To predict Mozart’s work if he were able to live up to 80 years old, we collected data of all of Mozart’s existing works, as well as data of musical trends within 45 years after his death. We fed the deep neural network these two kinds of data, and then the system was able to successfully generate a new Mozart symphony.

2020 was the year when a global pandemic toppled industries and claimed millions of lives worldwide. Pfizer, the world’s largest pharmaceutical company and the 1st to develop the COVID-19 vaccine, wanted to bring hope to the world by showing how science could win by displaying how it could save lives through drugs and medicines, as well as create music that calmed people’s minds, bodies, and souls.

Pfizer created Mozart 80, a technology-driven symphony. The idea was inspired by the possibility of what could have been if there were proper vaccines to save Mozart who died at 35 years old. If he were able to live up to his 80s, what other masterpieces could he have composed? Thanks to Open AI and by feeding it two kinds of classical music scores in the form of data, the deep neural network was able to learn how to compose an original Mozart piece. One set of data was all of Mozart’s existing work, the other was musical trends within 45 years after his death. Finally, the symphony was performed live to the public, in collaboration with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra, Austrian composer Kurt Schmid, and Dutch multi-media musician Teoman.

We got all the data from the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. We fed the deep neural network all music scores in the form of Midi by Mozart and other work that represented the musical trends within 45 years after his death, including masterpieces from Beethoven, Bach, Haydn, and many more.

Midi is the data form of music. Processed by the deep neural network, the algorithm was able to predict the next harmonies, rhythms, and styles of music he could’ve made. Under the supervision of multi-media artist Teoman Acikgoz, and composer Kurt Schmid, the glorious new Mozart symphony was true to his style.

After the unprecedented feat of generating a new Mozart symphony, we collaborated with the Shanghai Philharmonic Orchestra to turn the data into a live performance. On September 22, 2020, the new Mozart symphony was performed live for the very first time in a world-class orchestra hall, the Shanghai Symphony Hall. Microscopic videos of drug development were projected during the performance to pay tribute to the scientists behind the COVID-19 vaccine. Through live stream platforms, the concert was also able to reach a wider audience of over 2 million viewers, including many young elite from Ivy schools who decided to join Pfizer afterwards.

Mozart 80 garnered unexpected results. Not only did it rock pharmaceutical communities, it was also able to help Pfizer become China’s Most Responsible Company in 2020. It also generated more interest from the youth for the pharmaceutical and medical fields. Hong Zhiguang, a local celebrity musician with a doctorate in Opera from Yale University, also featured the symphony in his social media accounts.

- 600+ live audience

- 2M+ livestream viewers

- Covered by China National Radio, China Daily, Bilibili, The Paper

- 4,873 applications from 211 universities during the first 8 weeks, 81 from Ivy League universities