Dead Symphony, created by Saskia Moore, is based on Moore’s own research of near-death experiences, discovering that the sounds and music heard are like miniature symphonies – lyrical, abstract, and beautiful by their very nature.

Award-winning Saskia Moore has collaborated with acclaimed orchestra ensemble Apartment House to create Dead Symphony, a musical performance and immersive light show inspired by the stories of near-death encounters.

Between 7 and 10 August, the Arts Centre Melbourne plays host to the stunning performance, where the audience will sit surrounding the orchestra, giving an immersive quality to the miniature symphony

Moore, a Melbourne based artist, has researched near-death experiences and discovered that sound is one of the last senses present before death.  While most descriptions of near-death experiences focus on the visual – seeing a tunnel of light or already dead relatives – Moore decided to take a different perspective by asking:  what does it sound like?

With this intriguing premise, she set out to document and transcribe the actual music and sound experiences people heard when losing or regaining consciousness during a near-death experience. Moore has done her own research with pre-eminent professors in the field and also documented her own accounts of people who have had their own near-death experiences.

In seeking answers she uncovered an occurrence that is both rare by account and potentially universal:  that of clearly hearing music or non-verbal sound from an unknown source once unconscious.

From the documented collections, Saskia Moore ascertained the sounds and music heard are like miniature symphonies – lyrical, abstract, and beautiful by their very nature.