Summer Solstice 2024 coincides with a Full Moon, bringing the luminaries of dawn and dusk into perfect polarity and poetic dialogue on the longest day of the year. The Sun, enduring and constant through the ages, and the Moon, shape-shifting every night, invite us to contemplate the annual turning of the seasons that the Sun initiates and the monthly Lunar journey that shapes intimate growth cycles.

We ponder: How many solstices have the redwoods seen? How long has the Sun shone upon them, contributing warmth, growth, and stimulating photosynthesis? How many Lunar phases have illuminated and shadowed the forests at night? Do redwoods dream?

Vocalist Debbie Stapleton and multi-instrumentalist Brian James present a two-part sonic experience inspired by these themes, co-creating spontaneous compositions by building layers of circular loops that evoke the radiance of the Sun and the mysterious mood of the Moon. The journey culminates with an invitation to the community to contribute to the composition, engaging in a dialogue with the cosmos as the sun sets and the moon rises, transporting us from kronos (linear clock time) into kairos (the eternal and sacred moment).

This event is a part of Redwood Time, a multi-year project made possible with support from California Humanities, a non-profit partner of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Visit www.calhum.org. Any views, findings, conclusions, or recommendations expressed in the Redwood Time program do not necessarily represent those of California Humanities or the National Endowment for the Humanities.