An extraordinary collaborative project in Melbourne attempts to recreate the music we hear when we die.

Melbourne artist Saskia Moore has researched near-death experiences and discovered the near-dying can see not only a tunnel of white light but also sounds similar to classical music. Now Moore has collaborated with acclaimed orchestra ensemble Apartment House to create Dead Symphony, a musical performance and immersive light show inspired by the stories of near-death encounters.

Where did you get the idea for Dead Symphony?

My interest in near-death experiences (NDE) came from a previous project concerning music and memory. I was working with Alzheimers Australia on a community project collecting 35mm slides from Aged Care facilities and the local community of Melbourne. We made a great big old-fashioned 35mm slideshow accompanied by old music from the era. During this project I saw an extraordinary emotional effect the memory of music could have on people. And it was from there, seeing the emotional responses to music I began to wonder what people must hear when they are dying.

How did you go about the research? Was it harrowing or uplifting?

I actually enjoyed talking with people about their astonishing experiences, as well as reading widely and...