Belgian beer Stella Artois today introduced the Chalice Symphony, a collaboration between Stella Artois, MIT sonic inventor Andy Cavatorta, and indie rock band Cold War Kids.
Over the past year, Cavatorta has pored over hundreds of the iconic Stella Artois Chalices to craft four fully-functional music instruments inspired by elements of the glassware: the Hive, the Pryophone, the Star Harp, and the Violina.
For a limited time, the instruments are on display in a gallery setting on Manhattan’s Lower East Side.
[ Also Read: Diageo to Star at the Bar on Oscar Night ]
Incorporating the unique sounds from these instruments, renowned band Cold War Kids has written a new song, “A Million Eyes,” a soulful ballad performed using the Chalice Symphony instruments.
“Chalice is not only beautiful design, but can sound beautiful as well,” said Debora Koyama, VP, Stella Artois.
Andy Cavatorta is a New York-based designer and inventor focusing largely on interactive design, robotics and film.
He is a graduate of the MIT Media Lab and recently spent a year collaborating with Bjork. For Stella Artois, he designed instruments that emphasize four discrete elements of the Stella Artois Chalice.
These include:
- The Hive takes its name from the instrument’s unique shape and sound, resembling a soft xylophone.
- The Pryophone adds depth to the symphony with a deep whistling sound, like a boat horn.
- The Star Harp uses robotics to play a harp-like sound using strings and the Stella Artois Chalice. “Stella” means “star” in Latin.
- The Violina leverages a higher-pitched string sound, resembling a violin for the symphony.
The Chalice Symphony is a global campaign for Stella Artois debuting in more than 35 markets worldwide.
