Arts and science

Resilient rhythms: Bringing scientific insights to life through music

Jacob Mulhrad at Konserthuset Stockholm on the 28th of november 2024.

The symphonic work RESIL had world premiere for a large scale orchestra in Stockholm Concert Hall on the 28th of November 2024. Composer Jacob Mühlrad were present on stage. Photo by Nadja Sjöström

As humanity grapples with its impact on the planet, the symphonic work RESIL offers a different way to reflect on our shared home and our role within it. Carl Folke’s research provides the intellectual foundation; Jacob Mühlrad’s music, the emotional resonance. Together, they invite us to rethink resilience—not just as a concept, but as a practice, a mindset, and a way of being.

One of the world’s most cited researchers, Professor Carl Folke, has spent decades studying the intricacies of the biosphere, the fragile, wafer-thin veil of life that envelops our planet. Folke’s research captures a reality that is as humbling as it is urgent: Earth’s systems—its ecosystems, economies, and cultures—are deeply connected and precariously balanced.

The biosphere, our only home, has sustained life for billions of years through its remarkable ability to adapt and evolve. Folke’s work stresses the need for societies to not only understand resilience intellectually but to embody it—to live in harmony with the planet’s dynamic systems.

Enter Jacob Mühlrad, 33, one of Europe’s leading art music composers, and a relative youngster among peers who are often either old or dead. His symphonic work RESIL seeks to do exactly that: give resilience – the capacity to live and develop with change - a voice. Commissioned by the Royal Stockholm Philharmonic Orchestra, RESIL is presented in two parts. Part one, "RESIL I", is a meditation on the history of life on Earth, inspired by Folke and colleagues’ concept of panarchy—an idea that our planet is a nested system of interdependent processes, from the smallest biological interactions to the vast forces of global ecosystems.

RESIL II to be premiered in 2026, envisions a sustainable future in the Anthropocene, the current geological epoch shaped by significant human impact on Earth's systems.

“Carl’s ability to explain the symbiosis of life captured me, especially the idea that existence is an exception—fragile and improbable, starting with green algae producing oxygen as a byproduct that made current life possible,” says Jacob Mühlrad.

From wetlands to global policies

Beginning with a Swedish wetland study in the 1980s, Carl Folke reshaped ecological economics by quantifying natural capital and linking ecosystem dynamics to human well-being. His concepts, including resilience and adaptive governance, bridge science, policy, and practice, providing decision-makers with tools to manage ecosystems in an era of tipping points and uncertainty. His research has shaped policies for urban resilience, sustainable ocean stewardship, and broader efforts to reconnect development with the planet's life-support systems.

“To discover sustainable ways of living, resilience must become a skill we actively cultivate, not just strive to understand. We have a limited ability to fully grasp what the biosphere is, but we can learn to connect with it,” says Carl Folke.

Folke’s work has transformed how we perceive the biosphere by integrating science and practice to advance our understanding of human-nature interdependence. From advising multinational CEOs to leading Nobel Prize summits, his contributions offer a roadmap for navigating humanity’s impact on a finite planet and addressing the pressing challenges but also opportunities of the Anthropocene. Culture is perhaps the one realm his science has yet to fully touch.

“When I’ve spoken with non-musicians before, I’ve often needed analogies to make myself understood. But Carl sees the world through both the eyes of a scientist and an artist—it’s seamless where one ends and the other begins,” says Jacob Mühlrad.

Music that mirrors Earth’s story

Some might see Mühlrad as a kind of musical mad scientist. He recently composed the world’s first piece featuring a robotic cello soloist alongside a symphony orchestra and served as producer and pianist on the critically acclaimed American rapper-singer 070 Shake’s latest album, Petrichor. His upcoming collaborations also include a major project with Radio France in 2025.

