Buffalo Bayou Partnership

Underground Sounds: DACAMERA
2023-10-07 16:00 - 16:30, 2023-10-08 16:00 - 16:30, 2023-10-08 17:30 - 18:00 UTC | BUFFALO BAYOU PARK CISTERN, 105 Sabine Street, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
UPDATE: All DACAMERA performances are now SOLD OUT! For any additional guests wishing to attend, we will be taking an in-person, first-come-first-served waiting list beginning exactly 30 minutes prior to each performance time.
The next “Underground Sounds” is with vocalist Alexandra Smither and bassist Austin Lewellen on October 26 – 29 . Tickets are available starting Friday, September 29 at 9am.
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Join us for Underground Sounds, a unique music series in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern!
This fall, four Houston-based music organizations will perform specially composed or arranged works that highlight the remarkable natural acoustics of the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern.
About this program: DACAMERA has commissioned Houston composer Mark Buller (an alumnus of the DACAMERA Young Artist Program) to create a new, site-specific work for the Cistern which will be performed by current DACAMERA Young Artists.
Tickets available starting Friday, September 8 at 9am.
Cost: $25
Performance Times:

October 5 at 7pm
October 6 at 7pm
October 7 at 4pm
October 7 at 5:30pm
October 8 at 4pm
October 8 at 5:30pm

DACAMERA is an internationally recognized producer and presenter of chamber music and jazz, committed to bringing its audiences transformative musical experiences. DACAMERA’s Education and Community Initiatives have received national attention for its Young Artist Program, a professional development program for outstanding musicians that emphasizes community advocacy and brings Young Artist-teachers into classrooms, introducing music into STEM and humanities lessons.

Underground Sounds: Alexandra Smither and Austin Lewellen
2023-10-27 19:30 - 20:00, 2023-10-28 18:30 - 19:00, 2023-10-29 17:00 - 17:30, 2023-10-29 18:30 - 19:00 UTC | BUFFALO BAYOU PARK CISTERN, 105 Sabine Street, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
Update: Tickets for the Underground Sounds with vocalist Alexandra Smither and bassist Austin Lewellen performances are SOLD OUT. For any additional guests wishing to attend, we will be taking a first-come-first-served waiting list beginning exactly 30 minutes prior to each performance time.
Join us for Underground Sounds, a unique music series in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern!
This fall, four Houston-based music organizations will perform specially composed or arranged works that highlight the remarkable natural acoustics of the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern.
About this program: A collaborative creation between soprano Alexandra Smither and double bassist Austin Lewellen, this program, entitled Ground/Water, will include solo works from Éliane Radigue’s Occam series, complemented by a co-composed work written in collaboration with Houston poet, Aris Kian, that meditates on water and the Cistern and encourages audience participation.
Tickets available starting Friday, September 29 at 9am.
Cost: $25
Performance Times:

October 26 at 6:30pm
October 27 at 7:30pm
October 28 at 5pm
October 28 at 6:30pm
October 29 at 5pm
October 29 at 6:30pm

Alexandra Smither and Austin Lewellen are a vocalist/double bass duo. An adventurous performer and one of the CBC’s 2017 “30 Young Hot Classical Musicians Under 30”, Canadian soprano Smither is a fresh fixture on the worldwide stage. From the thorniest contemporary scores to the lyricism of Mozart, Smither brings her artistry and intellect to every engagement. Double bassist Lewellen’s interests lie primarily in the creation of living music, through active collaboration with composers. He is most at home in small ensembles, recording studios, and opera pits, though his technique has a firm grounding in the orchestral tradition of the Common Practice Era.

