Bottle Orchestra


Music for glass bottles, voice, and chladni plate.



Glass bottles were filled with varying levels of wax to create different notes when blown across. These notes were selected to be in tune with the resonant frequencies of the Chladni Plate. Music was then written using these frequencies to accompany a new Chladni song.

This piece was performed as part of a Sun Ceremony made by David Wilson at The Berkeley Art Museum in 2010.


A color-coded notation system for the orchestra.

Bottle Players: Isaiah Saxon, Sean Hellfritsch, Cole Bush, Rob Wilson, Asia Wong, Gwyneth Merner, Matt Erickson, and John Ward.

Photos by Terri Loewenthal