On September 12 and 19, Improv Everywhere is staging Surrounding, a new participatory project at the New York Botanical Garden in The Bronx. All are invited to be a part of it!

Surrounding is an interactive musical event where a crowd of participants uses Bluetooth speakers to create an epic surround sound experience. The Surrounding app synchronizes playback of several unique, but coordinated, music tracks and enables participants to add their own sounds to the mix. Surrounding is a one-of-a-kind musical experience both for participants and those who encounter the performance.

A cousin to our Mp3 Experiment series, Surrounding is inspired by The Flaming Lips’ boombox experiments from the 1990s and their groundbreaking album Zaireeka, in which music was composed to be played on four CDs simultaneously.

Surrounding features music by Peter Bayne, and it is created by Improv Everywhere’s founder, Charlie Todd, and composer and app developer Tyler Walker, the duo behind The Mp3 Experiment.

This project is taking place in tandem with the breathtaking NYBG exhibit KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature.

Participation Details

– Participants must purchase a “KUSAMA Garden Pass” to the New York Botanical Garden (a gallery pass is not necessary unless you want to see the entire Kusama show). Purchase passes for one of our two performance dates: Sunday, September 12 and Sunday, September 19. Purchase passes here.

– Surrounding is happening at 1:00, 2:00, and 3:00 PM on both days.

– Visit the Surrounding tent at the Library Lawn 15 minutes prior to performance time to join the experience. Map here.

– A smartphone is required for participation. You will need to download the Surrounding app on iOS or Android.

– If you have a portable Bluetooth speaker, please bring it with you. A limited number of Bluetooth speakers will be available for participants to borrow. If you are not bringing your own speaker, please arrive early to ensure you receive one.

– Surrounding lasts approximately 20 minutes and is appropriate for all-ages. It primarily takes place on a grass surface.

– Participants are encouraged to spend the day at the Garden enjoying the KUSAMA: Cosmic Nature exhibit and all that the NYBG has to offer!

– Surrounding is completely outdoors and socially distanced.

We hope to see you there!