Underground Sounds: Alexandra Smither and Austin Lewellen
2023-10-28 17:00 - 17:30 UTC | BUFFALO BAYOU PARK CISTERN, 105 Sabine Street, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
Update: Tickets for the Underground Sounds with vocalist Alexandra Smither and bassist Austin Lewellen performances are SOLD OUT. For any additional guests wishing to attend, we will be taking a first-come-first-served waiting list beginning exactly 30 minutes prior to each performance time.
Join us for Underground Sounds, a unique music series in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern!
This fall, four Houston-based music organizations will perform specially composed or arranged works that highlight the remarkable natural acoustics of the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern.
About this program: A collaborative creation between soprano Alexandra Smither and double bassist Austin Lewellen, this program, entitled Ground/Water, will include solo works from Éliane Radigue’s Occam series, complemented by a co-composed work written in collaboration with Houston poet, Aris Kian, that meditates on water and the Cistern and encourages audience participation.
Tickets available starting Friday, September 29 at 9am.
Performance Times:

October 26 at 6:30pm
October 27 at 7:30pm
October 28 at 5pm
October 28 at 6:30pm
October 29 at 5pm
October 29 at 6:30pm

Alexandra Smither and Austin Lewellen are a vocalist/double bass duo. An adventurous performer and one of the CBC’s 2017 “30 Young Hot Classical Musicians Under 30”, Canadian soprano Smither is a fresh fixture on the worldwide stage. From the thorniest contemporary scores to the lyricism of Mozart, Smither brings her artistry and intellect to every engagement. Double bassist Lewellen’s interests lie primarily in the creation of living music, through active collaboration with composers. He is most at home in small ensembles, recording studios, and opera pits, though his technique has a firm grounding in the orchestral tradition of the Common Practice Era.

Underground Sounds: Musiqa
2023-11-09 19:30 - 20:00, 2023-11-10 19:30 - 20:00, 2023-11-11 18:30 - 19:00, 2023-11-12 17:30 - 18:00, 2023-11-12 18:30 - 19:00 UTC | BUFFALO BAYOU PARK CISTERN, 105 Sabine Street, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
UPDATE: All Musiqa performances are now SOLD OUT! For any additional guests wishing to attend, we will be taking an in-person, first-come-first-served waiting list beginning exactly 30 minutes prior to each performance time.
This concludes our ticket sales for the 2023 “Underground Sounds” series.
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Join us for Underground Sounds, a unique music series in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern!
This fall, four Houston-based music organizations will perform specially composed or arranged works that highlight the remarkable natural acoustics of the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern.
About this program: This Musiqa performance features the world premiere of a new composition by artist board member Pierre Jalbert that takes advantage of the Cistern’s unique reverberation. Performers include Jacob Schader (violin), Chris Ellis (cello), Nicholas Bissen (saxophone), Sophie Volpe (trombone) and Terry McKinney (percussion).
Tickets available starting Friday, October 13 at 9am.
Cost: $25
Performance Times:

November 9 at 7:30pm
November 10 at 7:30pm
November 11 at 5:30pm
November 11 at 6:30pm
November 12 at 5:30pm
November 12 at 6:30pm

Led by four composers, Musiqa’s mission is to enrich and inspire their community through programs that integrate new music with other modern art-forms. Each season, Musiqa programs a diverse series of public performances introducing Houston audiences to dynamic and challenging music by contemporary composers, making it one of the most active contemporary music ensembles in the United States.

Ripple Effect: A Collective Exhibition Opening Reception
2024-04-19 18:00 - 21:00 UTC | SUNSET COFFEE BUILDING, 1019 Commerce Street, Suite 200, Houston, TX, 77002, United States
You are invited to Ripple Effect, a collective exhibition organized by Anna Hazel showcasing works by local artists inspired by flora, fauna, and life along the bayou. A percentage of sales from every piece supports our efforts to ensure a cleaner, connected, active, and beautiful Buffalo Bayou. Join us and let’s make ripples of lasting impact on our environment together!
Learn more about Ripple Effect and participating artists here.
Location: Sunset Coffee Building (1019 Commerce St.)
The first 20 BBP Members will receive a special block print by Anna Hazel created specifically for Ripple Effect. Become a BBP Member and receive unique perks and much more!
RSVP

