Phil Kline’s

UnsilentNight

Williamstown, MA

Thursday, December 9, 2021
6:00 PM

Presented by MASS MoCA, MCLA Berkshire Cultural Resource Center, the City of North Adams, Williams College, Todd Reynolds & Isabelle Holmes


FACEBOOK EVENT

WHERE: 62 Center for Theater and Dance

Phil Kline’s walking symphony experience, ‘Unsilent Night’ returns again to the Berkshires on Thursday, December 9, 2021. This free community event starts at the ‘62 Center on the Williams College campus and will conclude at the Williams Inn.

Participants collectively contribute to the event by walking in a group with boomboxes, bluetooth speakers, and other amplified audio devices.
Since its inception in 1992, this 45-minute work has grown into a worldwide annual communal event that has become an essential part of many winter holiday celebrations.

Kids and adults of all ages are warmly invited to join in this free and festive community event. Participants are encouraged to dress warmly, to bring a boom box, phone, bluetooth speaker, or creative amplified sound device, as well as a flashlight or lantern, and enjoy the creation of this inviting holiday soundscape.

First produced in North Adams in 2014, Unsilent Night has quickly become a much-anticipated addition to the Northern Berkshire winter event calendar.

Described by the New York Times as "immers[ing] the listener in suspended wonderment, as if time itself had paused inside a string of jingle bells," relies on participants to join together and bring the four tracks of Phil Kline’s composition to life filling the night with music and wonderment. Or, as described by Kline, "It's like a Christmas caroling party except that we don't sing, but rather carry boomboxes, each playing a separate tape or CD which is part of the piece. In effect, we become a city-block-long stereo system."

This seventh installment in the Northern Berkshires is organized and produced by Todd Reynolds, Isabelle Holmes, Michelle Daly, Brad Wells of Williams College, Sandra Thomas, MASS MoCA, Nico Dery, and the City of North Adams Office of Tourism and Community Events with support from the ‘62 Center at Williams College and the Williams Inn.

Unsilent Night composer Phil Kline will lead the event in Williamstown, one of more than 40 events being performed around the world this December.

This year, the event will explore the cavernous echoes and reverberations of the Williams College campus beginning at the ‘62 Center before meandering down Spring and ending at the Williams Inn. The walk will kick off promptly at 6:00pm, with a gathering at the ‘62 Center one half-hour before to distribute boomboxes and get situated.

New this year, in addition to the move to Williamstown, prizes will be awarded in three categories: BEST LIT - will be awarded to the person or group most festively lit up; BEST LOUD - will be awarded to the person or group with the most creative amplified audio set-up; and BEST OVERALL - will be awarded to the person or group who best combines the festive and sonic elements of Unsilent Night.

#UNSILENTNIGHT

Williamstown! There are more than 30 other cities doing Unsilent Night with you. Share photos and videos of yours with the rest of the worldwide community.

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