press & News

Bringing a Unique Concert Experience to the Strasenburgh Planetarium

    ROCHESTER, NY, February 25, 2020 – The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) teamed up with Vanishing Sun, a Rochesterian Jazz Fusion sensation, to create a new and unique show for the community. The product of this collaboration is Vanishing Sun: Impressions of the Infinite, a fusion of the cosmic grandeur of a Star Show and the energy and spontaneity of a live music concert.

    Vanishing Sun: Impressions of the Infinite is a live concert series that will premiere at the Strasenburgh Planetarium on Friday, March 20, and Saturday, March 21. There will be two shows each day, starting at 7pm and 9pm. Doors at the Planetarium will open at 6pm, and the lobby will be open one hour before each show, with light refreshments and a cash bar available. 

    This community collaboration was born when Steve Fentress, the Planetarium Director, saw Vanishing Sun perform at the Rochester International Jazz Festival. Fentress was attracted to the band’s unique sound quality and knew he had to see them perform in the Planetarium. 

    “The Planetarium dome is a mathematical ideal; it’s the eye, it’s the cranium, it’s the cosmos. With the new renovations, we can now go to the edge, with music and visual effects composed together to make a completely new experience,” said Fentress, discussing the benefits of the new full-dome projection system and upgraded floor plan that allows for removable seating. 

    The new technology and flexibility provided the capability to host a concert, and all that was left to do was recruit the band and start planning. Thankfully, Vanishing Sun was just as eager to collaborate as Fentress was.

    Ian Sherman, the keyboardist and composer for Vanishing Sun, described this collaboration as “an amazing opportunity to innovate and create in a space free of constraint and preconceptions.” As the band’s composer, he worked closely with Fentress to organize this event. 

    “This is exactly the sort of thing that we love to do with Vanishing Sun. The possibilities are almost endless and we can’t wait to debut the work here in our home town of Rochester,” said Sherman. 

    Tickets for Vanishing Sun: Impressions of the Infinite are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. For more information, go to RMSC.org/vanishing-sun-show.

    The mission of the Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) is to inspire a better future for all through curiosity, exploration, and participation in science, culture, and the natural world. RMSC includes the Science Museum, Strasenburgh Planetarium and Cumming Nature Center. Offering experiences at the Museum with more than 200 interactive exhibits, the Planetarium with a 65-foot dome and the Nature Center on 900 acres, the RMSC stimulates community interest in exploration. In addition, the more than 1.2 million RMSC collection items tell the story of Rochester’s past including its rich history of innovation and invention. RMSC receives major funding from Monroe County, where it is one of the top five most visited attractions serving children and families. 

    For more information about RMSC, visit rmsc.org. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, YouTube and Instagram.

    Share