Experience Music Differently In New York’s Spherical, Floating Concert Hall

Sonic Sphere, at The Shed in New York’s Hudson Yards, has been described as a “new architectural space/multisensory spherical concert hall.” Based on a concept by the composer Karlheinz Stockhausen — a version of it was presented at the 1970 World Expo in Osaka, Japan, but the idea didn’t catch on — it’s a vast, 65-foot-diameter spherical concert hall suspended in midair, like something out of “Dune.”

Inside the sphere, an audience of 250 experiences music as a “spatialized soundscape.” Music emanates from more than 100 speakers around the sphere. Dynamic lighting on the sphere’s surface completes the hyperreal, multisensory journey.

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Since June, Sonic Sphere has hosted immersive, “3-D sound and light explorations of innovative music,” both recorded and live. Artists have included Steve Reich, The xx, and concert pianist Igor Levit. It is the 11th and most advanced incarnation of the Sphere, after iterations in London, Mexico, and Miami.

The Sonic Sphere was created by “avant-garde consciousness architects” Ed Cooke (an “impresario” who is also working on “a general theory of parties”), Merijn Royaards (who describes himself as a “sound architect”) and engineering director Nicholas Christie.

The team’s aim is to “challenge the relationship between technology and experience” and propose “a new type of participatory cultural space.”

The Shed’s artistic director Alex Poots told Forbes about the experience, including what’s next for it.

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Why was The Shed in Hudson Yards the perfect place for New York’s Sonic Sphere?

The mission of The Shed has always been focused on invention, transformation, and supporting work that advances the format of various genres. The Sonic Sphere was a gift for us to partner with: a new and unique way to experience and truly listen to music.

Typically, when we attend concerts, the visual aspect dominates our perception. The Sonic Sphere allows us to recenter sound and create a different musical experience.

This concept of spatial music was originally imagined by Stockhausen, with whom I had the opportunity to work towards the end of his life. It was never realized. The idea that we would realize a great artist’s unrealized project goes to the heart of our mission.

Additionally, the indoor height requirements perfectly matched the capabilities of our venue. I recall showing the Sonic Sphere team around, comparing it to the floor-bound Sphere in Miami, which was supported by legs. I pointed out that our room utilizes ship-building technology, making the ceiling immensely strong. Suspending the Sphere instead of mounting it to the floor proved to be more romantic — and less expensive.

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Is there a particular kind of music that lends itself best to the Sonic Sphere experience? Madison Square Garden is only a few blocks away but I can’t imagine him bringing the house down at Sonic Sphere.

I love Billy Joel. For the first iteration of the Sphere, which has three times more capacity than any previous Sonic Sphere, we aimed for a 2.0 version. Working with music influenced by Stockhausen seemed like an excellent starting point. I explored artists influenced by electronic music or incorporating electronic elements in their practice, leading me to The xx, Steve Reich, and Carl Craig… I wanted to encompass a wide range of artists within that musical realm.

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You’ve mentioned that the Sonic Sphere is like an instrument and that “We’re trying to figure out how to play it.” Have there been any learnings from the first couple of weeks of programming?

One learning I would like to explore further in the future is commissioning work specifically for the Sonic Sphere. While we initially curated playlists and albums that could be successfully spatialized, the next frontier is finding the right artist who can dedicate the time and aptitude to create something specifically tailored to the 124-speaker system.

When working with a new format, there are unknown factors that emerge along the way. Creating timed sessions resulted in a certain regimentation to the day, which made me wonder if there’s a way to introduce more flexibility. Perhaps we can allocate longer periods in the day that follow a gallery format, allowing visitors to drop in on something looping or experience a longer play session. Instead of being bound by specific showtimes, you could buy a ticket for a particular period and enjoy a more fluid experience.This is an aspect we can improve upon.

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We also discovered that solo artist performances work exceptionally well in the Sonic Sphere. The intimate nature of the space, with around 250 people, lends itself beautifully to solo performances. I’m also considering different types of solo performances that go beyond music, such as storytelling or formats that promote mindfulness. I’m bringing in artists over the next few weeks specifically to envision the possibilities within the Sonic Sphere.

Recent visitors to The Shed also had the opportunity to experience “Kagami,” a mixed-reality concert by Ryuichi Sakamoto — a very different concert experience to Sonic Sphere, but similarly unconventional. How do those two experiences relate? And how do they relate to the Sondheim musical, “Here We Are,” that’s opening at The Shed later in the year?

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The thing that threads everything that we do is this idea of invention and advancing the format, advancing the practice of any discipline. It’s not so much about being unconventional as about pushing things forward.

In the context of The Shed’s broader mission, we see connections between artists who are advancing their respective practices. Sondheim is the person who advanced the form of the musical theater more than anyone in this country. Just as The xx, Carl Craig, and Morton Feldman have significantly influenced their genres. He came to Björk in our opening year — she’s another innovator.

It’s the greatest honor that the team behind “Here We Are” want us to work with them to present this new work of his, in this place that is about advancing the formats and practices of inventive artists.

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