On the heels of its successful Santa Fe premiere in December 2008, Santa Fe New Music is pleased to announce the return of Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night, taking place in Santa Fe and Albuquerque this year, on December 12 and 13. Being held in two cities, the event is being billed as “New Mexico’s Unsilent Weekend.” Participants are encouraged to attend both events, for a distinctly urban flavor in Albuquerque’s Downtown, and a picturesque taste of the Plaza area in Santa Fe.
Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night is a free outdoor participatory sound sculpture of many individual parts, recorded on cassettes, CDs and mp3s, and played through a roving swarm of boomboxes carried through city streets every December. People bring their own boomboxes and drift peacefully through a cloud of sound which is different from every listener's perspective. Since 1992, this 45-minute work has grown into a worldwide annual communal event that has become an essential part of many winter holiday celebrations. It has been presented by art organizations, museums, universities, towns & cities. 2009 is the 18th anniversary of Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night.
Composed in a post-classical, ambient style, Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night has grown into an international annual event taking place in some 40 cities around the world including Melbourne, Vancouver, New York, Los Angeles, and Middleborough in the U.K. Infused with non-ecumenical holiday spirit, suitable for all ages, and free of cost, “Unsilent Night” has become an essential part of many winter holiday celebrations around the world. The Santa Fe performance takes place on Saturday, December 12 at 3:00pm with a 2:30 meet-up at the Georgia O’Keeffe Museum Education Annex (123 Grant Street). SFNM Artistic Director John Kennedy will explain the piece to the participants, the soundtracks will be distributed, and participants are welcome to return to the O’Keeffe Education Annex after the walk for hot beverages and cookies.
The next day, Sunday, December 13,Unsilent Night debuts in Albuquerque, with participants gathering at the KiMo Theater at 6:00 p.m (423 Central Ave NW). The Albuquerque event is co-sponsored by the KiMo/Keshet Partnership. The performance will take place as a walk through downtown and the historic Route 66, and participants are invited to return to the KiMo for hot beverages and concessions. This event launches SFNM@ABQ, Santa Fe New Music’s programming ventures in the Duke City.
Speaking of the work, SFNM Artistic Director John Kennedy says, “’Unsilent Night’ is a thoroughly contemporary means of celebrating the season, and we are so happy to be presenting the work in both Santa Fe and Albuquerque this year. It is a festive, family-friendly, and free opportunity for people to come together in the true spirit of the holiday season – which, more than ever this year, we know is about enjoying each other’s company, and the ethereal beauty of music and the joy of participating in the arts.
Read more about the 2008 Santa Fe event here. Hear samples of Kline’s work here.
Email us if you want to participate indicating which kind of boombox (cd or cassette) will be utilized. Those who do not own a boombox, or simply wish to walk along with the performers, are welcome to attend, and do not require advance registration. Please let us know by December 6, 2009!
