I’ve had a lot of moments in my life lately that have prompted me to hope and wait for the movie script ending or the sitcom laugh track that, unfortunately, does not exist in real life. This phenomenon dates back to my childhood, when I would narrate my daily activities and imagine what soundtrack I would include as I moved through time. What is interesting are the rare and very special instances of everyone’s life where no great film or TV show could rightly capture or improve upon the exact moment that you are present in. Being a photographer, myself, these happenings can feel frustrating, but I also believe that the more we have of them, the luckier we are.

Imagine being able to curate these moments. Imagine the ability to fill your life with as much beauty and love possible. There are certain projects I hear about that carry with them the potential for these instances, where every piece falls into place and a large group of people are turned into a fleeting moment of pure magic. One such project is “Unsilent Night,” an original composition by Phil Kline that is transformed into a moving sound sculpture by requiring audience participation. The 45-minute piece, meant to be heard outdoors during the month of December, consists of four tracks that are played simultaneously on a multitude of different machines as participants stroll along a predetermined path. Audience members are asked to bring anything that can amplify sound as well as accommodate with a cassette tape or CD. The sound and shape of the work varies greatly upon the number of people, the machines and the landscape/architecture that surrounds them. “Unsilent Night” originated in New York in 1992 and is now an international tradition. Ringside Creative, an integrated media studio based in Oak Park, is bringing it back to Detroit for the second year in a row. The performance will take place on Friday, Dec. 9 at 7 p.m. starting at 1515 Broadway and ending in Grand Circus Park. This event is open to the public. There is no charge to participate. RSVPs can be made to [email protected] or through Facebook by searching Unsilent Night Detroit. To learn more about “Unsilent Night,” please visit unsilentnight.com.