With RESIL, Mühlrad channels this boundary-pushing ethos into a symphonic reflection of Earth’s story, guided by Carl Folke’s research. Folke’s concepts of interconnected systems directly informed Mühlrad’s entire composition, reflecting the biosphere’s physical laws in music. The work mirrors the emergence of life, from the chaotic birth of Earth’s atmosphere to the rise of oxygen-producing algae, the tipping point that reshaped life’s trajectory. Mühlrad’s music draws on nature’s own frequencies, including the Earth’s “inherent tone” of 7.83 Hz, transposed into an abstract yet grounding motif. The symphony’s overtone series reflects the physical laws that govern sound and life alike, emphasising interconnectedness.

Carl Folke and Jakob Mühlrad

Carl Folke and Jacob Mühlrad have worked together on the symphonic work RESIL. Photo by Noah Agemo,


“Music, like the biosphere, exists beyond human perception,” says Mühlrad, who explores frequencies spanning from Earth’s core to the universe’s edges. The work incorporates infrasound and ultrasound, tones that lie outside the human ear’s range but resonate with our sense of wonder and place in the cosmos. The first movement ends with a solemn string harmony symbolising the Holocene epoch, a period of unprecedented stability that allowed human civilisation to flourish. It also serves as a stark reminder of how fragile that stability has become in the Anthropocene.

“If we exceed two degrees, we cross a threshold humanity has never experienced. A world above two degrees hasn’t existed for three million years. Humans are now a global force shaping the planet’s future—can we learn to live with this magnitude of change? How can we become stewards of our own future on Earth and strengthen the resilience of the biosphere?” says Carl Folke.

Cultural investment aimed at inspiring leaders

Carl Folke’s research highlights the economic risks of neglecting resilience. Without it, tipping points—such as disrupted supply chains and mounting climate-related costs—can destabilise global markets. By embedding resilience into planning, societies and industries can reduce risks, stabilise economies, and grow. Folke’s work shows that protecting ecosystems secures not just biodiversity but long-term profitability.

Projects like RESIL are more than artistic ventures; they are cultural investments aimed at inspiring leaders. The collaboration reflects a growing recognition that resilience drives innovation, from renewable energy to circular economy strategies. Mühlrad and Folke’s partnership is supported by the Beijer Foundation, a Swedish philanthropic organisation that supports research and initiatives at the intersection of science and culture. It is chaired by industrialist Anders Wall, former chairman of Volvo, and a patron of the arts, whose network once included Andy Warhol.

“For me, creating this project has been a deeply reflective process. And I hope it will be for audiences too,” says Jacob Mühlrad.

Experience Resil I as part of the Nordic Beauty concert at 58:40 - listen here »

Published: 2025-01-31

Related info

About RESIL

Beginning in the Stockholm Concert Hall, the multi-year project RESIL is set to travel across the world. Coming dates and venues will be released soon.

Resil I is now available to listen to at Konserthuset Play. The work is included as part of three pieces in the concert Nordic Beauty, which had its premiere on the 28th of November in the Stockholm Concert Hall. The piece is 8 minutes long and starts at 58:40 into the broadcast.

About Jacob Mühlrad

Composer Jacob Mühlrad is one of Europe’s leading contemporary composers. BBC Music Magazine awarded his debut album 5 out of 5 stars, and The Economist has described him as both a “rising star” and an “unusually versatile composer.” His works have been performed at many prestigious venues around the world, including Carnegie Hall in New York, the Norwegian National Opera, Victoria Hall in Singapore, and Konzerthaus Bamberg in Germany.

Mühlrad is renowned for his ability to create works that transcend genres and musical styles. Recently, he composed the world’s first piece featuring a robot playing the cello alongside an orchestra, Veer (bot), and collaborated with American rapper and singer 070 Shake.

About Carl Folke

Professor Carl Folke’s research has contributed to global impact by putting resilience and sustainability at the forefront of both scientific and policy discussions. As the founder of the Stockholm Resilience Centre, Folke has shaped how we understand human societies’ ability to adapt and transform in the face of environmental change and how we can build sustainable communities within planetary boundaries.


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