climate Change Through the Music of Bird Murmuration”—a collaboration with Music Haven, an inclusive music education organization that enables young people to learn, play, and express themselves through tuition-free classical music lessons and mentoring.

Listening to Climate Change is co-led by Judith Lichtman (School of Public Health), Matthew Suttor (Center for Collaborative Arts and Media), and Konrad Kaczmarek (Department of Music).

Friday, April 25, 2025

Concert: 5–6:30pm
New Haven public school students from Music Haven will premiere compositions inspired by environmental data, including bird flocking patterns and shifting ecosystems. These dynamic musical pieces utilize specialized software developed with YPS Seed Grant support.

The Haven Quartet, the professional string quartet forming the core of Music Haven’s teaching staff, will perform compositions by Music Haven students, Matthew Suttor, and Konrad Kaczmarek. Guest cellist Zachary Mowitz of the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra will present a new composition by Nick DiBerardino (Curtis Institute of Music). Additionally, Yale students from Matthew Suttor’s course THST 359: Nature, AI, and Performance will present original compositions and performances.

Presentations and Panel: 6:30–8pm
A focused discussion following the concert featuring brief presentations and a moderated conversation exploring the integration of music, environmental science, and climate advocacy. Participants include:

* Dr. Vivek Hari Sridhar (Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior, Konstanz, Germany)
* Richard Prum (William Robertson Coe Professor of Ornithology, Yale)
* Jonathan Gewirtzman (PhD student, Yale School of the Environment)
* Dr. Diego Ellis Soto (David H. Smith Conservation Research Fellow and Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow, UC Berkeley)

Saturday, April 26, 2025

Workshop: 10am–12pm
This interactive session will bring together leading researchers and artists to explore interdisciplinary methods of climate education, advocacy, and engagement. The workshop will focus on how creative practices combined with technologies like artificial intelligence and data mapping can effectively communicate complex ecological processes and inspire action on climate issues.