SYSTEM Sounds

We are a sci-art outreach project that translates the rhythm and harmony of the cosmos into music and sound. We create videos, interactive apps, and public exhibits that inspire, educate, and make astronomy more accessible to the visually impaired. Our work has been featured in hundreds of international publications including the New York Times (twice!).

Since 2020 we have been producing regular sonifications for NASA including a running series with the Chandra X-Ray Center. In 2022 we launched a series of tutorials to help teach people how to create their own sonifications. In 2024 we were featured in NASA's award-winning documentary Listen to the Universe. Watch our TED Talk to learn more about how we listen to the sounds of the universe.

Andrew Santaguida is a musician from Toronto. Along with Matt, he was a member of Indie Week winners Tiny Danza, who were signed to Wax/Universal. He has never studied any sort of planetary physics, and asks Matt too many questions about what’s happening and why is it happening. He has an A.R.C.T. in Piano Performance from the Royal Conservatory of Music.

Picture of Matt and Andrew from System Sounds standing in front of a desk with a synthesizer on it.

Matt Russo is an astrophysicist, musician, and sonification specialist who teaches physics at the University of Toronto. He has a PhD in theoretical astrophysics and is also a graduate of the University of Toronto’s Jazz Guitar Performance program. For more information visit astromattrusso.com or watch his TED Talk What Does the Universe Sound Like?