The International Space Orchestra – will be coming together to perform with American Singer BECK on 20th May 2013. Blending space science, planet-poking and bluegrass-playing spacecraft operators, the world’s first orchestra composed of space scientists –is about to  lift off  from San Francisco’s Davies Symphony Hall!

See Pop Up Magazine video about the show HERE

Come and join us for a very special performance, as part of the special ‘Song Reader’ Issue by POP-UP MAGAZINE and MC SWEENEY’S! 2,700 seats SOLD OUT in one minute.

The International Space Orchestra (ISO) is a team of space scientists from the NASA Ames Research Center, Singularity University, International Space University and theSETI Institute. In the summer of 2012 in California, ISO performed Ground Control: An Opera in Space composed by a team including DAMON ALBARN (frontman of Blur and Gorillaz), BOBBY WOMACK, ARTHUR JEFFES from PENGUIN CAFE, MAYWA DENK, and two-time Grammy award winner EVAN PRICE, with a libretto by science- fiction author BRUCE STERLING. Amongst the members of ISO were a NASA Flight Controller conducting arias, a Payload Officer playing a baritone saxophone, a Capsule Communicator playing the triangle, a NASA center Deputy Director playing the gong and an astronaut playing percussion.

ISO’s first performance of Ground Control: An Opera in Space  took place in front of the world’s largest wind-tunnel at the  NASA Ames Research Center and its second in downtown San José as part of the ZERO1 Biennial, North America’s most significant showcase of work at the nexus of art and technology. In addition, Ground Control: An Opera in Space was recorded at Skywalker Ranch, George Lucas’ studio and in January 2013, the International Space Orchestra feature film (66 minutes) had its world premiere at the prestigious Rotterdam International Film Festival.

The International Space Orchestra acts as  an experiential and hybrid research laboratory, where space scientists have been invited to implement, deconstruct, perform, sing, mix, modify, and design musical acts in scientifically built environment such as control rooms. It is a provocation to action: a call to imagine and disrupt future human relations to science; to adapt science to our creative needs.

The International Space Orchestra is directed, created and co-produced by Nelly Ben Hayoun Studio

ISO Musical Director is Evan Price

ISO Choir Conductor is Jimmy Kansau

with special feature: duduk player Shea A.J Comfort

ISO logo and Patch design by David Benqué

With support by Montalvo Arts Center, Lucas’ residency where Nelly Ben Hayoun is a fellow

Nelly Ben Hayoun is the designer of Experiences at SETI Institute, CA, USA (working with Dr.Janice Bishop and Dr. Franck Marchis)

See more on the ISO on our website: www.groundcontrol-opera.com