14 November: Concert and Experiments at UDE
Quantum Physics Sets the Tone
- von Birte Vierjahn
- 29.10.2026
Small flames make sound waves visible, while the orchestra brings them to life: following last year’s great success, A Quantum of Music returns on 14 November, once again bringing experiments and orchestral music together. Two physicists from the UDE and the Wind Symphony of Hamborn Abbey will guide audiences through harmonious sounds and challenging quantum physics at the Old Main Auditorium in Duisburg.
The flame tube makes sound waves visible through small columns of flame. But will it also be possible to make the sound waves produced by a live musical instrument visible? “It might work, but it might not,” says Dr Nicolas Wöhrl, who will bring physics to the stage together with Professor Axel Lorke. The excitement of the unknown is what makes the show special – just as it does in quantum mechanics itself.
“What fascinates me is that waves shape both music and quantum mechanics and are therefore fundamental to our world,” says Wöhrl enthusiastically. Together with the orchestra, the two physicists aim to bring these parallels to life through music. “We have put a great deal of hard work and passion into figuring out how to explain physical processes through music. It will be a wild ride through what holds the world together at its very core, and through the beauty of music.”
The programme combines works inspired by science with familiar melodies. These include music from the film Up and the well-known Ghostbusters theme, expertly brought to life by the Wind Symphony of Hamborn Abbey. The approximately 50 musicians from Duisburg and the surrounding region, conducted by Jan-Philipp Arendt, will perform both original compositions for symphonic wind orchestra and well-known film and light entertainment music.
“As musicians, we usually think in terms of tone colours, melodies and musical arcs of tension. Through this exciting collaboration with the physicists, we have learnt to look at our music from a completely different perspective. It is exciting to experience how our different perspectives complement one another and come together to create a shared concert experience,” says Frank Schlimbach, a member of the Wind Symphony’s board.
Key Concert Details at a Glance
When? Saturday, 14 November 2026, 5 pm–7.30 pm. Doors open at 4.30 pm.
Where? Old Main Auditorium, Lotharstraße 65, Duisburg.
Tickets cost €20 when purchased in advance or at the box office on the evening. School pupils, university students and apprentices pay €12.
Further information and tickets:
https://eventfrog.de/quantenkonzert
Dr Nicolas Wöhrl, Experimental Physics, Tel. 0203/379-3131, nicolas.woehrl@uni-due.de
Editor: Birte Vierjahn, Tel. 0203/379-2427,birte.vierjahn@uni-due.de