ONE SMALL STEP FOR GLASGOW’S CONCERT HALLS, ONE GIANT LEAP FOR AUDIENCE EXPERIENCE

Posted: Tuesday 10 July 2012

As part of the London 2012 Festival celebrations Glasgow Music is programming a spectacular and unique event on Sunday 15 July. Terry Riley’s highly acclaimed Sun Rings will be played in the spectacular setting of Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum. It will be performed by the hugely talented string group, the Kronos quartet. NASA’s spectacular images of deep space, solar eruptions, starscapes and planetary close-ups are going to create an astounding video backdrop for the majestic Sun Rings. The outstanding performance was described by the Los Angeles Times as ‘a major, moving work…art and science have enjoyed a triumphant meeting’. It was also described by LA weekly as ‘a masterpiece…rich, lyrical and breath-stopping.’

Riley’s Sun Rings was originally inspired by his discovery that there is sound in space. Upon finding out that NASA had recordings of these sounds, which were made by the Voyager spacecraft, he began what promised to be a magnificent project. Terry Riley worked with the Kronos quartet and visual designer and director Willie Williams, to create a majestic amalgam of music, hypnotic visual and ethereal ‘whistles’ of deep space. 

Across ten ‘spacescapes’ – Sun Rings soars through the outermost limits of our understanding of the universe: the whirrs and clicks of electrons flaring against the atmosphere of Jupiter are woven together with a score of creeping strings and an undulating live chorus of voices, while flickering images of the astral landscape tremble across a vast backdrop. Ghostly and beautiful, this is music as scientific exploration and a feast for the eyes. 

Svend Brown, Director of Glasgow Music, said: “Hearing Terry Riley’s epic Sun Rings in a beautiful location with such spectacular visuals will be both an exciting and wholly unique experience. It really does promise to be a memorable performance and we are delighted to be taking part in the London 2012 Festival celebrations.”  

Tickets are on sale now and are available:
In person: Glasgow Royal Concert Hall
City Halls and Old Fruitmarket
By phone: 0141 353 8000
Online:http://www.glasgowconcerthalls.com/whatson/event/118677-London-2012-Festival-Project-Kronos-Quartet-SUN-RINGS 

Tags: Classical, Days Out, Experimental Music, West End