INTERNATIONAL SPACE ORCHESTRA TO PERFORM PJ HARVEY’S “VOYAGER” FOR THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

INTERNATIONAL SPACE ORCHESTRA TO PERFORM A SPECIAL ORCHESTRATION OF PJ HARVEY’S “VOYAGER” FOR THE TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE AT THE CALIFORNIA ACADEMY OF SCIENCES

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA — The International Space Orchestra (ISO), the world’s first orchestra composed of space scientists, engineers, astronauts and researchers, will mark the total solar eclipse on Wednesday, 12 August 2026 with a special performance at the California Academy of Sciences presented in collaboration with the SETI Institute. The eclipse celebration beginning at 10:30 a.m. PDT on Wednesday, August 12 will pair live-streamed eclipse coverage from Iceland and northern Spain, both on the path of totality, with an evocative live orchestral performance by the 35-member ISO. SETI Institute scientists will also give an engaging talk about the ways eclipses have shaped scientific discovery and what they reveal about our nearest star. Throughout the event, SETI Institute scientists will answer audience questions about the Sun, eclipses, and the tools researchers use to study our solar system and beyond. Surprise guests will also be invited to appear on the livestream and share their experience of the total eclipse.

This programme will feature a special orchestral interpretation by the International Space Orchestra of PJ Harvey’s space-inspired single “Voyager”. Released in June 2026, Voyager is PJ Harvey’s first new music since her Grammy-nominated 2023 album I Inside the Old Year Dying. Written from the perspective of Voyager 2, the song takes its name from NASA’s twin Voyager probes, launched in 1977 carrying the Golden Record—a collection of sounds, music and greetings intended to represent life on Earth. Originally recorded with a full orchestra at Miraval Studios in Provence, the composition brings together expansive strings and pulsing synthesizer signals while reflecting on humanity’s small and fragile place in the universe. It also invokes Carl Sagan’s celebrated description of Earth as a “pale blue dot.”

Directed by ISO founder Dr.Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian and conducted by two-time Grammy Award winner Evan Price, the performance will bring music, astronomy, counterculture and social dreaming into the same orbit. Members of the orchestra will gather at the Academy during the eclipse for a festive reunion of scientists, artists and musicians-and a shared reflection on our place in the cosmos.

A SHARED ECLIPSE, A SHARED FUTURE

Since its first performance beside the world’s largest wind tunnel at NASA Ames Research Center in 2012, ISO has used performance to make space exploration- a public and collective endeavor. Its musicians have collaborated with Damon Albarn, Beck, Bobby Womack, The Prodigy, Sigur Rós, Savages, Kid Cudi, The Avalanches, Penguin Café and Maywa Denki, appearing at venues including the Fillmore, the Hollywood Bowl and Davies Symphony Hall. The International Space Orchestra was also the subject of a 2013 feature-length documentary, The International Space Orchestra. The film had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam before screening internationally. Reviewing the documentary, The Guardian praised it as “spine-tingling,” while capturing the process of transforming a community of space scientists into an orchestra.

At a time when the militarisation of outer space is the rule and scientific collaboration across borders is under growing pressure, the International Space Orchestra offers another model: one in which scientists, artists, musicians and communities imagine futures built around care, creativity, cooperation and peace. The 12 August gathering turns the eclipse into both a celestial marker and an opportunity to imagine otherwise.

“An eclipse reminds us that we share one sky. This performance is an invitation to imagine otherwise. Space exploration should be about liberation and postcolonial projects- projects that are shaped away from militarisation, and led by peace and compassion, culture and cooperation.”

— Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian Ph.D, founder International Space Orchestra

“Even though the Moon’s shadow won’t reach San Francisco, technology allows us to bring the eclipse to everyone,” said Dr. Franck Marchis, Senior Planetary Astronomer at the SETI Institute. “By connecting live to observers across Europe, we’re turning a local astronomical event into a global shared experience where the public can witness the eclipse in real time, interact with scientists, and celebrate our common curiosity about the cosmos.”

“Museums are where our community comes together to experience moments of wonder, and a total solar eclipse is one of nature’s most awe-inspiring events,” said Dr. Shannon Bennett, Chief Science Officer, California Academy of Sciences. “We’re thrilled to partner with the SETI Institute to bring this extraordinary event to the Bay Area. Experiencing live views of the eclipse alongside a performance by the International Space Orchestra will create an unforgettable celebration that deepens our connection to the natural world and to one another.”

