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Ilan Eshkeri Closes Starmus VIII in La Palma

The eighth Starmus festival wrapped up on 22 October 2026 with a big free open-air show in Los Llanos de Aridane on La Palma.

Earlier that day, a scientific gathering was held at the Gran Telescopio Canarias (GTC), one of the largest optical telescopes in the world. Among those taking part were Christiana Figueres, Julie Payette, May-Britt Moser, Valentín Martínez, Alicia B. Adams and Aneeshwar Kunchala, joined by Starmus co-founder Dr. Garik Israelian, with the celebrated observatory as the setting for a celebration of scientific exploration.

When evening came, composer Ilan Eshkeri took the stage in Los Llanos de Aridane with Space Station Earth, a full-length live version of his double album made together with the European Space Agency – a fitting musical nod to the day's scientific events.

Set against high-definition digital projections of footage shot by astronauts on the International Space Station, Eshkeri conducted a hybrid ensemble combining classical players, electronic synths and percussion. The show followed the arc of the record, beginning with the gentle acoustic textures of Maps and Sun and then building into the driving ostinatos of Day and Rocket.

The middle section moved into propulsive percussion for Launch, then opened out into the wide atmospheric soundscapes of International Space Station and Astronauts. The visuals shifted from launchpad activity to orbital views of Earth's atmosphere, in sync with the swelling string motifs of Night (Part 1) and Night (Part 2). The score hit its peak with Aurora, carried by luminous synth arpeggiators, before settling into the quiet ambient fade of Stars.

Watch the full performance below:

Eshkeri's score kept a careful balance between cinematic scale and electronic minimalism, with steady rhythmic momentum and sustained orchestral textures that echoed the ISS's path across the night sky.

The concert gave Starmus VIII a joyful and triumphant ending after six remarkable days, carrying its theme, The Search for Truth, to an uplifting close. Combining striking music, documentary visuals and world-class observational science, the performance was a bright tribute to human curiosity and creativity – a memorable celebration that ends the festival on a note of hope and anticipation for next year's edition.

Check out our exclusive interview with Ilan Eshkeri below:

Photo: Music-News
Source: Muzland
Added by Frank
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