The Rochester Museum & Science Center (RMSC) teamed up with Rochester-based funk-jazz-electronic musical ensemble Vanishing Sun 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, November 12, and Saturday, November 13. There will be one show daily at 7 p.m. Doors will open at 6 p.m. The lobby will be open one hour before each show.
This community collaboration was born when Steve Fentress, 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. Vanishing Sun was just as eager to collaborate as Fentress was.
Ian Sherman, keyboardist and bandleader for Vanishing Sun, described this collaboration as “an amazing opportunity to create without preconception and craft a unique experience for the audience.” 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 hometown of Rochester,” said Sherman.
The original performance was scheduled for March 2020 but was postponed due to the pandemic.
Tickets for Vanishing Sun: Impressions of the Infinite are $18 in advance and $20 at the door. Proof of vaccination is required for entry.
For information, go to RMSC.org/vanishing-sun.
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