When Frost Music Engineering and Technology alumna Yvette Soler, B.M. ‘96, better known as Tigrilla Gardenia, first heard the electrical impulses in plants transformed into sound, she knew it was something more than a translation. “I realized that I was not listening to random notes. Instead, I was hearing a sophisticated composition created by an intelligent being.”
Gardenia compared that first listening session to her time at Frost, when she attended experimental jazz concerts with non-traditional instruments. “Music transcends scales and structure. It becomes its own language.”
The MIDI interface and synthesizer used to convert the electricity was developed by Music of the Plants (MotP) after forty years of plant exploration. MotP is an organization bringing plant research, behavior, and awareness of the spiritual eco-community of Damanhur in Italy. The technology captures, deciphers and records the plant, then converts it into music. The electrical impulse is turned into musical notes, enabling plants and trees to “play” music.
“Once upon a time, all food was organic and nature was an integral part of our lives,” says Gardenia. “But somewhere along the way, we lost our ability to communicate with trees and plants.”
While holding several professional titles, Gardenia is more than a professional plant music researcher, biomimicry facilitator, and communications consultant; she specializes on the relationship between humans and plants, and the effects plant music has on human health.
Gardenia’s cutting-edge research into plant neurobiology and cognition provides a glimpse into the audible world of interspecies musicians. She collaborates with universities and institutions around the globe, speaking on the healing effects of plant music in homes, hospitals, and the workplace. She regularly listens to music composed by plant musicians and offers plant music healing sessions
“The melody and harmony of plants are created by interacting with a variety of stimuli, artists, and observers in diverse environments,” she says. “Understanding the plant mind allows us to experience the complexity of the world that exists beyond our five senses.”
Gardenia is grateful for the opportunities she had while attending Frost and is thankful to the faculty for encouraging her to stay curious.
“My journey has led me from a multi-ethnic upbringing to the high-tech industry, performing arts, spiritual studies, and the eco-everything world of social innovation and architectural design. Along the way, I learned to look to the many amazing beings in nature for answers.”
