News about QUEST open day and quantum computer music concerts
Quantum Itineraries Week: Exploring Quantum Computing Through Music and Art
The Quantum Week in Cyprus, organized by researchers from the "Center of Quantum Technology and Applications (CQTA)" at
DESY and Era Chair "Quantum Computing for Excellence in Science and Technology (QUEST)" at
the Cyprus Institute, promoted a unique combination of science, art, and interdisciplinary
research, showcasing how quantum computing technologies, besides its scientific
impact and importance, can also be used for musical creativity and artistic thinking.
As the head of CQTA and Era Chair holder Dr. Karl Jansen says, "The quantum week has offered
a unique opportunity to bring art and science together to a fruitful interaction opening
new avenues in both areas."
Held from November 27 to 29, 2024, at the ARTos Cultural and Research House in Nicosia,
it invited a general audience to experience to learn about emerging quantum technologies
through an artistic prism, in a series of concerts and cultural events.
The festival highlighted the integration of Quantum Technologies within the field of
Computer Music research, where quantum algorithms are interfaced with hybrid digital
musical instruments. Central to the event is the Variational Quantum Harmonizer (VQH),
a software package that emerged as a byproduct of an international collaboration
led by DESY researchers at CQTA (see the publication: the publication).
This innovative tool enables the sonification of variational quantum algorithms, allowing
artists to compose quantum computer inspired music pieces and audiences to hear the inner
workings of quantum-enhanced optimization tasks thus showcasing its potential within both
scientific and artistic frameworks.
During the festival, the VQH - among other tools developed by the University of Plymouth and
the company Moth Quantum - was exposed to professional musicians and composers, which incorporated this
tool into their creative process. Effectively, the composers were led to learn and leverage
parameters of the quantum algorithms as a compositional tool, in order to produce a desired
aesthetic outcome.
In addition to its artistic contributions, the festival underlines broader implication
benefits of implementing interactive, real-time interfaces, i.e. live performances, for
working with quantum algorithms. These tools not only transform the creative process but
also enhance quantum computation research. By facilitating better visualization and
interaction with quantum systems, they improve the articulation and understanding of complex
quantum circuits, ultimately driving advancements in both fundamental research and applied
technology. Additionally, the same tools can be leveraged for more efficient scientific
communication and education of quantum computing thus fulfilling its role as science for quantum computer
music and vice versa.
An additional cornerstone of the week was the
QUEST Open Day, hosted in partnership
with DESY CQTA. This event, held at the Cyprus Institute, focused on how quantum technologies
are paving the way for advancements in research and industry in Cyprus. Featuring lectures
and discussions on quantum computing’s potential applications in fields such as high-energy
physics simulation and chemical engineering, QUEST Open Day also included a keynote talk by
James Wootton, Chief Scientific Officer of Moth Quantum, emphasizing academia-industry
collaboration in leveraging quantum technologies.
In a poster session the various activities of the QUEST team, ranging from theoretical models,
quantum machine learning, quantum algorithms and even quantum inspired painting were
displayed with very interesting emerging discussions.
"Quantum Itineraries Week is not just a music festival; it is` a platform to disseminate science
through art, a means to increase intuitiveness in quantum computing research, and a pivot on
leveraging quantum computers for arts-based research," said one of the organizers of the event,
Paulo Itaborai, PhD researcher in DESY. “We aim to inspire curiosity about quantum computing
while offering audiences an unforgettable auditory and visual journey into emerging quantum technologies.”
Jansen adds "It is like our general motto, art for science and science for art."
Supported by leading institutions such as Moth Quantum, CQTA, the Cyprus Institute and ARTos Foundation,
the festival reflects a collective effort to showcase quantum technologies as not only a
scientific breakthrough but also an enabler of cultural transformation.
For more information on Quantum Itineraries Week visit the website