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When Dan Met Stella: A Star Chart Serenade

Dan Warneke used computer software to design this disc for an antique music box. Each pinhole represents a star in the skies over UMKC. When the disc is played, each pinhole causes a note to sound. Photo by Brenna Daldorph/KCUR.
Dan Warneke used computer software to design this disc for an antique music box. Each pinhole represents a star in the skies over UMKC. When the disc is played, each pinhole causes a note to sound. Photo by Brenna Daldorph/KCUR.

UMKC grad student Dan Warneke created "Stella Starlight"-- a disc based on a star chart, which is played on an antique music box.By Brenna Daldorph

http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/national/local-national-988630.mp3

KANSAS CITY, MO – Meet Stella, a giant, antique music box with a whimsical sound.

Now, meet Dan Warneke, a grad student in film and theater sound design at UMKC.

When Dan met Stella, his mind started turning just as fast as the record-like discs that Stella plays.

Pretty soon, Dan had an unconventional idea for a piece of celestial music.

What if he imposed a map of the constellations onto one of Stella's discs-- each star representing one note? What would it sound like to set a star chart of the Kansas City skies to music?

KC Currents intern Brenna Daldorph spoke with Dan Warneke in the Marr Sound Archives to bring you this story about an updated version of "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star."

This video was recorded in the Marr Sound Archives by Dwight Frizzell and was posted to YouTube by user misterBCR.

This story was produced for KC Currents. To listen on your own schedule, subscribe to the KC Currents Podcast.

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