On Saturday, December 16th the Versant Power Astronomy Center and Jordan Planetarium will present “Meditations on Perihelion”, a live performance of original electronic music and immersive visuals on the planetarium’s dome.
The “Meditations” are a multi-sensory experience that invites audience members to contemplate and reflect on the dark quietude of the Winter Solstice, the darkest time of the year and the moment when the Earth is closest to the Sun.
For some in the audience it can be a meditation, for others an active listening and perceptual experience. This event invites listeners to sink and settle into an evolving musical and visual journey.
The music, conceived and performed by Tom Luther, is inspired and informed by the changes in the Earth’s orbit from Equinox to Winter Solstice. While falling into the general category of “Ambient” or “Space” music, Luther has drawn on his experience as an improviser, composer, and pianist to extend at the conventions of the genre.
This year’s program is focused on the idea of the slow change of polar orientation caused by the tilt of the earth and the effect on its orbit. Luther explores offset patterns of rhythm and shifting melodies to reflect the slow change of direction.
The visuals are being curated by planetarium director Shawn Laatsch and are a combination of imagery from the European Southern Observatory, real time astronomy scripts, as well as audio reactive animations. Luther and Laatsch have worked in a collaborative process using feedback loops of musical and visual ideas.
Admission is $10 for adults , $8 for seniors and military veterans, and $6 for children under 12. Tickets are available for purchase by clicking here, calling (207) 581-1341, or through the front desk of the Versant Power Astronomy Center.
