Music of the Spheres: The First Exo-Earths with the Kepler Space Telescope

Each summer Lick Observatory hosts the Music of the Spheres concert series. Program for each includes the concert, a talk by a University of California astronomer about current research and, weather permitting, viewing with the historic 36-inch Great Lick Refractor and the Nickel 40-inch telescope. A knowledgeable group of local amateur astronomer volunteers provide additional viewing of the sky and informal discussion of astronomy.

Ancient Future is the first and longest running organization dedicated exclusively to creating world fusion music. The term was coined by bandleader Matthew Montfort in 1978 to describe Ancient Future's unusual blend of musical traditions from around the world. Billboard calls the group "trendsetters" for their early contributions to world fusion.

This concert features elements of the music of Spain, India, and the Arab diaspora, showcasing concepts such as taqsim (an Arabic method of melodic improvisation), tala (the recurring rhythmic cycles of Indian classical music), and compás (the rhythmic structure of flamenco).

Speaker: Geoff March, UC Berkeley