Two university students from the UAE are over the moon as their original music composition is set to be launched and streamed at the International Space Station (ISS) alongside pieces by award-winning musicians, following their success in a special competition.
New York University students Summer Reid and Nadine Kabbani are the winners of the inaugural ASTROBEAT – Music from Space competition, which offers students a rare opportunity to have their musical compositions launched into space aboard a SpaceX rocket.
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American student Reid’s winning submission was an evocative piece titled “Little Brooks,” which was inspired by a deeply meaningful family reunion. The composition captures the essence of family bonds and the importance of returning to one’s roots and uplifting those who do not have the strength to pick themselves up. Meanwhile, Emirati Nadine’s experimental composition, ‘No Gravity’, merges celestial-inspired synthesizers with classical instruments to create a futuristic and timeless soundscape.
‘Surreal’ experience
A senior pursuing a bachelor’s degree in Music Business at NYU Steinhardt, Reid will be visiting NYUAD in the Spring 2024. “I’m so incredibly proud of this song and so grateful for this opportunity. As a child, my dream was to be an astronaut, so having my voice floating around the ISS is literally a dream come true. I’m so excited for this opportunity,” she said Reid.
For Nadine, it was a “surreal” experience to be selected as winner of this unique competition. A recent graduate from NYUAD’s Legal Studies and Music program, she said: “It is an incredible honour to have my music streamed to space as part of the ASTROBEAT project, and the experience feels truly surreal.”
ASTROBEAT, is a project financed by the Malta Council for Science & Technology through the Space Upstream Programme. The ISS payload opportunity is made available by Nanoracks, through its Space Act Agreement with Nasa’s US National Lab. The project is led by Leonardo Barilaro, Senior Lecturer in Aerospace Engineering at MCAST. The collaboration with New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD) was initiated and supported by Andrea Macciò, director of the Center for Astrophysics and Space Science.
Leonardo Barilaro, also known as the Space Pianist, said the competition took space art to the “next level” and that it was a special opportunity for students.
“It was fantastic to listen to so many outstanding submissions,” he said. “For the students, this is a truly unique opportunity. Their compositions will be streamed from space alongside my music, in collaboration with the Grammy-nominated cellist Tina Guo and world-renowned producer Steve Mazzaro, as well as the music of Carlos Guedes.”
Associate Professor of Music at NYUAD Carlos Guedes, said the university was proud to host the competition for the first time. “This collaboration with MCAST not only highlights the incredible talents of our students but also showcases NYUAD’s commitment to promoting art through innovative projects,” he said. “Seeing our students’ compositions being launched into space is a remarkable milestone, and we are excited to contribute to this unique fusion of music and space exploration.