Ripple Effect: A Collective Exhibition
2024-04-20 10:00 - 16:00, 2024-04-21 10:00 - 16:00, 2024-04-22 10:00 - 16:00, 2024-04-23 10:00 - 16:00, 2024-04-24 10:00 - 16:00 UTC | SUNSET COFFEE BUILDING, 1019 Commerce Street, Suite 200, Houston, TX, 77002, United States
You are invited to Ripple Effect, a collective exhibition organized by Anna Hazel showcasing works by local artists inspired by flora, fauna, and life along the bayou. A percentage of sales from every piece supports our efforts to ensure a cleaner, connected, active, and beautiful Buffalo Bayou. Join us and let’s make ripples of lasting impact on our environment together!
Learn more about Ripple Effect and participating artists here.
Location: Sunset Coffee Building (1019 Commerce St.)
Stop by between 10am and 4pm to view the artworks on display.

Underground Sounds: Sam Nester
2025-03-13 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-03-14 18:30 - 20:00, 2025-03-15 17:30 - 19:00, 2025-03-16 17:30 - 19:00 UTC | BUFFALO BAYOU PARK CISTERN, 105 Sabine Street, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
Tickets for this performance are sold out. Next performance series, Three Names by Sarah Grace Graves, ticket release: May 16 at 9am.

Join us for Underground Sounds, a unique music series in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern!
This year, the series features national and international artists presenting compositions inspired by the vast, unique architecture of the Cistern and arranged especially for its extraordinary natural acoustics.

About This Program
Australian-born trumpet player, composer, and sound artist Sam Nester has created a site-specific musical composition for brass ensemble, designed to resonate within the historic Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. Nester’s piece unfolds gradually over 25 minutes, exploring the Cistern’s vast 87,500-square-foot space and its unique 19-second reverb. The composition accentuates the space’s cathedral-like acoustics, transforming it into an immersive, meditative experience centered on water and its profound significance—both in the Cistern’s history and within the broader global water crisis. Accompanying the live performance is an evolving light installation that deepens the sensory experience, encouraging audiences to reflect on the societal implications of water access. Globally, approximately 2 billion people lack access to clean drinking water, and in the United States, over 2 million individuals still face this challenge in their homes. Through this performance, Nester invites contemplation on the essential role of water and the urgent disparities in its availability.

Cost: $25
Performance Times:

March 13 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm – SOLD OUT
March 14 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm – SOLD OUT
March 15 at 5:30pm and 6:30pm – SOLD OUT
March 16 at 5:30pm and 6:30pm – SOLD OUT

About the Artist
Sam Nester is an Australian-born trumpet player, composer, and sound artist based in New York. His work explores the relationship between humans and the natural world, harnessing natural processes to create immersive sound installations and musical compositions. Since 2022, Nester has collaborated with policy officers from the European Commission Directorate-General for Environment and scientists from the Joint Research Centre on sound installations at the nexus of art, science, and policy.
He has been the artist-in-residence with NYU Abu Dhabi’s Center for Genomics & Systems Biology, Bruny Island (Australia), the US National Parks in Hawai’i, and Italy’s Festival of Arts Design Acerenza. His commissioned works include site-specific environmental sound installations and compositions for the US State Department, Colby College, George Mason University, EcoArt Project, the National Parks Arts Foundation, and the City of Hobart (Australia).
As a performer, Nester has appeared with Lincoln Center’s Mostly Mozart Festival & Lincoln Center Out of Doors, the Beijing Modern Music Festival, Paris Opera Ballet, Wordless Music Orchestra, Mark Morris Dance Group, Hawaii Symphony Orchestra, and the Kennedy Center in Washington DC. A Fulbright scholar, Nester earned his Master of Music and Doctor of Musical Arts from the Manhattan School of Music, receiving the Helen Cohn Award for outstanding performance. He serves on The Juilliard School and Manhattan School of Music faculty.