WHAT	Total Solar Eclipse Celebration
WHEN	Wednesday, 12 August 2026 10:30 a.m. PDT
WHERE	California Academy of Sciences The Piazza California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, San Francisco, CA 94118
MUSIC	PJ Harvey – “Voyager” (new orchestral interpretation by the International Space Orchestra)
TICKETS	This program is included with regular museum admission. Daily tickets available at https://www.calacademy.org/buy-tickets
EVENT HIGHLIGHT	Watch the livestreamed total solar eclipse from the path of totality, featuring feeds from Iceland and Spain, set to a live orchestral performance by the International Space Orchestra of PJ Harvey’s song Voyager. Hear from SETI Institute scientists about the Sun, eclipses, and how solar observations help scientists better understand stars throughout the universe. Ask questions during live Q&A with scientists. Surprise guests appearing on the livestream Celebrate one of nature’s most spectacular astronomical events alongside fellow science enthusiasts.
LIVESTREAM LINK	https://www.youtube.com/live/T-K8xHaOOTY
PICTURES	Photos of the International Space Orchestra

A MISSION FOR CULTURE IN SPACE

The eclipse performance is part of ISO’s 14th-anniversary summer recording mission. The ensemble is developing a new work for a longer-term artistic and scientific experiment investigating how music might travel through space- including research into moonbounce communications, and sound reflections from space debris as a part of a wider series of programmes on cultural and decolonial practices in space. This is following the launch of the Cosmic Liberation Front by Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian Ph.D- a collective dedicated to decolonial interventions in space, seeking to foster planetary justice and cooperation.

The livestream will also contribute to Heartsnatcher, an upcoming feature-length film and immersive project asking how peace might be collectively re-engineered in the twenty-first century. In June 2026, Ben Hayoun-Stépanian was selected as one of four New Media laureates for Villa Albertine’s prestigious 2027 residency programme. The Residency at Villa Albertine San Francisco will offer support to Nelly Ben Hayoun Stépanian as they conduct research for their project around Heartsnatcher. The upcoming project is a queer and free adaptation of Boris Vian’s L’Arrache-Cœur, blending drag, space sciences and immersive experiences to imagine new forms of collective peace. The project also considers new models of international cooperation as the International Space Station approaches the end of its operational life.

MEDIA CONTACT

General press enquiries: inge@goldatl.as

Event access, timings, interview availability and press assets are available on request.

NOTES TO EDITORS

Images:

Photos of the International Space Orchestra
Photos of the California Academy of Sciences

The following biographies are provided for publication and background use.

About the International Space Orchestra

Founded in 2012 by Nelly Ben Hayoun-Stépanian Ph.D, the International Space Orchestra is the world’s first orchestra of space scientists, engineers, astronauts and researchers, with members drawn from NASA Ames Research Center, the SETI Institute and the wider space community. Conducted by musical director Evan Price, ISO is an experiential research laboratory where space science is performed, sung, mixed and reimagined. In 2015, ESA astronaut Samantha Cristoforetti carried ISO’s music to the International Space Station.

internationalspaceorchestra.com

About the SETI Institute

Founded in 1984, the SETI Institute is a non-profit, multi-disciplinary research and education organization whose mission is to lead humanity’s quest to understand the origins and prevalence of life and intelligence in the Universe and to share that knowledge with the world. Our research encompasses the physical and biological sciences and leverages expertise in data analytics, machine learning and advanced signal detection technologies. The SETI Institute is a distinguished research partner for industry, academia and government agencies, including NASA and NSF.

About the California Academy of Sciences

The California Academy of Sciences is a renowned scientific and educational institution with a mission to regenerate the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration. Based in San Francisco’s Golden Gate Park, it is home to a world-class aquarium, planetarium, and natural history museum, as well as innovative programs in scientific research and environmental education—all under one living roof. Museum hours are 9:30 am – 5:00 pm Monday – Saturday, and 11:00 am – 5:00 pm on Sunday. Admission includes all exhibits, programs, and shows. For daily ticket prices, please visit www.calacademy.org or call (415) 379-8000 for more information.

About Nelly Ben Hayoun Studios

Founded in 2009, Nelly Ben Hayoun Studios is a multidisciplinary creative studio known for disrupting systems and sparking radical imagination. The studio creates subversive, multifaceted events, experiences and feature-length films at the intersection of science, technology, politics, art, music and performance. Working independently and with international institutions, brands and collaborators, it builds platforms that support countercultures, critical thinking and pluralistic and queer futures.

nellyben.com/studio

About Villa Albertine

Villa Albertine is an institution of the French Embassy in the United States, supported by the French government and Albertine Foundation. Its mission is to strengthen ties between the United States, France and the French-speaking world through culture and education. Present in ten major US cities, including San Francisco, it offers exploratory residencies, professional programmes, public events and support for creators, thinkers and cultural professionals.

In 2027, Villa Albertine San Francisco is pleased to host Nelly Ben Hayoun Stépanian in residency while they complete research for their project Heartsnatcher.

villa-albertine.org

A MISSION FOR CULTURE IN SPACE

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