It is the travelling tent that has successfully welcomed "Sounds in the Dark" and its spectators since 2017. Supported by one of Switzerland's longest-established associations based in St. Gallen, OBVITA, it has been proclaiming its slogan "We have been creating quality of life" for 118 years.

After a little more than a century it meets the "Sound Light" of "Sounds in the Dark", with a completely new meeting point between blind and sighted people. The Black Igloo arrived at Ascona Jazz Festival in 2018, and suddenly the audience found itself immersed in an imagistic and surprising world, through several international guests who alternate with each show.

In the thick structure of the Black Igloo, the sun rays are not able to nullify the sound magic, so do the guest artists as well: Ellen Birath (Sweden), Quyana Linell (USA), Luiz Meira (Brazil), Rocco Lombardi (CH), Alexey Marti (Cuba) are fascinated and enchanted by a surreal experience that they still recount with enthusiasm.

Black Igloo can be positioned several days and in any season of the year, ideal to gather during meetings and festivals a curious audience also sensitive to disability issues.

Listeners are accompanied by blind guides, and inside, Ticino musicians Sandro Schneebeli and Max Pizio, have the task of making listeners travel through a sound itinerary of the various musical cultures of the world. The participants enter the tent without having any point of reference other than the hand of the blind person accompanying them.

There is no orientation, one cannot see one another among the audience and one cannot see the musicians doing their best with different musical instruments.

 

Corriere della sera, IT
ALY"

As if the notes took shape and could be seen. Listening to music, in the deepest black of midnight, is like separating the individual notes of each chord and putting them together a bit at a time, until you hear the whole melody, instrument by instrument. It's called "Sounds in the Dark."