What to Know
- Descanso Gardens in La Cañada Flintridge
- Hear ethereal music played on dozens of speakers placed near the property's coastal oaks
- Advance reservations are necessary for non-members; visitor capacity is limited
So many of us are seeking bridges to more understanding, to deeper thought and contemplation, and to ways to get in touch with our inner, and higher, selves.
Such bridges can pop up anywhere, at any time, but Descanso Gardens has constructed an unseen passage to a new ethereal experience, one visitors to the expansive and outdoor space are now hearing.
It's an "immersive musical event" called "The Sky Beneath Our Feet," and it involves 72 hidden speakers, placed among the destination's iconic coastal oaks, playing "nine choirs comprised of eight voices."
Pete M. Wyer is the composer of the "unique choral and instrumental composition." The team at Descanso Gardens, which reopened following the pandemic closures on May 16, thought this particularly reflective time was right for the immersive "concert" played among the coastal oaks.
"'The Sky Beneath Our Feet' is a magnificent piece, composed for nine choirs of eight voices each played over dozens of speakers throughout the Gardens," said Juliann Rooke, executive director, Descanso Gardens.
"Emerging from our ‘hibernation’ into this exquisite natural setting, with a chorus of human voices singing to the heavens, it feels like a triumph of the human spirit set in the most glorious cathedral of nature. The installation takes on an entirely new meaning and significance we could never have foreseen when we were planning it with Pete all those months ago."
Advance reservations are required for non-members to visit the La Cañada Flintridge garden are necessary, and reviewing new safety protocols before arriving is advised.
