Star Sound

14 September 2024 5:30-9:00 PM |UVic Finnerty Gardens

4:15-5:00 PM Pre-concert talk with Professor Kim Venn, UVic Astronomy Research Center I UVic Phillip T. Young Recital Hall

In a nighttime park, groups of musicians perform under the open sky, each at a distance from the others, drawing their music from the varying positions of the stars. This concept was envisioned by German composer Karlheinz Stockhausen in his seminal work, Sternklang. The SALT Festival Orchestra introduces this immersive experience to Victoria for the first time. Music flows throughout the entire garden as “sound couriers” and “light bearers” carry the sounds from one location to another. The nature- and stargazing audience is invited to inhabit this multidimensional space, whether by walking among the groups or sitting down to the lawn.

Entrance is free but you need to book a free ticket. We are grateful for donations.

What to expect?

Book your free ticket

Stockhausen’s Sternklang

Star constellations such as the Big Dipper, the Lion, Aquarius or Virgo determine the composition: reading the stars as musical scores, the composer wrote rhythms, timbres and melodies from them, which influence the musicians’ playing together and their relationship with each other. Between the ensembles, “sound couriers” and “light bearers” carry the sounds back and forth. The result is similar to a journey in a fairy-tale sound world, where the boundaries between the performer, the audience and the environment are blurred and transcend the concept of a traditional concert space.

Pre-concert talk about the stars

Before the concert, join us for a pre-concert talk with Professor Kim Venn (UVic Astronomy Research Center).

It happens at 4:15 p.m. in the UVic Phillip T. Young Recital Hall.

As the concert evokes our wonder for the stars, the pre-concert talk will provide some recent scientific discoveries per constellation to also ponder. Examples include recent mapping of the supermassive blackhole in the Galactic Centre in Sagittarius to the discovery of potentially habitable planets in Taurus.

Not your usual concert experience

What will happen and how to prepare?

The music is approximately 3.5 hours long. This is one musical piece so we recommend you to listen from the very beginning to the end but your are welcome to join in for a shorter period.
To have a full listening experience, we recommend you to enter from the gate next to the Multifaith Chapel (see the map below).
Musicians are playing the same piece at different spots in the garden and sometimes they move between the spots.
During the concert, you are welcome to walk around on the trails between the musical groups (each step in the garden will bring you a different experience), sit down, meditate. To let others enjoy the music, please do not talk loudly.
Finnerty is a beautiful garden with rocks and roots. We recommend you follow the lit trails to avoid accidents. After the dusk, use only the trails that are lit.
There are some benches in the garden but you are free to bring your own chairs, blankets and sit down at the indicated spots.
No food or drinks are served on the spot so make sure to bring your own water to stay hydrated.
Evenings can be chilly in September. Bring more layers and prepare for the weather.
This is an outdoor event that is influenced by the weather. Follow our website and social media sites for updates.
There will be waste and recycling bins at each gate of the Finnerty Gardens.
There are no washrooms in the garden. The nearest washrooms are in the Faculty of Fine Arts building, just accross the parking lot. Our volunteers are happy to give you directions.
Take only photos, leave only footprints.