Grace Cathedral

“Even in its presence, this symphony does not exist” – Yves Klein

Over 1000 people jumped at the chance to see a rare performance of Yves Klein’s groundbreaking Monotone-Silence Symphony, and filled the cathedral on Thursday, January 12 to hear 20 minutes of a single note, sung and orchestrated, followed by 20 minutes of meditative silence. Performed only once during Klein’s brief lifetime, this extraordinary piece was presented for the first time in San Francisco and only the third time in the U.S., in collaboration with Lévy Gorvy, Artsy and the Yves Klein Archives and as part of the FOG Design +Art fair.

The performance, conducted by Petr Kotik, has garnered much buzz and rave reviews from the likes of Vogue, Forbes, the San Francisco Chronicle, San Francisco Classical Voice and more!

San Francisco Classical Voice
“You might expect boredom out of a performance titled Monotone – Silence Symphony. But 60-plus musicians and conductor Petr Kotik entranced a Thursday night audience at Grace Cathedral with the curiously dynamic sound of a single chord and then silence, each lasting 20 minutes.”

ARTnews
“Fog presented a series of discussions about design and architecture and performances, perhaps none more impressive than a reenactment of Yves Klein’s Monotone-Silence Symphony at Grace Cathedral… Consisting of musicians holding a chord for 20 minutes and then remaining silent for 20 minutes, the piece and its stunning, spiritual location were a poignant counterpoint to the hustle and bustle of the fairs.”