SONOLUME
SONOLUME is a keyboard connected wirelessly to an immersive field of light and sound. 12 acrylic glass panels are hung in frames, each corresponding to specific notes — lighting up in a variety of harmonic colors, while at the same time emitting the sound of the note. Using innovative exciter technology, the panels themselves act as speakers, transforming every tone into a glowing, vibrating presence in space. For centuries, artists have been fascinated by the idea that sound and colour might be intrinsically linked. Composers and painters such as Alexander Scriabin, Olivier Messiaen and Wassily Kandinsky explored synesthetic correspondences between tone and hue, and were exploring ideas to project light alongside music.
SONOLUME continues this vision as a playful, immersive and physical experience. Every key becomes a pulse of coloured light and sound as the music materializes around you.
Guest musicians can take the stage to perform concerts, pushing the installation to its full expressive potential. Outside these performances, visitors are invited to play the keyboard themselves or move freely through the installation, listening to others as they play. Moving through the installation is like walking inside a living score — music you can not only hear but see and feel.
“What struck me immediately was how instinctively people were drawn to SONOLUME.
Everyone wanted to play. Even those who had never sat at a keyboard or piano before. There’s something incredibly rewarding about seeing sound and light respond so directly to your touch. It lowers the threshold, removes hesitation, and invites curiosity.
Even when people felt unsure about actually playing, they would explore the light and colours, which in turn gently pulled them closer to the instrument itself. Watching people try it out was just as gratifying as playing it myself. Especially since it happened to be my favorite instrument: keys.”
Corné de Wolf - composer / pianist
“SONOLUME completely intrigued me from the very first note.
It’s astonishingly responsive; every touch of the keys translates instantly into colour and sound, making it feel wonderfully alive in your hands.
What I love most is that you’re not just sending music out toward an audience — you’re shaping it all around them. I’ve never experienced anything quite like it.”
Tim Vine - pianist, keyboard player (Simply Red, Terence Trent D’Arby, Moloko, …)
Footprint: Between 12mx8m to 25x15m
Flat and stable ground necessary
Outdoor or indoor possible
Frame dimensions: H2m x W1m
Each panel is mounted inside a black wooden frame, cable-free operation, no on-site mains power required.
The installation runs on rechargeable power tool batteries. One set of batteries can last for up to 6h operation. Changeover of battery sets: 3mins.