Tickets & Availability
Ticket release dates for this set of performances are listed above. For release dates for future performances, please check the Underground Sounds page. We recommend marking the ticket release dates and times on your calendar as tickets will sell out quickly.
Waitlist
For any additional guests wishing to attend a sold-out performance, we will be taking an in-person first-come-first-served waiting list beginning exactly 30 minutes before each performance time.
Ticket Refunds
All ticket purchases are final and non-refundable. Your purchase supports the work of Buffalo Bayou Partnership.

NIGHT LIGHT 2025
2025-03-29 20:00 - 22:00 (America/Chicago) | 333 SOUTH JENSEN DRIVE, 333 South Jensen Drive, Houston, TX, 77003, United States
Aurora Picture Show and Buffalo Bayou Partnership co-present this free annual event featuring video activations on structures along the Buffalo Bayou East waterfront. On March 29, Houston artists Saúl Hernández-Vargas, Diana-Sofia Estrada, and Isogram Media Studio, have been commissioned to create new, site-specific media installations along a half-mile stretch of bayou trails. There will also be a market featuring local food trucks, vendors, and music by DJ Felix. Join us for this festive, uniquely Houston experience!
FREE REGISTRATION
ESPAÑOL

About the Artists
Diana-Sofia Estrada is a Guatemalan American visual artist and educator born in Houston. Her paintings, animations, installations, and social practice works question our immediate visual culture. She has exhibited work nationally and internationally, and is a current artist in residence at Houston’s Box13 Artspace.
Saúl Hernández-Vargas is a Houston-based visual artist and writer whose work is concerned with material performativity, the framing of historical objects, and fiction. A recipient of the Artadia Award and an alum of the Core Program at the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, his first solo museum exhibition opened at the Museo de Arte Contemporáneo y de las Culturas de Oaxaca last October.
Isogram Media Studio (Houston artists Ha Na Lee and James Hughes) creates immersive experiences through public art and projection-based works. Using video, sound, kinetic machines, and interactive elements, Lee and Hughes push the boundaries of contemporary art, technological innovation, and audience engagement.

Event Volunteers
Interested in volunteering to help us make NIGHT LIGHT a success? Follow the link below, create an account in our Volunteer platform, and find an opportunity that’s right for you!
VOLUNTEER

Site Map and Transportation Details
Entrance: The entrance of NIGHT LIGHT 2025 will be located at 333 South Jensen Drive.
Parking for this event is extremely limited. Rideshare, carpooling, public transportation, cycling, and walking are strongly encouraged.
Rideshare (Uber, Lyft, etc): Drop-off/pick-up at 333 South Jensen Drive.
Public Transportation: Event accessible via Houston METRO bus route 6, 30, and 48 stop at Talento Bilingue de Houston at the intersection of South Jensen Drive and Ann Street. Plan your public transportation route here.
Cycling: Bike Valet by BikeHouston will secure your bike throughout the event, free of charge. Find recommended bike routes here.
Accessibility: Please note that the pathways between the artworks may have uneven surfaces. Please wear sturdy footwear suitable for uneven surfaces.

For questions, please contact Trudi Smith, Director of Programming, at tsmith@buffalobayou.org.
In the case of inclement weather, this event will take place on the following Saturday, April 5, 8–10pm.

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Buffalo Bayou Partnership is

NOCHE DE LUCES 2025
2025-03-29 20:00 - 22:00 (America/Chicago) | 333 SOUTH JENSEN DRIVE, 333 South Jensen Drive, Houston, TX, 77003, United States
Aurora Picture Show and Buffalo Bayou Partnership se unen para presentar este evento anual gratuito, con activaciones de videoarte en estructuras a lo largo de los senderos frente al agua de Buffalo Bayou East. El 29 de marzo, los artistas de Houston Saúl Hernández-Vargas, Diana-Sofia Estrada e Isogram Media Studio han sido comisionados para crear nuevas instalaciones multimedia específicas para el sitio a lo largo de un tramo de media milla de los senderos del bayou. También habrá un mercado con camiones de comida locales, vendedores del barrio y música a cargo de DJ Felix. ¡Únete a nosotros para esta experiencia festiva y única en Houston!
REGISTRO GRATUITO
ENGLISH

