Biological Choirs: Sound Methods as a Social Practice of Recovery

Biological Choirs is a 45-minute lecture performance in which I explore how sound can function both as a method of analysis and as a speculative tool for regeneration. The performance begins with a 15-minute lecture, where I share my research process, followed by a 30-minute live sound composition.

In this project, I focus on three complex ecosystems: soil, coral reefs, and the human gut. Each of these environments is full of life, and their health depends on the dynamic interaction of countless agents. They are biological systems that can be “listened to”—and in some cases, influenced—through sound.

I became interested in soil and coral reefs after learning how scientists use sound recordings to assess the vitality of these ecosystems. Healthy soil is full of activity—worms, beetles, ants, and other small organisms create an audible landscape that changes when the soil is damaged by chemicals or farming. Similarly, coral reefs produce rich underwater soundscapes generated by fish, shrimp, and other sea creatures. In one experiment, scientists played back recordings of healthy reef environments to attract coral larvae. The result: up to seven times more larvae settled, and the reef began to regenerate. This fascinated me—not only can sound reveal the health of a system, but it can also be used to actively support its recovery.

This led me to think about my own body as an ecosystem. I’ve struggled for many years with chronic digestive issues, and in working through this project, I began to see my gut as a kind of internal reef or soil system. The human gut hosts more microorganisms than human cells. Its microbial diversity plays a key role in immune function, mood regulation, and overall health. And just like coral or soil, the gut is vulnerable to disruption through stress, pollution, or antibiotics.

In my research, I came across studies showing that microorganisms can react to sound frequencies. I even read about a patent for a device that uses acoustic stimuli and electrical impulses to support biological processes like blood circulation. Can sound be used to support digestion? What if I could make a piece that my microbiome wants to listen to?

Inspired by the idea of “treating” coral with sound, I began working on a composition that might function as a sonic ecosystem—one that simulates and stimulates digestion. I used recordings from species-rich reefs and healthy soil, recordings of my own digestive system, and also sounds from collective animal systems like ant colonies, bees, whales, and birds. I searched for frequencies and vibrations that felt soft, stimulating, and soothing—sounds that gave me a feeling of movement, release, and relief.

Technically, I developed a self-organizing digital sound system that mirrors an ecosystem’s structure: multiple agents and effects interacting dynamically and unpredictably. Inputs are processed and transformed much like food is digested—moving through layers of transformation, absorption, and feedback.

Biological Choirs is a personal and speculative composition that explores the relationship between sound, the body, and the potential of future tools for care. Rather than offering a medical solution, it invites a rethinking of how we listen to internal processes—and dreams about how sonic practices could contribute to notions of support, regulation, or well-being.