Strasenburgh Planetarium > Shows & Events
Deep Fields: A Synambient Journey
An immersive sonic journey into the farthest reaches of the universe, featuring live electronic soundscapes and high-definition imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope.
About the Performance
Deep Fields is site-specific ambient composition pairing live and pre-programmed synthetic soundscapes with deep-space imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope to create an immersive exploration of the cosmos.
The journey you are embarking on was designed specifically for the unique architecture of the Strasenburgh Planetarium. The composition explores the concept of the “Deep Field,” the discovery of infinite complexity within seemingly empty space, by pairing live and pre-programmed synthetic soundscapes with high-definition imagery from the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).
Utilizing shimmering electronic textures and ultra-slow, evocative tempos, the work mirrors the sense of cosmic time found in observing light that has traveled for over 13.5 billion years. This sonic environment encourages a state of deep listening and an outward-facing examination of the “cosmic web” and our place within the void. It operates at the intersection of creative philosophy and the farthest reaches of modern astrophysics, transforming raw visual data into a reflective auditory experience.
The visual backdrop of the performance is provided by the JWST. Operating from a halo orbit at the Sun-Earth L2 Lagrange point, approximately 1.5 million kilometers from Earth, the telescope acts as humanity’s premier observatory. Utilizing unprecedented infrared sensitivity and a 6.5-meter golden mirror, the JWST is capable of piercing through thick clouds of cosmic dust to observe the earliest galaxies born after the Big Bang, over 13.5 billion years ago. Tonight’s imagery features the intricate “cosmic web,” the immense, skeleton-like framework of dark matter and gas that connects galaxies across the universe.
About Synambient
Synambient is the surprising duo of Gerry Szymanski and James Tabbi. Their work balances harmonic simplicity with textural complexity to create introspective, reflective soundscapes. Gerry is a composer, librarian, and musicology lecturer at the Eastman School of Music. James is a composer, producer and musician focused on the architecture of electronic sound. Their work navigates the space where formal musical discipline meets the fluid, atmospheric textures of the ambient avant-garde.
About the Venue
Dedicated on September 14, 1968, the RMSC Strasenburgh Planetarium has served as a portal to the stars for generations of audiences. Tonight’s performance utilizes the immersive 65-foot-diameter Star Theater, a space known for both its technical innovations and its historic Zeiss Mark VI star projector. By bringing the farthest reaches of outer space directly to the audience, the Planetarium provides the ideal environment to experience the intersection of science, light, and sound.
