Saturday April 26 2025 th
HIGHWAY LIGHTS
An Immersive Aural & Visual Experience presented by
HIGHWAY LIGHTS
Composer Justin Sherburn created "Highway Lights" in 2020 as a response to the urgent need for connection during the pandemic. This project evolved from living room livestreams with collaborator Sara Nelson into an immersive blend of chamber music, electronic meditation, and symphonic storytelling. The first piece, “Texas Workforce Commission Hold Music,” humorously addressed pandemic bureaucracy while expressing deeper sentiments. "Highway Lights" features Sherburn's sweeping, slowburning compositions using analog synthesizers, expanding the sound palette to create intimate yet vast pieces.
Sara’s role is central. A classically trained cellist with decades of experience, she interprets Sherburn’s compositions with nuance, grace, and restraint. The couple’s creative synergy grounds the project in trust and lived collaboration.
Their latest work, inspired by the moons of Saturn, reflects Sara’s longtime fascination with space and science fiction. Each movement captures the unique character of a moon—glacial stillness, volcanic turbulence, or submerged alien oceans—rendered through sound.
Paul Baker (Vision System) enhances performances with real-time visual projections that add texture and atmosphere without directing the experience. There’s no set narrative or rehearsal; instead, trust between the artists fosters a live, unscripted journey. Sherburn appreciates this collaboration, noting the freedom it brings, as he doesn’t need to manage or direct Baker’s contributions, ensuring a harmonious outcome.
“I
think of it like a cello concerto, Sara is the soloist. The synths are the orchestra.” -
Sherburn
Venue plays a key role, too. At a space like Sertodo Copper, the cello reverberates differently, the synths bloom, and the audience becomes part of the atmosphere. Sherburn, who also runs Rocket Cinema, brings a producer’s ear to every detail, ensuring the music resonates both physically and emotionally.
In the end, Highway Lights is an invitation to pause, to listen, and to drift beyond the orbit of daily life. It’s a chance to reconnect with something beyond the ordinary, to allow yourself the space to reflect, to explore the unknown, and to experience a fleeting sense of wonder. In a world that rushes by, Highway Lights asks you to slow down, let go, and embrace the beauty of stillness, allowing the music and visuals to guide you to new, uncharted places.
Paul Baker / Vision System Visual Artist · Projection Alchemist
Under the alias Vision System, Baker performs live visuals using 35mm slides, small gauge film, analog video gear, and digital means only when necessary. There’s no CGI. Nothing slick. Nothing sterile. Just tactile visuals unfolding in real time.
Special thanks to Jonathan Beall of Sertodo Copper
Since 1997, Sertodo Copper has been producing high-quality copper goods in Austin, Texas, and Santa Clara del Cobre, Michoacan. Crafted by master artisans, their products prioritize beauty and durability, aiming to become heirlooms. With warm patinas and polished finishes, these items enhance experiences in entertaining, cooking, and family gatherings.
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