Interdisciplinary Dome Content Creation for an Immersive Concert Experience
Project Overview
Summary: This personal project was an opportunity to reimagine the classical music concert experience. Given the chance to bring my vision and passion to a planetarium dome, I accepted the challenge. In collaboration with Colombian pianist Manuela Osorno, we presented the works of Debussy (Images) and Ravel (Miroirs) as an immersive experience in the dome of the Bogotá Planetarium, where music and animated illustration, along with storytelling elements, converged to connect with the audience.
Project Title: Francia en el piano: sonidos y retratos
✦ Role: Illustrator, Animator, Dome Content Creator, Project Manager.
✦ Industries: Music Performance, Live Music, Immersive Media, Illustration, Animation, Full-Dome Content, Classical Music.
✦ Year: 2023
Deliverables:
✦ Created 11 original animated illustrations designed specifically for the full-dome format.
✦ Oversaw the project from concept to completion, managing timelines and resolving issues.
What if you could experience live music as an audience through an immersive dome experience that simulates entering a new world? A world you can see, hear, and feel all around you?
Stakeholders: VI Festival Internacional de Música Clásica de Bogotá, Teatro Julio Mario Santodomingo, Planetario de Bogotá, Claudia García, Manuela Osorno.
Venue: Bogotá Planetarium
Objective: The goal of the concert was to present the works of Debussy and Ravel by combining the auditory and visual stimuli in an immersive and interdisciplinary experience, taking advantage of the possibilities offered by a space such as a dome. In addition, the concert was presented as a children’s and family experience to make classical music more accessible and appealing to younger audiences and those experiencing live classical music for the first time.
Challenges: Manuela and I submitted the proposal for a traditional concert venue for the festival. The possibility of presenting the concert in the dome brought challenges, such as adapting the illustrations to a spherical and large format for the dome in a very short time. To create a more immersive experience, I learned about animation to achieve movement and play with the audience’s attention while achieving a balance that would not overshadow but rather highlight the music and the pianist.
We also faced limited rehearsal time at the venue for technical testing and uncertainty about the quality of the piano for the performance.
Despite these obstacles, the project successfully delivered an innovative and educational experience for audiences of all ages.
Approach to Dome Content Creation
To bring this project to life, I first attended a Dome Content Creation Lab at the Bogotá Planetarium. I gained a deeper understanding of how to design for the dome’s unique spherical format. This helped me refine the visual approach needed for the planetarium’s large, immersive screen.
Rather than simply projecting visuals “inspired” by the music of Debussy and Ravel, I wanted to capture the pianist’s connection to these pieces. Together, we closely analyzed the score, noting key musical moments that could be visually enhanced. I then compiled our notes into a guiding script, carefully aligning each animation with the music to create an immersive experience.
I imagined Manuela at the center of the platform, her head becoming the projector. The images I created were projections of her mind – a visualization of the intimate relationship she shared with the music. Manuela’s deep connection with the visuals allowed her to synchronize during the concert with the transitions I had planned based on her rehearsal recordings.
Coordination with festival organizers and planetarium staff was essential to ensure technical compatibility and optimal use of the dome’s projection capabilities.
The production was completed in six months, with two days of technical testing to ensure compatibility with the dome’s projection system and an immersive and engaging visual and musical experience for the audience.
Tools:
– Dome Projection Software: Amateras Dome Player
– Digital Illustration: Wacom Intuos Pro
– Illustration Software: Adobe Fresco, Adobe Photoshop
– Animation Tools: Adobe After Effects
Results and Impact
✦ Animated Illustrations for Full Dome: Successfully created and projected 11 large-scale animated illustrations in the planetarium dome.
✦ Engaging Concert Experience: Delivered a captivating and immersive concert experience that blended live music with visuals.
✦ Positive Feedback: Received positive feedback from audiences, festival organizers, and planetarium technical staff, who appreciated the innovative approach and immersive quality of the performance.
✦ Educational Value: The project enhanced the accessibility of classical music by creating an experience that resonated with families and young audiences, achieved its educational goals, and sparked a lasting curiosity for live music.
✦ Enhanced Musical Connection: Strengthened the audience’s connection to the music of Debussy and Ravel by combining visually immersive storytelling with live piano performance, enriching the emotional depth and engagement of the experience.
✦ Interdisciplinary Integration: Demonstrated the potential of integrating multiple art forms—classical music, visual art, storytelling, and animation—in an unconventional venue such as a planetarium dome.
✦ New Possibilities for the Concert Experience: Introduced an interdisciplinary approach to the traditional concert experience. This interdisciplinary model can be replicated in similar venues to create engaging and immersive experiences for diverse audiences.
“This was my first time in a dome, and the concert experience was amazing. The artists blended visuals and live music in a way I had never seen before.”
Stella Giraldo / Concert Attendee
Reflections
Learnings: This project provided invaluable experience in large-scale illustration, animation, and immersive concert design.
Adapting illustrations for a giant and spherical canvas improved my technical and artistic skills. At the same time, the transition from a traditional screen to a full-dome format required quick thinking and adaptability.
This experience highlighted the importance of flexibility and a willingness to learn new skills quickly—both critical to the success of the project.
In addition, a focus on human-centered design ensured that the visual and musical elements worked together to resonate with the audience, enhancing their engagement and overall experience.
Future Applications: The skills I developed in animation, dome content creation, and large-scale illustration are highly adaptable to various interdisciplinary projects and immersive concert experiences. This project has unlocked new possibilities for innovative concerts and educational programs in unconventional venues, demonstrating the transformative potential of cross-disciplinary collaborations that blend music, visual arts, storytelling, and technology. I hope this will inspire artists to push creative boundaries and cultivate powerful collaborations across art forms and disciplines, enriching artistic expression and deepening connections with audiences.
Looking ahead, I am excited to explore more ways to deepen the live concert experience in domes through the use of emerging technologies, such as creative coding and augmented reality, to create even more immersive and interactive environments for audiences.
Conclusion
This project was a turning point for me in understanding how technology and unconventional spaces can transform how audiences experience classical music. Seeing children and families captivated by the interaction of music and visuals in the planetarium reinforced my belief that art can bridge worlds old and new, traditional and digital. As I look to the future, I’m inspired to continue finding ways to make classical music and other art forms accessible and engaging, creating spaces where audiences feel part of the story being told around them.
