Introduction to playing in Biosphere 2

Ever wondered what it would sound like to play trombone inside a giant breathing space station on Earth? I know you have!

Join me and bass trombonist Gerry Pagano as we step inside Biosphere 2—a sealed, self-contained research facility near Tucson, Arizona originally built to simulate living on another planet. Once inside, I shut the airlock behind us and head into one of its most extraordinary spaces: The Lung — a domed structure with a flexible membrane that "breathes" to regulate internal air pressure. But what caught our ears was its massive 30-second reverb.

Armed with recording gear and microphones placed throughout the space, Gerry and I performed a set of trombone pieces I composed specifically for this surreal environment. The results? Half a dozen unique tracks shaped by the acoustic magic of the Lung — simple, spacious, and unlike anything you’d hear in a studio.

This video captures the beginning of that journey: the moment we enter the dome, seal the airlock, and prepare to make music inside a living, breathing instrument.

Here are two pieces created from our live recording:

Mother Nature:    • Mother Nature  
Changing Seasons:    • Changing Seasons