Sobre los artistas
Diana-Sofia Estrada es una artista visual y educadora guatemalteca-estadounidense nacida en Houston. Sus pinturas, animaciones, instalaciones y trabajos de práctica social cuestionan nuestra cultura visual inmediata. Ha exhibido su obra a nivel nacional e internacional y actualmente es artista residente en Box13 Artspace en Houston.
Saúl Hernández-Vargas es un artista visual y escritor con sede en Houston. Su trabajo se centra en la performatividad material, el encuadre de objetos históricos y la ficción. Ganador del premio Artadia y exalumno del Programa Core del Museo de Bellas Artes de Houston, presentó su primera exposición individual en un museo en el Museo de Arte Contemporáneo y de las Culturas de Oaxaca el pasado octubre.
Isogram Media Studio (los artistas de Houston Ha Na Lee y James Hughes) crea experiencias inmersivas a través del arte público y obras basadas en proyección. Utilizando video, sonido, máquinas cinéticas y elementos interactivos, Lee y Hughes exploran los límites del arte contemporáneo, la innovación tecnológica y la interacción con el público.

Voluntario para el evento
¿Te interesa ser voluntario y ayudarnos a hacer de NOCHE DE LUCES un éxito? Sigue el enlace a continuación, crea una cuenta en nuestra plataforma de voluntarios y encuentra una oportunidad que se adapte a ti.
VOLUNTARIADO

Mapa del sitio y detalles de transporte
Entrada: La entrada de NOCHE DE LUCES 2025 estará ubicada en 333 South Jensen Drive.
Estacionamiento: El estacionamiento para este evento es extremadamente limitado. Se recomienda el uso de servicios de transporte compartido (rideshare), viajes en grupo, transporte público, bicicleta o caminar.
Rideshare (Uber, Lyft, etc.): Punto de llegada y salida en 333 South Jensen Drive.
Transporte público: El evento es accesible a través de las rutas de autobús 6, 30 y 48 de Houston METRO, con parada en Talento Bilingüe de Houston en la intersección de South Jensen Drive y Ann Street. Planea tu ruta de transporte público aquí.
Ciclismo: Bike Valet de BikeHouston asegurará tu bicicleta durante todo el evento, de forma gratuita. Rutas recomendadas se encuentran aquí.
Accesibilidad: Ten en cuenta que los senderos entre las obras de arte pueden tener superficies irregulares. Se recomienda usar calzado resistente y adecuado para terrenos irregulares.

Preguntas: Para más información, contacta a Trudi Smith, Directora de Programación, en tsmith@buffalobayou.org.
En caso de mal tiempo, el evento se llevará a cabo el siguiente sábado, 5 de abril, de 8 a 10 p.m.

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Buffalo Bayou Partnership es

Underground Sounds: Sarah Grace Graves
2025-06-19 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-06-20 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-06-21 18:00 - 20:00, 2025-06-22 18:00 - 20:00 UTC | BUFFALO BAYOU PARK CISTERN, 105 Sabine Street, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
Tickets are now SOLD OUT for this Underground Sounds performance. An in-person, first-come, first-served waiting list will begin exactly 30 minutes prior to each performance time.
Join us for Underground Sounds, a unique music series in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern!
This year, the series features national and international artists presenting compositions inspired by the vast, unique architecture of the Cistern and arranged especially for its extraordinary natural acoustics.

About This Program

Three Names is an adaptation of Vespro, a program Graves presented in Rome in July 2023 atop the Palatine Hill, now reimagined for the cavernous Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. The work was inspired by her 2022 performance for the Scelsi Foundation, honoring soprano Michiko Hirayama, a longtime collaborator of experimental composer Giacinto Scelsi. Hirayama, who moved to Rome from Japan after World War II, had a remarkable career spanning opera, traditional Japanese music, Roman free improvisation, and Gregorian chant, embodying an extraordinary vocal and stylistic range. This adaptation draws from Hirayama’s fascination with chant and Graves’s personal connections to spirituality and experimental music, exploring vastness, interiority, and harmony between past and future selves.

