Tower Sounds: Ancient Voices and Electronics > About

The eight-story-high Ann Hamilton Tower took 12 years to plan, design, and build, requiring 2000 tons of concrete. Windows of various shapes and sizes let in light and allow sound to be heard outside the tower walls as well. Inside are two spiral staircases, in a "double helix" arrangement, which provide unique performance venue, with the performer occupying one staircase, free to move up and down, while the audience rests on the other, gazing into the reflecting pool below.

Originally commissioned as an installation by the Judah L. Magnes Museum in Berkeley, the performance, composed and directed by Shahrokh Yadegari, has a strong Persian influence with a strong message of tolerance and peace. The poetry used in the work are two poems of Mawlana (Rumi) and an old Jewish prayer. Sophisticated electro-acoustics, which have sprung from concepts found in traditional Persian music and poetry, will also be an integral part of the piece.

The event will take place on Oliver's Ranch in Sonoma County. Steven Oliver, philanthropist and art collector, has served as the chair of the board of trustees of San Francisco Museum of Modern Arts. Although he holds tours and performances from time to time, Oliver's Ranch is not open to the public. Currently on Oliver's Ranch, there are artworks by some of the most influential artists of our time such as, Richard Serra, Bruce Nauman, David Rabinowitch, and Ann Hamilton.