BROOKLYN, NY— Sitting under a canopy of trees, New Yorkers lay on blankets, sometimes just made of grass, melding with the sonic breeze humming through Brooklyn Botanic Garden.
That scene returns to the Cherry Esplanade as the garden’s annual Sound Bath welcomes Attacca Quartet for an outdoor performance built around music from the Grammy-winning album Evergreen, written with Caroline Shaw.
The ticketed event invites visitors to bring a mat or blanket, settle onto the lawn and spend the evening immersed in live strings beneath the night sky.
Rather than filling the garden with conversation, the performance transforms the space into a quiet listening experience where nature becomes part of the music.
“Most people just lie down on the grass,” Katie Pidgeon, Brooklyn Botanic Garden’s director of public programs, said. “They bring a yoga mat or a blanket, and you can just lie down and look up at the stars and enjoy a sort of quiet meditative performance.”
The event traces its roots to 2022, when the garden presented a bird-inspired exhibition that introduced staff to composer Alex Somers and his sound bath concept.
“The performance was beautiful,” Pidgeon said. “It was so gorgeous that we thought we have to do this every year.”
Attacca Quartet’s performance combines selections from Evergreen with original improvisations, allowing the surrounding landscape to shape the evening’s atmosphere.
“I think visitors can expect a very meditative and memorable music experience, sort of lounging on the Cherry Esplanade, listening to Attacca Quartet,” Pidgeon said. “This event is really just a moment to relax on the esplanade and really sort of take in nature and music all at the same time.”
Interest in the annual performance continues to grow.
The event has now reached capacity with 3,000 attendees.
Although the Sound Bath currently takes place once each July, Pidgeon said organizers have discussed expanding it, perhaps in the fall or twice in the summer.
For the Sound Bath, organizers look for artists whose work reflects the natural setting.
She added that the garden also works with cultural partners throughout the year and welcomes artists interested in future programming.
“I think we look for artists that are focused a lot on nature and plants, especially for this particular event,” Pidgeon said.
Although the event has reached full capacity, Pidgeon said more events are available this summer. Visit the website for more information
Jazz In July
Thursday, July 23 | 6–8 p.m.
Spend summer evenings on the lawn with live jazz performances beginning at 7 p.m. Each program also includes a Garden tour or activity before the music. Presented in partnership with local arts organizations. A pop-up bar will be available. Outside food, drinks and chairs are not permitted.
Last Lap
Tuesday, Sept. 1 | 6–9 p.m. (Last entry: 8:30 p.m.)
Celebrate Brooklyn’s West Indian community ahead of the West Indian American Day Parade with live DJs, Caribbean-inspired food and cocktails, dancing and free tours highlighting tropical and Caribbean plants. Visitors are encouraged to bring their flags and join the festivities.
Ancestral Ecologies
Until Oct. 25
Explore four multisensory installations by Brooklyn artist Olalekan Jeyifous and the environmental art and architecture practice AD—WO. The exhibition examines African diasporic and Latinx perspectives on ecology, inviting visitors to experience interactive works that explore humanity’s relationship with the natural world through art, architecture and sound.
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