Nathalie Miebach is a Boston-based artist who translates weather data into complex sculptures and musical scores.

“Recently, I have begun translating weather data collected in cities into musical scores, which are then translated into sculptures as well as being a source for collaboration with musicians. These pieces are not only devices that map meteorological conditions of a specific time and place, but are also functional musical scores to be played by musicians. While musicians have freedom to interpret, they are asked not to change the essential relationship of the notes to ensure that what is still heard is indeed the meteorological relationship of weather data.” (Scroll down for the Call for Composers.)

Axis Ensemble (Philip Acimovic, Elliot Cless, Michael McLaughlin, Glenn Dickson, Jason Coleman and Sid Richardson.)

1913 Trio (Janet Schiff, Scott Johnson and Victor DeLorenzo)

Elaine Rombola, piano

Jonathan and Esthelle Rand, French Horn and electric guitar

Composers Wanted!

Dear Composer,

Weather Scores explores the intersection of meteorology with visual art and music, through a unique collaborative compositional process involving weather data, woven sculptures, graphic/indeterminate musical scores and musical performance. The core of the project is a series of musical scores entirely based on weather data, which are adapted by composers to piano performance. In conjunction, these scores are also translated into woven sculptural, data translations that also function as 3D musical scores.

I am a sculptor who focuses on the intersection of art and science and the visual articulation of scientific observations. Using the methodologies and processes of both disciplines, I translate scientific data related to ecology, climate change and meteorology into three-dimensional structures. My method of translation is principally that of weaving – in particular basket weaving – as it provides me with a simple yet highly effective grid through which to interpret data in three-dimensional space.

Three years ago, I began to integrate musical scores into the process, which led to an ongoing collaboration with Elaine Rombola. Together we’ve created a series of scores based on weather data that have been translated into musical performances and sculptures. Our work together has sparked the interest of cross-disciplinary audiences due to its curious location at the intersection of art, science and music, and we’ve had the opportunity to present the collaboration in lectures, exhibitions, and performances.

As the scores I write become more complex, we both feel the next step is to invite composers into the process. We would like to commission them to take my scores and create works based on them (less 10 minutes, for solo piano or piano with small ensemble and/or voice), with the final goal being to produce a series of concerts/sculptural exhibitions to be performed in a variety of venues across the country.

One of the first scores we are looking to collaborate on with composers is The Ghostly Crew of the Andrea Gail. In October 1991, an event meteorologists still refer to as “The Perfect Storm” entered the Gulf of Maine. The confluence of two major storm systems, a low-pressure system building over Nova Scotia called “the Halloween Storm” and a dying Hurricane Grace off Bermuda, created oceanic conditions never recorded in New England Waters. Combining weather data and fishing lore, this score follows the sinking of the Andrea Gail, a Gloucester-based fishing vessel that sank during the storm. Central to this score is the exploration of the human perspective of this tragic, yet awesome weather event.

If this sounds like a collaboration you would be interested in exploring, please contact us for more information at n_miebach [at] hotmail.com or elaine.rombola [at] gmail.com

We look forward to hearing from you,

Nathalie & Elaine