Musicians practice in the Lower Gallery as DJ Andrea Dunn plays tracks from the Entrance Gallery.

Yes, you read that correctly. Next Thursday, the Pulitzer is incorporating another kind of cultural event into its repertoire and inviting people to listen to Brazilian music in its galleries from 6 to 9pm.

September 16th’s event will be the first night of sound waves, a series of music listening parties on the third Thursday of each month of stylus, and will feature DJ Andrea Dunn of Radio Rio on 88.1 KDHX, Moacyr Marchini of the band Samba Bom and Scott Rice, a drummer and dance accompanist. sound waves is a collaboration between KDHX Independent Media and the Pulitzer, and is curated by Nico Leone, Co-Executive Director of KDHX.

“It all plays with that idea of call and response,” Lisa Harper Chang, our director of community projects, explains how the event is an extension of stylus. “It’s the way KDHX and the Pulitzer are calling to diverse communities and traditions within greater St. Louis community to respond.”

The St. Louis area can respond by calling into the bell speakers and, most importantly, by joining the show every third Thursday. The Pulitzer and KDHX encourage visitors to bring their own instruments to play along and to move to the music (as long as visitors stay in the Main Gallery and in their “personal bubbles,” as Courtney Henson, our visitor services manager, says). Whether or not you’re prone to publicly dance, it’ll be hard to contain yourselves, considering the beats that will be flowing through speakers all over the Tadao Ando galleries.

Yesterday morning, walking through the galleries, I was transfixed on air vents, where whistles and drumming emanated from hidden speakers. Nico along with Andrea, Moacyr and Scott were rehearsing to see what sounds they could create by interplaying digital tracks with live music to the backdrop of the Pulitzer building and stylus. Andrea and her laptop were stationed in the Entrance Gallery near the record player, and the musicians, with their tamborims, cuicas, berimbaus, etc, played from the Lower Gallery.

“I hope people don’t show up looking for Bossa Nova, because it’s not going to happen,” says Andrea Dunn.

Nico asked Andrea to choose Brazilian music that isn’t well-known but captures the sounds of Brazil. Among her selections will be Tom Zé, who she chose for his music’s experimental quality to reflect the compositions in stylus. Her most melodic tracks may be Afro Sambas, but her laptop is equipped with thousand tracks, and there will be some improvisation between her and the musicians.

“There’s no right answer to any of this,” said Nico yesterday.

As stylus is a living, evolving exhibition, next week’s sound waves, while within some parameters, will happen organically with no set playlist. Sometimes the live music and Dunn’s picks will be in sync, and sometimes not. When he feels like moving, one of the musicians will travel the galleries, changing the sounds in yet another way. You, by just your bodily presence, will affect the sounds in the building, and don’t forget to bring your instruments.

sound waves: Brazil is Thursday, September 16, 6-9pm. Admission is FREE.