A musical parade performed in urban cities, Unsilent Night, will premiere in Charlotte on Thursday, December 6 from 6-8 p.m. at Shoppes at University Place. A musical composition created by Phil Kline is performed by event attendees through the form of a cassette, CD or mp3. Participants should dust off their boomboxes, CD players and other portable sound systems for this musical stroll around the Boardwalk in University City.
“We are excited to bring this signature holiday event to Charlotte,” said Darlene Heater, Executive Director of University City Partners. “The Boardwalk in University City is a beautiful urban space to project the sounds. I look forward to hearing and seeing our community come together for a not-so-silent night.”
Phil Kline’s public sound sculpture, Unsilent Night, was first revealed in 1992 in New York City. Kline composed a multi-track electronic piece that was 45 minutes in length. He gave several individuals one of four tracks and asked them all to hit PLAY at the same time. The sound so beautiful, the gathering so unique, the public art event spread to major cities across the country and eventually overseas. Today, the piece is complete when individuals simultaneously play one of four tracks on cassette, CD, mp3 or mobile devices and blast each through a roving swarm of boomboxes and speakers carried through city streets. The outcome is a luminous soundscape that University City hopes to make an annual tradition.
In addition to the musical production during Unsilent Night, attendees can also enjoy mulled wine for purchase from The Wine Vault, and visits from The Grinch and other storybook characters. Participation is free. More information can be found on Facebook under “UCity Unsilent Night 2018” or directly here.