BY KAREN BOSSICK
Sun Valley’s dark skies will get a musical treatment on Wednesday when environmental philosopher Kimberly Dill and musician Kishi Bashi present Music in the Dark: An Immersive & Educational Dark Sky Program.
The two will start a two-part program off at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, July 3, at Ketchum’s Community Library. There, Dill will discuss the ecological, psychological and ethical importance of preserving natural darkness.
Dill, assistant professor in the Department of Philosophy at Santa Clara University, is currently articulating a series of arguments in defense of biodiversity, forest and dark night sky conservation, drawing heavily from the work of indigenous peoples and their traditional ecological land management.
She will ask such questions as: Are dark forests brimming with danger? Is nighttime to be feared? Or does darkness contain budding potential with awe-inspiring starlit skies and nocturnal creatures that make their own unique music providing stimulating discovery for those brave enough to explore it?
She will also examine how light pollution negatively impacts human health and the animals, plants and fungi that need darkness to thrive.
Those who would like to see the program in person can RSVP at https://thecommunitylibrary.libcal.com/event/12639322. The program also will be livestreamed and recorded for later viewing at https://vimeo.com/event/4413361.
Once the sun sets, Dill and Bashi, whose given name is Kaoru Ishibashi, will head to the parking lot of Sawtooth National Recreation Area headquarters seven miles north of Ketchum where they will craft an immersive, outdoors musical soundscape cloaked in natural darkness beginning about 9 p.m.
Dill will talk more about the importance of dark skies, while Bashi, a singer, multi-instrumentalist and songwriter will respond with live, improvised acoustic music.
Bashi, a Seattle native who grew up in Norfolk, Va., studied film scoring at Berklee College of Music before becoming a violinist. He has recorded and toured internationally with such artists as Reginia Spektor and the Athens, Ga.-based indie rock band Montreal. His albums have been featured in NPR Music, The Wall street Journal and The Guardian.
His first new full album in five years, “Kantos,” is due out Aug. 23.
To register for that event, go to https://thecommunitylibrary.libcal.com/event/12639327. Participants should bring camp chairs, blankets, binoculars and other stargazing tools.
SIP ‘N SHOP FOR THE LIBRARY
J. McLaughlin will donate 15 percent of all sales between noon and 4 p.m. Friday, July 14, to The Community Library.
The shop will offer up sips, and online sales count, as well.
J McLaughlin is located at 540 E. 4th St., catty-corner from Atkinsons’ Market in Ketchum.