Many principles of music composition evince a desire for tonal, thematic, and formal control. From Pythagoras to Schoenberg, musicians have proposed pitch systems that act as unified laws for a well-structured musical universe. Missing from these sonic systems, however, are qualities of chaos, randomness, and unpredictability. Nevertheless, musical interpretations of chaos have appeared over the centuries. This lecture-performance surveys past expressions of sonic disorder in music by Haydn, Beethoven, and Mahler, among others. As an electro-acoustic composer, Alexander Bonus details recent technologies that generate scientifically accurate expressions of musical uncertainty in real time. This event culminates in an original, never-to-be-replicated performance pitting compositional order against moments of sonic unknowability. Using analog modular synthesizers as agents of tonal, rhythmical, and temporal chaos, this performance seeks to answer the hypothetical: “What would we hear if we could continually open (and shut) Erwin Schrödinger’s music box?”

All MODfest events are free and open to the public. No reservations are necessary unless otherwise noted. For directions to the Vassar campus in Poughkeepsie, New York, please refer to the directions section on our Visit website. People with disabilities requiring accommodations should contact the Office of Campus Activities at (845) 437-5370.

MODfest 2025