To The Sun
Presented by Berkeley Center for New Media (BCNM)
with Chris Chafe, composer, Tiffany Ng, master Carillonist, and Greg Niemeyer, data artist and Professor of Media Innovation, he Department of Art Practice at UC Berkeley
A participatory Carillon concert event at Sather Tower, UC Berkeley
Two essential elements make life on Earth possible: the Sun’s energy and the abundance of water. Yet, the Sun’s inner workings remain obscured by enormous distance and heat. To uncover its mysteries, NASA launched the Parker Solar Probe, which has now reached its solar orbit and will continue to send us observations for the next 100 years. These observations provide groundbreaking scientific insights and also reveal stunningly beautiful images of a world beyond our imagination—and at the very core of all life.
PSP is the fastest human-made object ever, traveling at 430,000 mph, and the first spacecraft to fly through the sun’s atmosphere—a daring mission to understand solar winds and space weather that impact Earth.
To The Sun celebrates this extraordinary journey with an interactive Carillon performance premiering at UC Berkeley on April 11, 2025, 12 noon at Sather Tower. The event features music composed by Chris Chafe, performed by master Carillonist Tiffany Ng, and an interactive web app by Greg Niemeyer that allows audiences to play along with the Carillon while experiencing the Parker Solar Probe’s breathtaking journey—from Earth to the Sun, past Venus and Mercury, through plasma storms, dust rings, and intense magnetic fields.
NASA’s Open Science Program Scientist, Dr. Chelle Gentemann, guided the project scientifically, noting: “We've never been this close to the Sun before. The probe’s journey becomes our journey when we share the data and create ways for everyone to experience it more directly—through music, performance, video, and participation.”
UC Berkeley students William Wu and Faye Held helped develop the web app and visualizations.
After the premiere at UC Berkeley, the concert will tour to other Carillons, including at the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
This unique and rare event is free and open to the public.
“To The Sun” was co-developed on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of the Berkeley Center for New Media by Greg Niemeyer (Professor of Media Innovation, UC Berkeley), Chris Chafe (Duca Family Professor, Center for Computer Research in Music and Acoustics, Stanford University), Chelle Gentemann (Program Scientist, NASA Office of the Chief Science Data Officer), Tiffany Ng (University Carillonist, University of Michigan), William Wu (UC Berkeley), and Faye Held (UC Berkeley).
Accessibility
BCNM events are free and open to the public. This event will be held in-person, on the UC Berkeley campus. We strive to meet all access and accommodation needs. Please contact info.bcnm [at] berkeley.edu with requests or questions.
BCNM is proud to make conversations with leading scholars, artists, and technologists freely available to the public. Please help us continue this tradition by making a tax-deductible donation today. If you are in the position to support the program, we suggest $5 per event, or $100 a year.