When a beloved pet passes away, the silence they leave behind can feel deafening. But for composer Noam Oxman, silence isn’t the end — it’s where the music begins.
Oxman found a way to honor animals through something both powerful and poetic: he turns pets into songs.
A few years ago, the Israeli composer launched a project called Sympawnies — a heartfelt play on the word “symphonies.”
His idea was simple but genius: write original pieces of music inspired by people’s pets, and shape the musical notation into drawings that resemble the animals themselves.
The result? A masterpiece that’s as beautiful to look at as it is to hear.
One of Oxman’s recent works was dedicated to a cat named Chubby Cat.
“Chubby Cat was sweet and playful and the perfect cuddle buddy,” Oxman wrote. “With a sprinkle of playful piccolo, a touch of warm strings, and a sweet harmony progression — hopefully, the music sounds just a little bit like him. Rest in peace, sweet Chubby Cat.”
Here’s another recent composition, written for a little dog named Foxxy:
He’s done the same for countless pets — dogs, cats, rabbits, even birds — each with their own melody and mood. For a cheerful pup named Henri, Oxman composed a lively, baroque-style dance called a gigue.
“I was told Henri was a very happy dog,” Oxman said. “I wanted the music to reflect that joy. I think this piece suits both his personality and his appearance pretty well.”
Not every song is a goodbye, though. Some owners commission Oxman to celebrate the pets who are still very much alive — preserving their personalities in sound while they’re still here.
For families who’ve lost their animals, though, these musical portraits often become precious keepsakes — something to listen to when they miss them most.
For Oxman himself, each composition is a labor of love.
“Creating these pieces and having people from all around the world trust me to honor their beloved pets fills me with true happiness,” he told The Dodo. “I’m 100 percent emotionally attached to my work because I love animals more than anything else.”
Through every note, Oxman helps ensure that the love people share with their pets never fades — it simply finds a new form.
To hear more of Noam Oxman’s moving musical tributes, visit Sympawnies on YouTube or Instagram.
