The Lost Voices

In Australia, between the 30th of December 2019 and the 31st of January 2021, 47,668 deaths were attributed to cancer. This averages to 917 deaths every 7 days.

Numerically, it is difficult to comprehend the loss that this represents. The lost voices represents this data, this loss of life. It aims to make the incomprehensible comprehensible and maintain the humanity and individuality of the people and deaths represented through the power of music.

Mapping Cancer Mortality to Music

This data has been mapped to a piece of choral music to be performed by 17 voices. Each of these voices represents 2804 individuals with cancer. The duration of the piece represents the time between the 30th of December 2019 and the 31st of January 2021. In performance, a breath is taken when approximately 2804 deaths have occurred. At these points, the performer representing these 2804 individuals would put down their music, stop singing, and leave the stage. This continues until all 17 voices representing the 47,668 deaths have left the stage and the singing has stopped.

Sung to "Be still my Soul" by Jean Sibelius.

May 29th, 2021.