The Sound of Entanglement: Live Performance Driven by Real-Time Quantum Correlation Measurements

The fundamental laws of physics increasingly reveal a universe governed by chance and interconnectedness, prompting exploration beyond traditional scientific applications. Enar de Dios Rodríguez from Kunstuniversität Linz, Philipp Haslinger and Johannes Kofler from Johannes Kepler University Linz, along with colleagues, demonstrate a compelling intersection of quantum mechanics and artistic performance. Their work, titled ‘The Sound of Entanglement’, presents a live musical experience directly driven by the real-time measurement of entangled photons, a phenomenon defying classical explanation. By incorporating these quantum correlations into the compositional structure and synchronising visuals with experimental data, the team creates a unique and irreproducible audiovisual performance, offering audiences a novel pathway to appreciate the beauty and strangeness of quantum reality while simultaneously pushing the boundaries of creative expression.

Random Walks Visualise Quantum Entanglement

This project uses a two-dimensional random walk as a visual metaphor for the behaviour of entangled quantum particles, aiming to make abstract concepts like entanglement and non-locality more accessible. The random walk isn’t simply random; it’s driven by measurements on entangled photons, with the degree of bias reflecting the strength of quantum correlations. Quantum entanglement links particles so they share the same fate, regardless of distance, with measuring one instantly influencing the other. Bell’s theorem demonstrates that quantum mechanics cannot be explained by local hidden variable theories, challenging the worldview that physical properties exist independently of measurement and influences cannot travel faster than light.

The project utilizes the CHSH inequality to connect measurement outcomes on entangled photons to the steps of the random walk. Each measurement outcome corresponds to a step on a two-dimensional plane, with update rules governing the walk based on measurement settings and outcomes. The degree of bias in the walk reflects the strength of quantum correlations; an unbiased walk occurs when the Bell parameter is zero, while increasing values indicate stronger correlations, visualized by projections onto a grid.

Entangled Photons Drive Live Musical Performance

Scientists pioneered a live musical performance, “The Sound of Entanglement,” directly driven by real-time measurements of entangled photons in a Bell test, establishing a unique intersection of quantum physics and artistic expression. The team engineered an experimental setup where quantum data, reflecting non-classical correlations, functioned as the conductor of the performance, synchronizing live visuals and musical composition. To achieve this, the team constructed a Bell test apparatus onstage, generating pairs of entangled photons and measuring their correlations in real-time. The resulting quantum data was then transmitted to musicians and a projector, directly influencing the musical performance and driving the visual elements.

The system delivers an unrepeatable performance, as the quantum randomness ensures each instance is unique. The core of the study lies in demonstrating the violation of Bell’s inequalities, confirming that the observed correlations between entangled photons cannot be explained by classical physics. This work extends that confirmation into the realm of live artistic performance, establishing a direct link between fundamental quantum properties and the creation of a novel artistic experience.

Quantum Entanglement Drives Live Audiovisual Performance

Researchers successfully integrated real-time measurements from entangled photons into a live musical performance, titled The Sound of Entanglement. This project demonstrates a novel approach to artistic expression, directly utilizing non-classical correlations from quantum states as a compositional element and synchronizing visuals with experimental data. The resulting performance offers a unique and unrepeatable audiovisual experience, grounded in principles that cannot be replicated by classical means. This work represents a synergy between advanced quantum technology and artistic creation, exploring complex scientific principles through sound and visual art.

By directly incorporating quantum phenomena into the performance, the team aims to broaden public engagement with this emerging field and offer audiences immersive experiences with scientific experimentation. Furthermore, the sonification of experimental data provides a complementary approach to traditional visual representations, offering new avenues for understanding quantum physics. The authors acknowledge limitations in translating complex scientific data into artistic forms, but emphasize the potential for creative approaches to encourage exploration beyond conventional frameworks. Future work may involve refining the methods for translating quantum data into artistic expression and exploring the application of this approach to other scientific domains.