Photo: Jordan Oscar

Artpark Sonic Trails

It's a walk in the park!

Now through December 3, 2021

For many of us, this last year's been like pushing a rock up a hill. That's why Artpark is pleased to present experiences that are more like a walk in the park ... literally!

Artpark's Sonic Trails is a visionary season of site reactive audio experiences presented in a mobile app designed by The Holladay Brothers, curated and co-produced by Sozo Creative. With a hyper-local and global perspective, Sozo Creative and Artpark have brought together some of the most influential BIPOC voices in music to cultivate aural experiences exploring the unique geological and historic Earl W. Brydges Artpark State Park (located on Niagara Gorge, just seven miles from Niagara Falls).

Throughout the summer at Artpark, your key to expansive horizons, endless epiphanies and sensory delights will be right in your pocket: an immersive, choose-your-own-adventure to be experienced alone or with loved ones.

The Buffalo News’ Jeff Miers had this to say after experiencing Sonic Trails: 

“In a flash, I felt the power of the land and the presence of those who had passed through it. Not in some Hallmark Channel, neatly wrapped-with-a-bow manner. But through a strong and deep mini-epiphany that was both exhilarating and profoundly sad.”

Download the Artpark Sonic Trails app now!

Due to the amount of music contained within the experience we recommend downloading this app before you arrive at Artpark.


Available programs are listed below. Click on the event titles for more info:

her moccasins talk thumbnailCover The Water

Composers, multimedia artists and pioneers of location-aware experiences, The Holladay Brothers, will kick off Sonic Trails with a reprisal of Cover The Water, an original music composition they birthed out of pandemic limitations and during their artistic residency at Artpark in 2020. The pair creates unique experiences that map music to a physical landscape and are released as mobile apps that use GPS to dynamically alter the music as the listener explores their surroundings. To enjoy your experience of Cover The Water, please arrive at the Lower Park (South 4th Street entrance) and proceed to the Lot C "Niagara 1979" painted parking lot.

 

her moccasins talk thumbnailHer Mocassins Talk

Her Mocassins Talk is a matriarchal and Indigenous journey exploring our relationship with gratitude, based on the Haudenosaunee Thanksgiving Address. Curated by Indigenous bridge builder Michele-Elise Burnett, local native and First Nations musicians and storytellers come together to weave a feminine-driven experience centered on the inclusive teachings of mother earth. To enjoy your experience for Her Moccasins Talk, please begin at Artpark's Upper Trail (entrance near the Outdoor Amphitheater).

 

juneteenth thumbnailBuild A House: Rhiannon Giddens & Yo-Yo Ma

Grammy Award-winning musician, historian and Silkroad Ensemble Artistic Director Rhiannon Giddens, in collaboration with celebrated Grammy Award-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma, will debut Juneteenth: From The Past To The Living Present. Weaving banjo, folk music, and storytelling, this guided walk centers the profound contributions of African Americans on American culture, music and history, seeking to imagine a society of inclusion, connection, empathy and justice.


paul miller thumbnailThe Invisible Hand: DJ Spooky

Paul Miller AKA DJ Spooky brings his unforgettable transcendental sound to Artpark trails with a high energy electronic music experience, premiering three news tracks for the park visitors to hear first. You can take these heart racing beats for a run or bike ride through Artpark to experience the trails in a whole new way.

 


Global Futures: Kronos Quartet

The season closes with a collaboration with world-renowned Kronos Quartet and its series of global commissions, 50 for the Future: The Kronos Learning Repertoire. Original compositions from select women composers will weave together to transport you worldwide through an intricate musical legacy of tradition and innovation. The experience focuses optimism, beauty and discovery to compose a global story of interconnectedness.