Princeton, NJ — While billions of red-eyed cicadas have sparked frustration across parts of the United States this spring, one New Jersey musician has turned the insects’ loud chorus into an extraordinary musical experience.
David Rothenberg, a professor of philosophy and music at the New Jersey Institute of Technology, has been using the cicadas’ natural rhythms to create what he calls a “collaboration between humans and nature.”
“We’re combining human musical ideas with nature’s musical ideas,” Rothenberg said, as he and a group of fellow musicians set up instruments at a nature preserve in Princeton.
Turning Cicadas Into Musical Partners
Surrounded by swarming cicadas, Rothenberg — armed with his clarinet — led an improvised jam session, accompanied by other musicians on percussion and saxophone. Their inspiration came directly from the insects’ buzzing, using the trill of cicadas as their musical guide.
According to Yahoo News, Rothenberg said the insects produce distinct sounds across three different species, which he can easily distinguish after years of studying nature’s music.
“While it may sound like white noise to some people, I can hear clear tonal differences,” he explained.
Rothenberg, the author of “Bug Music,” has long explored the link between natural sounds and art. His fascination began during childhood in Connecticut and has led him to compose jazz pieces featuring bird calls and whale songs in addition to cicadas.
“Some people think I’m crazy, like it’s just this gimmick,” he said. “But it’s serious stuff — nature has inspired humanity and all artforms more than anything else for centuries.”
A Musical Message About Nature
Rothenberg said he believes that music inspired by the environment can help people connect more deeply with the natural world — and maybe even motivate them to protect it.
“The more you pay attention to nature is the only way we’re going to save it without destroying it,” he said.
His bandmate, guitarist Tim Blunk, joked that the cicadas were the most reliable musical partners he’s ever played with.
“They’re never late. They always stay for the whole gig, and you don’t have to pay them,” Blunk laughed. “It’s like the ideal musical partner.”
Brood X’s Brief But Noisy Visit
The cicadas — known as Brood X or Brood 10 — began emerging last month across Washington, D.C. and 15 states, stretching from Georgia to New York and west to Indiana and Illinois.
The insects surface every 17 years, filling forests, fields, and backyards with their collective drone before mating and dying within weeks. Their offspring will burrow underground again until 2038, continuing the natural cycle.
For Rothenberg, the event is not a nuisance but an opportunity that only comes once in a generation.
“Through improvisation, you can reach places that you cannot reach any other way,” he said. “You can make something very special — it may never happen the same way again.”
As the cicadas’ hum fills the warm New Jersey air, Rothenberg continues to perform, reminding audiences that music — like nature — thrives in unexpected harmony.
What do you think of this unique collaboration between humans and nature? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
