Enjoy walking Saratoga State Park with your own soundtrack
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. » Whether it be a gorgeous IMAX film, an amateur home movie, or anything in-between, we’ve all experienced the value of a musical soundtrack while viewing beautiful scenes of nature
Well, get ready for your own personal soundtrack while walking the grounds of Saratoga State Park. The Saratoga Performing Arts Center, in collaboration with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Ellen Reid, is offering Ellen Reid’s Soundwalk today through Nov. 1.
It’s a musical composition that was designed specifically for the landscape of Saratoga State Park. The music is performed by the Soundwalk Ensemble, of which Reid is a member. She plays synthesizer.
You will be able to walk an approximately mile-long route within the park, plug in ear phones and hear your own soundtrack as you walk the areas around Geyser Creek and Vale Springs. All you have to do is download the app on your phone which is available free of charge at the SPAC website. Maps are available at the same site.
A similar program conceived by Reid started operation last week in New York City’s Central Park. SPAC’s program is only the second in the country. Several more are planned for 2021 at several more sites that combine classical musical performances within a pristine environment.
One of the remarkable things about the Soundwalk is that it is tied into GPS technology. This means the music directly relates to a geographical area at which you are physically present. Music that enhances the experience of admiring a waterfall will only be heard if you are in the proximity of what many call Ormandy Falls.
The same is true of rushing brooks or a serene view.
Actually, what it really means is that every walk you take will sound different depending on the route you choose. You can walk at your own pace and select the route that gives you the most satisfaction. And, of course, it permits social distancing.
The purpose of the Soundwalk is to enhance beauty and form a deeper connection to nature. The 37-year old composer says of her project, “I hope Soundwalk will inspire us to feel connected to something larger than ourselves. It is meant to serve as artistic nourishment - a place to recharge, reconnect and re- energize.”
Go to spac.org for the app and information on the route and artists.
If you prefer your artistic nourishment inside the comfortable surroundings of your own private space, SPAC has something for you as well. On Saturday, September 19, the final presentation of the SPAC@Home Concert Series takes place. It will feature Time for Three (TF3).
TF3 was originally supposed to perform with the Philadelphia Orchestra in August but because of the cancelled season, the trio is now appearing in a special online concert offered in partnership with Caffe Lena.
The groundbreaking three-piece group consists of Charles Yang (violin and vocals), Nick Kendall (violin and vocals) and Ranman Meyer (double bass and vocals). They perform music from various eras and styles all in the tradition of Western music that blends Americana, modern pop and classical.
The concert is offered free of charge at 8 p.m. on Saturday. It was recorded in various location on the grounds of SPAC and will include an interview with SPAC President and CEO Elizabeth Sobal. It can be found on the SPAC website
spac.org
It is the final weeks of another unusual music-related event. You have only 10 more days to experience Part of the Machine: ARock and Roll Pinball Exhibit. The pinball exhibit that celebrates rock and roll icons closes September 26.
This is a collection of rare, playable pinball machines with rock-themes that pay tribute to icons like The Rolling Stones, Alice Copper, Dolly Parton, Elvis, Kiss and many others. There are also other artifacts and merchandise which add to the experience.
The exhibit is open seven days a week. Entrance is permitted at two-hour intervals. There are 90-minute participation units and a half hour for cleaning and sterilizing machines and areas. Tickets are sold in advance only. All Covid safety protocols are followed concerning masks and social distancing.
Universal Preservation Hall is located at 25 Washington Avenue in Saratoga Springs. For tickets and schedule information call (518) 346- 6204 or go to info@universalhall.org