AirQ Sonification as a context for mutual contribution between science and music

This paper addresses a high-level discussion about the links between Science and Music, focusing on my own sonification and auditory display practices around air quality. Grounded on recent insights on interdisciplinarity and sonification practices, the first sections will point out some potential contributions from scientific research to music studies and vice versa. I will propose the concept of mutualism to depict the interdependent status of Music and Science. The final sections will discuss air contamination as a complex contemporary problem, and will report three practice-based-design projects, AirQ jacket, Esmog Data and Breathe!, which outline different directions in facing local environmental awareness.