Towards a Quantum Musical Aesthetic presented by Institut en sciences et génie quantique de l’ÉTS

Presented by Institut en sciences et génie quantique de l’ÉTS, Towards a Quantum Musical Aesthetic moderated by Pía Baltazar [SAT] invites composer and sound artist France Jobin, artist and physicist Sebastián Duque Mesa, and teaching professor Olivier Cardinal-Landon (ÉTS) to explore how principles of quantum mechanics—for example interference, entanglement, uncertainty—can inspire and transform music as both a conceptual and technological practice. As quantum computing advances, artists and researchers are questioning how music composition, performance, and listening might evolve in response to the advent of new technological devices and creative methodologies.

In addition to using quantum concepts from a creative standpoint, this panel considers how quantum thinking might reshape music structurally and experientially. Can music exist in multiple potential states until it is perceived? Can quantum randomness offer new generative strategies beyond classical algorithms? And how might quantum mechanical principles redefine the relationship between composer, performer, and audience?

This conversation spans metaphorical, technical, and philosophical dimensions—from algorithmic composition and granular synthesis to speculative listening practices that treat perception as a participatory act of world-building. Drawing parallels to the history of musical automatons and AI, the discussion extends to emerging quantum technologies as creative tools and provocations. Ultimately, the panel invites reflection on whether a shift in physics and technology demands a corresponding shift in our musical imagination—toward an aesthetic that embraces uncertainty, emergence, and the co-creative nature of reality.

Please note: this activity will be in English, with live transcription available.