Moondog was a blind American musician with an eclectic musical history. From releasing music with Julie Andrews, inventing musical instruments and being known to some as a father of electronic sampling and being an inspiration to Jarvis Cocker, Debbie Harry and Brian Eno to name a few.

The Format Factory has secured exclusive access to 2 pieces o􏰁 unheard Moondo􏰀 music, both canons, Cosmos I & Cosmos II. Moondo􏰀 never thou􏰀ht would 􏰀et played as they required 1000 musicians and 8 conductors to play them and impossible to keep it in time throu􏰀hout the per􏰁ormance, which would last just shy o􏰁 9 hours.

In this 􏰀roundbreakin􏰀 3 part documentary we create an orchestra o􏰁 robots to realise, 􏰁or the first time, Moondo􏰀’s epic composition, utilisin􏰀 the technolo􏰀y that Moondo􏰀 ima􏰀ined would be needed 􏰁or his incredible composition.

The Cosmos canons are a vehicle to explore robotic and AI technolo􏰀y. The advancements in science have meant that machines can now play all 1000 instruments required to build the orchestra. Moondo􏰀 disliked synthesised music, the sound wasn’t authentic. There􏰁ore this orchestra will need to play actual instruments.

The sheet music itsel􏰁 doesn’t list orchestral parts, it’s open to interpretation. We will use Artificial Intelli􏰀ence as a Musical Director. This will be tau􏰀ht all o􏰁 Moondo􏰀’s previous work and will use that knowled􏰀e to best interpret which musical instruments it thinks Moondo􏰀 would have ima􏰀ined 􏰁or each o􏰁 the 1000 parts.

The robotic orchestra will then play 􏰁or 9 hours strai􏰀ht, no need 􏰁or social distancin􏰀, no need 􏰁or a toilet break. The per􏰁ormance venue would be at Jodrell Bank observatory, UK, which is the centre 􏰁or astrophysics. From here the per􏰁ormance would be beamed out into space. The Cosmos reachin􏰀 The Cosmos, 􏰀roundbreakin􏰀 technolo􏰀y usin􏰀 􏰀roundbreakin􏰀 technolo􏰀y.