Cost: $25
Performance Times:

June 19 at 6pm and 7:30pm SOLD OUT
June 20 at 6pm and 7:30pm SOLD OUT
June 21 at 6pm and 7:30pm SOLD OUT
June 22 at 6pm and 7:30pm SOLD OUT

Each performance is 45 minutes.

About the Artist
Sarah Grace Graves is a composer and vocal performer working at the intersection between ritual and recital. From 2020-2022 she studied voice with Nicholas Isherwood while conducting an artistic residency in Paris at the Fondation des États-Unis on interdisciplinary collaboration with voice. Recent projects include Breath Atlas, a musical archipelago of papyrus fragments by Sappho, and Love Letter, a reworking of Monteverdi’s Lettera Amorosa inspired by an unattributed recording from the Scelsi archive. With Eda Er, Graves forms the other half of Sada, a voice/electronics duo charting the storytelling capacities of experimental and improvised music. An alumna of the Harriet Hale Woolley Scholarship, the Michiko Hirayama Scholarship, Voix Nouvelles Academy of the Royaumont Foundation, and Rice University, she is now a PhD candidate at the University of California, Berkeley.

Tickets & Availability
Ticket release dates for this set of performances are listed above. For release dates for future performances, please check the Underground Sounds page. We recommend marking the ticket release dates and times on your calendar as tickets will sell out quickly.
Waitlist
For any additional guests wishing to attend a sold-out performance, we will be taking an in-person first-come-first-served waiting list beginning exactly 30 minutes before each performance time.
Ticket Refunds
All ticket purchases are final and non-refundable. Your purchase supports the work of Buffalo Bayou Partnership.

Generous support for this program provided by

Buffalo Bayou Partnership is

Underground Sounds: Les Cenelles
2025-09-11 18:30 - 20:00 UTC | BUFFALO BAYOU PARK CISTERN, 105 Sabine Street, Houston, TX, 77007, United States
Tickets are now SOLD OUT for this Underground Sounds performance. An in-person, first-come, first-served waiting list will begin exactly 30 minutes prior to each performance time.
Join us for Underground Sounds, a unique music series in the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern!
This year, the series features national and international artists presenting compositions inspired by the vast, unique architecture of the Cistern and arranged especially for its extraordinary natural acoustics.

About This Program
Echo Chamber: Resistance and Reverb is a spatialized sound performance exploring the theme of water rights and activism, inspired by movements from Flint and the Water Protectors in the North to the Gulf South’s water infrastructure in New Orleans and Houston. Utilizing a multi-channel sound installation, the performance immerses audiences in a soundscape that resonates within the historic Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern. Complemented by liner notes detailing the performance’s thematic connections and sounds, Echo Chamber connects Houston’s unique water narrative to global cities like Istanbul, Rome, and New York, offering a powerful reflection on water as both a resource and a politicized force.

Cost: $25
Performance Times:

September 11 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm SOLD OUT
September 12 at 6:30pm and 7:30pm SOLD OUT
September 13 at 5:30pm and 6:30pm SOLD OUT
September 14 at 5:30pm and 6:30pm SOLD OUT

About the Artist
Les Cenelles is an ensemble exploring the Creole diaspora through all findable forms of melody and memory to honor their cultural ancestors and preserve the plurality of their experiences through a prismatic and contemporary lens.

Tickets & Availability
Ticket release dates for this set of performances are listed above. For release dates for future performances, please check the Underground Sounds page. We recommend marking the ticket release dates and times on your calendar as tickets will sell out quickly.
Waitlist
For any additional guests wishing to attend a sold-out performance, we will be taking an in-person first-come-first-served waiting list beginning exactly 30 minutes before each performance time.
Ticket Refunds
All ticket purchases are final and non-refundable. Your purchase supports the work of Buffalo Bayou Partnership.

Generous support for this program provided by

Buffalo Bayou Partnership is
