THE [uncertain] FOUR SEASONS

What will our future sound like if we don’t act now on climate change?

 

The [uncertain] Four Seasons is an algorithmic re-composition of Vivaldi’s “The Four Seasons” that uses geospatial climate modeling for 2050 to depict the impact of climate change. The geolocation-specific algorithm maps geographic variations into Vivaldi’s original score, making it possible to generate different versions for specific locations. Part performance, part community event, The [uncertain] Four Seasons is a customized artistic experience rooted in your local community and brought to life by our artistic team.

 

All performances of Classical Uprising’s The [uncertain] Four Seasons are not-for-profit, covering only the costs of staging and staffing.

To learn more about how to bring this project to your community,
scroll down to complete our contact form.

To learn more about the project, visit: https://the-uncertain-four-seasons.info

Antonio Vivaldi/AKQA/Jung von Matt/Hugh Crosthwaite

WHAT: Rooted in climate data and community storytelling, The [uncertain] Four Seasons is a striking fusion of music, science, and spoken word.

 

The American Prize-winning Dr. Emily Isaacson

CUSTOMIZED FOR YOU

Whether a cultural center or academic institution, we tailor each performance for maximum local impact—fostering interdisciplinary collaboration and broad student engagement at colleges and universities.

Past collaborators include:

  • English, Music, Theater, Math, & Statistics departments

  • Dance & Theater Ensembles

  • Environmental non-profits

  • Renewable energy businesses

  • Sustainability initiatives

  • Lifelong Learning programs

  • K-12 classes

 

craft an experience that
connects climate science, artistic expression, and your community’s voice.

 

"The event was a HUGE success and met our benchmarks for attendance, mission, nonprofit external engagement/social change, campus/community integration, and student involvement.”

- Irene Green, MA | Executive Director, The O'Shaughnessy

“By bringing together music and poetry, the project helped our institution advance conversations about climate justice...performance. I would recommend this event to any university.”

- Dr. Kristen Lillvis | Professor of English, St. Catherine University

“This was more than just an evening event. Because of Emily's collaborative nature and the goals we co-created,
we were able to do so much more.”

- D'Ann Urbaniak Lesch | Assistant Vice President for Engaged Learning

 

WHO: The [uncertain] Four Seasons brings together your local musicians and internationally recognized artists to create a performance that is rooted in your community and elevated by our artistic team.

  • Chamber orchestra of at least 14 members: 4/4/3/2/1  from university or or performing arts organization

  • Soloist Jesse Irons – Co-artistic director of the GRAMMY-nominated ensemble A Far Cry, violinist at Handel and Haydn Society and Boston Baroque; guest-lecturer on entrepreneurship and chamber music at MIT, Yale, Stanford, Eastman, Peabody, and New England Conservatory

  • Artistic Director and Conductor: Dr. Emily Isaacson – St. Andrews Society Scholar; Maine Artist of the Year; three-time winner of the American Prize

GRAMMY-nominated Jesse Irons

 

The Essay's Kate Molleson speaks with Dr. Emily Isaacson about the role of music and technical innovation to shock and inspire listeners.

 

The Minnesota Star Tribune:
Classical Uprising performs 'The [uncertain] Four Seasons' that reflects climate change

“Vivaldi's original work has been altered based on an algorithm that estimates climate change effects in the Twin Cities.”

 

Minnesota Post: Sustainability focus at St. Catherine University ushers in climate action concerto

“ ‘We realized that listening to 45 minutes of computer generated music is not so fun,’ she said to the St. Catherine audience. ‘And one of the things that I think about a lot is climate paralysis. This issue is so enormous, so emotionally overwhelming, that it’s easier to shut down than to act.’ So Isaacson created an arrangement that would help take the audience on a narrative arc — compelling them to act without shutting them down, by combining the algorithmically created data with Vivaldi’s original. For the presentation at The O’Shaughnessy, the evening will include poetry performances by St. Kate’s students, and will be performed by Irons and members of the Minnesota Opera orchestra.”

Read full article: Minnesota Post

Read full article: Pioneer Press

Pioneer Press: With The [uncertain] Four Seasons classical musicians and St. Kate’s student poets tackle climate change

"Emily Isaacson's goal goes a little further, though: She wants us not just to be aware of the climate crisis, but to actually do something about it, too.

 
 

Background

 

In June 2022, Classical Uprising was proud to present the U.S. premiere of The [uncertain] Four Seasons, an initiative of AKQA and Jung von Matt, composer Hugh Crosthwaite, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the Monash Climate Change Communications Research Hub. The project builds on a concept first presented by the NDR Elbphilharmonie Orchester in 2019. Location-specific variations had been created for fourteen orchestras in different countries around the world but not yet brought to the U.S.

