What are the odds of a internationally renowned composer of classical music and an astronomy hobbyist (60’s rocker!) from South Africa meeting up?
In a way, I was searching for her and she happened to notice a childhood memory posted on my website.

..and then one evening in the middle of nowhere, I saw a star move across the sky and as I stood still and watched in awe, I heard the stars twinkle

 

I found myself being inspired by women who write poetry, paint or sing songs related to astronomy.
Amanda Lee Falkenberg had just composed the Moons Symphony and was about to launch an online course: LUNAR

“a cinematic introduction to a new way of exploring the universe, where planetary science, music, and human curiosity come together as one”

Having had no education or serious interest in classical music, I was quite apprehensive about signing up for the LUNAR Pilot Crew when I got the opportunity to enroll for Gateway to LUNAR,

The short immersive pre-course delivered its promise. I was drawn to the idea of combining science, art and music. Maybe this was how education was meant to be.

I felt the overwhelming need to explore further. I was ready to overcome my fear of making a fool of myself and stepped right into the first module which took me to Jupiter’s moon, Io. Each chapter in a LUNAR module has up to 80 lessons! By spending so much time in “orbit” around just one moon, I’m starting to learn like a proper scientist. For the first time I’m seeing and hearing scientific data.

This LUNAR online course has become a culmination of all my wonder and awe, from nights when I heard the stars twinkle, swooning to Blue Moon and Moon River, rocking to Bad Moon Rising, my star friends:The Orion Observation Group (OOG), working with mentor Auke Slotegraaf and amazing adventures on SLOOH (oh wow).

A new magic happens when Science Music Art and Curiosity converge. It is then that everything in the universe seems to fall in place.

https://www.moons-symphony.com/
https://www.moons-symphony.com/gateway-to-lunar