Art meets Science

Rhapsody of Genetics

An algorithmic composition system that converts the fundamental blueprint of life into a symphony of sound.

Listen to Genetics Learn More
Our Vision

What if you could hear your DNA?

Rhapsody of Genetics is a creative collaboration between a music composer and a computational biologist, designed to translate the silent code of life into an immersive musical experience.

Rather than simple sonification, we built an algorithmic system where complex sounds, instrumentation, and rhythm are dictated by the physical and biochemical properties of your genes.

12
Pitch Classes
36
Instruments
21
Rhythms

Why It Matters

  • Identity

    Genetics encodes the fundamental blueprint of life. Your genetic profile is a major component of who you are.

  • Accessibility

    Complex genetic data is often abstract. Music makes it intuitively perceivable for general audiences.

  • Artistic Expression

    Creating a "musical signature" for specific genes allows for a deeply personal connection to biology.

Historical Context

A History of Translating Genetics into Sound

Our work builds upon decades of interdisciplinary exploration at the intersection of biology and music.

1979

Conceptual Bridge

Cognitive scientist Douglas Hofstadter anticipated gene–music parallels in his Pulitzer Prize-winning book Gödel, Escher, Bach.

1983

First Genetic Music

Biologist David Deamer and composer Riley McLaughlin created the first genetic music tapes, pioneering the field.

2020

COVID-19 Genome Sonification

Molecular biologist Mark Temple mapped the SARS-CoV-2 genome to music in real-time, bringing genetic music to global attention.

2025

Music for Immunodeficiency

Ethnomusicologist Michael Frishkopf and physician Aditi Kantipuly's "Jakob's Melody" translates disease-related genes into singable melodies.

The Methodology

Our Unique System

Our algorithm maps the physical and biochemical properties of DNA and amino acids directly to musical parameters—creating complex, orchestral sounds.

Molecular Weight

Instrumentation Mapping

36 instruments are assigned to DNA bases according to their molecular weights, creating rich, layered orchestral textures.

Lighter Bases
A, C → Flute, Woodwinds
Higher-pitched, lighter timbre
Heavier Bases
G, T → Tuba, Brass
Deeper, denser sound
A Adenine 135.13 g/mol
T Thymine 126.11 g/mol
C Cytosine 111.10 g/mol
G Guanine 151.13 g/mol

Thermal Stability

Harmonic Structure

12 pitch classes are artistically assigned to base pairs based on their thermal stability—the energy required to break the hydrogen bonds between them.

A / T Pair 2 Hydrogen Bonds
Shared pitch classes
G / C Pair 3 Hydrogen Bonds
Shared pitch classes
🎹
Pitch Selection

Pitch assignments mirror the thermal energy required to break base pair bonds—creating harmonic relationships rooted in chemistry.

Hydropathy Index

Rhythm & Percussion Mapping

21 unique rhythms

We used the Hydropathy Index (amino acids' water affinity) to determine rhythmic texture. Water-loving (hydrophilic) amino acids inspire smooth, flowing rhythms, while water-repelling (hydrophobic) amino acids create more static, crisp percussion patterns.

Each of the 21 amino acids is mapped to a unique percussion instrument and rhythmic pattern. The instrument selection reflects the amino acid's water affinity—from flowing vibraphone patterns for hydrophilic residues to sharp woodblock hits for hydrophobic ones.

Percussion instruments selected by Trevor Maliborski based on acoustic properties matching the chemical nature of each amino acid.

🥁
Percussion
🎵
Rhythm
Illustration

The First Genetic Music Browser

We developed a novel tool that allows users to play the genetic music of any gene while interacting with its DNA and protein sequences in real-time.

Choose Your Gene
Genetic Music Browser - Gene Selection
Playback Mode
Genetic Music Browser - Playback

Coming Soon — More Features on the Way

The Genetic Music Browser is actively under development. Upcoming features include multi-track gene expression overlays that layer RNA-seq data directly onto the musical score, letting you hear how gene activity shifts across tissues or conditions. Additional planned tracks cover chromatin accessibility, protein abundance, and more—turning a single gene into a full biological symphony.

Demo

The Melody of Speech: FOXP2

As a prototype, we sonified the human FOXP2 gene—responsible for speech and language development. Watch the browser generate music from the genetic sequence in real-time.

Demo Video

Real-time parsing of the FOXP2 genetic sequence into audio with synchronized visualization.

About Us

The Innovators

Siyuan Feng

Siyuan Feng

Computational Biologist

PhD Candidate at UW-Madison. Siyuan developed the algorithms and the web-based browser that automatically produce sheet music and audio from genomic sequences. He bridges the gap between genetic data and musical notation at an unprecedented scale.

Daria Tennikova

Daria Tennikova

Composer & Pianist & Educator

DMA Candidate at UW-Madison. Daria brings her unique musical style to the project, creating complex soundscapes that interpret genetic data into emotional art. She designed the pitch mappings and rhythmic patterns that transform molecular properties of genetics into music.

Acknowledgments

We are deeply grateful to Trevor Maliborski for his expertise on percussion instrumentation, Zihao Liu for guidance on web app architecture, and Dr. Willey Lee and previous Kohler fellows Dr. Katherine Hubert and Dr. Sharon Tang for the initial inspiration that sparked this project.

Special thanks to Kohler Fellowship Committee—Andrew Hanus, Angela Johnson, and Dr. John Yin—for leading the Kohler Fellows program, and forging a unique mental space for creativity at the intersection of art and science.

We are also grateful to our cohort of Kohler Fellows for a wonderful year together, sharing ideas and inspiration across disciplines.