Recognizing that Vivaldi's original work holds a unique place in our collective psyche, Dr. Isaacson saw an opportunity to leverage the emotional connection to the past to disturb and inspire. She created a composite arrangement that blends Vivaldi’s original Four Seasons and Crosthwaite’s algorithmic The [uncertain] Four Seasons, along with Vivaldi’s original poetry and new texts that reflect our current landscape.

 

Frequently Asked Questions

  • The [uncertain] Four Seasons is designed for communities, organizations, and individuals ready to confront the climate crisis through the transformative power of art. It is especially well-suited for:

    • Universities & Colleges
      Ideal for environmental studies programs, music departments, english departments, and sustainability initiatives looking to engage students in interdisciplinary, purpose-driven performance.

    • Professional & Community Ensembles
      Instrumental groups seeking innovative, socially engaged repertoire.

    • Environmental & Climate Organizations
      A powerful platform for public engagement, fundraising, and collaboration through creative storytelling and data-driven performance.

    • Performing Arts Centers & Festivals
      A thought-provoking addition to season programming that blends musical excellence with civic relevance.

    • High Schools & Youth Programs
      A compelling way to connect young people with climate science, social action, and artistic expression through tailored education and performance opportunities.

  • The [uncertain] Four Seasons is 45–75 minute depending on how you want to program it. In addition to the 40 minutes of music, productions can include

    • Pre-concert multi-media lecture (20 min)

    • Discussion panel

    • Resource fair with local partners—across the arts, sciences, and education sectors—to build a program that speaks directly to your community.

    • Post-concert Q+A (15 min)

    • Additional evironmentally themed music 

  • Costs vary depending on location, performance scope, and customization level. We offer scalable packages with optional grant-writing support. Fill out the inquiry form and we’ll provide a detailed quote.

  • An upper-level university string orchestra or professional chamber orchestra is ideal.

  • Your community does! We provide a curriculum of prompts and activities to collect stories, poems, memories, and ideas from local participants. Our artistic team then transforms those words into a collaborative libretto.

  • The algorithmic composition was developed by composer Hugh Crosthwaite, media artist Tim Devine, the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, and the Monash Climate Change Communications Research Hub, AKQA and Jung von Matt. Classical Uprising’s Artistic Director, Emily Isaacson, crafted a new arrangement that integrates Vivaldi’s original music and poetry, as well as contemporary texts.

  • The project is grounded in climate science. The algorithms used by Crosthwaite and Devine modify Vivaldi’s original score based on the projected effects of climate change—such as rising temperatures and shifting weather patterns—specifically tailored to the performance’s geographic location. It turns the music into a forecast and a call to action.

  • The algorithm analyzes climate projection data for a specific city or region in the year 2050, then alters Vivaldi’s original score to reflect expected environmental changes. For example, it may distort rhythmic patterns to mimic erratic weather or shift tonalities to express rising temperatures. Each version is location-specific, making every performance unique and rooted in real scientific data.

  • Universities are ideal partners for this project. Classical Uprising offers educational residencies, co-commissions, and performance collaborations that bring together students, faculty, and community members. These experiences combine artistic excellence with environmental engagement, making them ideal for music departments, environmental studies programs, and sustainability initiatives.

  • This is more than a concert—it’s an invitation. Through powerful visuals, text, and music, the audience is asked to consider the personal and planetary consequences of climate inaction. The performance sparks both awareness and dialogue, encouraging communities to take meaningful steps toward sustainability.

  • Yes. The [uncertain] Four Seasons is part of a global movement using art to confront climate change. Organizations worldwide are adapting this work to their own regions, making the project both locally resonant and globally unified.

  • Absolutely. Classical Uprising offers touring and community-based versions of The [uncertain] Four Seasons. We collaborate with local musicians, schools, environmental organizations, and venues to tailor the experience to your community. Contact us to learn more.

  • We recommend 3–6 months from initial planning to performance. This allows time for community outreach, story collection, choir rehearsals, and logistical coordination.

  • This family-friendly, and community-centric program can be performed at indoor and outdoor venues. Any performance space that accommodates 16 musicians and your audience—such as a concert hall, church, school auditorium, or community center. We’ll work with you to adapt the setup as needed.

Impact of The [uncertain] four seasons

 

Be a call to action; use the arts to make the impacts of climate change heard and felt.

Bring together local environmental organizations and businesses in one location to provide individuals with concrete ways to take action to support our planet.

Strike a tone that is motivational, empowering, and inspiring instead of overwhelming and dread-infused; to counteract what psychologists have named “climate paralysis.”

Make classical music approachable, accessible, social, and fun so that people—all people—are included in and welcomed to the art form.

 
 

To learn more, please fill out the form below and our staff will be in touch.