City of Floating Sounds

Presented By New Haven Symphony Orchestra, International Festival Of Arts & Ideas, and Yale Schwarzman Center

Experience a magical summer evening on the New Haven Green with the International Festival of Arts & Ideas, as the New Haven Symphony Orchestra, in partnership with Yale Schwarzman Center, presents City of Floating Sounds, a free, open-air concert that celebrates New Haven’s rich history and culture.

The evening begins at 6PM with an immersive journey through New Haven, where participants playing Huang Ruo’s City of Floating Sounds on their phones will converge at the Green, creating a unique tapestry of sound. As the sun sets, the New Haven Symphony will take the stage to perform a vibrant program that honors the voices and stories of our community.

“In the key of 5G: the ‘dimensionalist’ who wrote a symphony for 1,000 phones”
The Guardian, June 2024

Huang Ruo: City of Floating Sounds: Review
Quay’s Life, June 2024

About the Exploration Paths:

6PM • Starting Locations TBA

City of Floating Sounds is an invitation to connect with our surroundings and each other. Experience a shifting soundscape as you journey through the city. Can you find other audience members to create a richer sound?

Pushing the boundaries of classical music performance, City of Floating Sounds uses cutting-edge creative technology to take music out into the city. Guided by a bespoke mobile app, starting at 6PM you make your way through the streets of New Haven listening to fragments of Huang Ruo’s meditative new work.

As you get closer to the Green – and other audience members – the sound will expand, revealing more parts of the work. An opportunity to explore New Haven in a new light – the path you take and who you meet on your journey can all change what you hear.

City of Floating Sounds asks you to open your senses to the city. What will you hear and who might you meet?

Click here to learn more about this immersive experience.