Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night will light up Rittenhouse Square this December

Phil Kline’s Unsilent Night returns to the streets of Philadelphia this December, this time for a promenade around Rittenhouse Square. Described as a “public sound sculpture” where the audience becomes the performer, the event has been held every December since 1992 in cities around the world.

Kline’s original composition was written with the intention of being heard outdoors in the month of December. Each participant gets one of four tracks in cassette, CD, or mp3 form, and must bring either a boombox, a portable speaker, or anything else that can amplify sound. Played simultaneously, the four tracks comprise Unsilent Night, building a composition that sounds different from every listener’s perspective.

On his inspiration for starting Unsilent Night, Kline says, “It was a combination of my love for experimental electronic music and memories of Christmas caroling as a kid in Ohio.”

Philadelphia’s Unsilent Night installation is presented by the local Relâche music ensemble. Participants can gather for the free event at 5:30 p.m. on December 21 in the center of Rittenhouse Square. Find more information at unsilentnight.com and download the Unsilent Night app if you plan on attending.