Local Vibe

Unsilent Night

Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night, an Outdoor ambient music celebration

Music, art, and architecture combine for an avant-garde experience.

What: Unsilent Night is a beautiful evening walk through historic downtown Cambridge complete with postmodern classical music broadcast from hundreds of portable music players. Illuminated art installations set up for Unsilent Night are dotted throughout the walk.

The walk begins at City Hall and continues through historic downtown Cambridge with a stop by the Cambridge Libraries and Galleries, Queen’s Square location.

The Cambridge Galleries will project video art by New York City artist, Jillian McDonald, from the second story window of the Queen’s Square Library at 1 North Square from 7-9pm. Passers-by will be treated to McDonald’s hilarious and thought provoking video art entitled: “Staring Contest with Brad Pitt” in which she has edited herself into the narrative of Hollywood films. While on the walk don’t miss the light installations by local artist’s Gareth Lichty and Gary Kirkham.

Why: The event launched in New York City 18 years ago and has since spread throughout the globe. Unsilent Night 2009 will take place in more than 25 cities around the world and for the first time in London, Berlin, Denver, and Dallas. In 2008 Cambridge, Ontario participated in this event for the first time.

The composer of the music for Unsilent Night is Phil Kline of New York City. Kline says, “Every year I present UNSILENT NIGHT, which is like a Christmas caroling party except 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.”

How: Bring your iPod, blackberry, mp3 player with speakers or your portable CD player and join the moving symphony or simply walk with us and listen to the music of Phil Kline wafting by your ears.

The music is available on the City of Cambridge website, along with more details:
http://www.cambridge.ca/community_services/phil_klines_unsilent_night

When: Monday, December 21st, 2009 7pm

Where: City Hall, 50 Dickson St. Cambridge

The event is free and will take place rain or shine.

This event was winner of the 2008 Best New Event (KW Arts Award) and 2008 Breakthrough Award (Cambridge Chamber of Commerce)

Contact: For more information contact the City of Cambridge at 519.740.4681 ext.4277 or visit Christmas In Cambridge or Unsilent Night