As part of the landmark 50th Anniversary Season at Artpark, conductor and composer Brent Chancellor led the ambitious commissioning and performance project Secret Symphony of Plants, an immersive concert experience exploring the intersection of music, technology, and the natural world.
Presented as part of the innovative UltraSound series, the project featured the world premieres of five newly commissioned works inspired by Artpark’s living botanical environment. Composers Kaitlyn Aurelia Smith, Ricardo Romaneiro, Marcus Foster, John Kaefer, and Chancellor each created original compositions shaped by plant-generated sound data gathered throughout the Artpark grounds.
The project unfolded across a series of live listening installations during the summer of 2024, culminating in a featured concert at Artpark’s Mainstage Theater on August 25. Under Chancellor’s direction, a chamber orchestra brought the commissioned works to life in a multisensory performance that transformed environmental signals into contemporary musical expression.
Created in collaboration with ONNA and Artpark, Secret Symphony of Plants reflected Artpark’s long-standing commitment to experimental and interdisciplinary art while honoring the organization’s unique relationship to the landscape of the Niagara Gorge. The concert was recorded for future release, with proceeds supporting the Artpark State Park conservancy.
The project became one of the signature artistic events of Artpark’s anniversary year, celebrating five decades of groundbreaking creative work through an unforgettable fusion of nature, sound, and performance.