botanistbard

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Musical Environments

Is there value in examining the intersection of sound and natural environments?  

What do the subjects of music and natural resources share?  

On the surface, there is little to connect between life sciences and performance arts. Some instruments are crafted from natural materials, though many in the modern day are not. Certainly many scientists happen to be musical, play an instrument, or perform in an ensemble, but their practice of self expression likely doesn't impact their profession.  

In sincerity, the way these subjects relate to each other is of an abstract nature; these subjects inspire connection. Connection to self, connection to others, and connection to the environment. This series will illustrate several interdisciplinary practices that involve sound and the natural world. 

Soundscapes 

From birdsong choruses to the atonal cacophony of rush hour traffic, rarely is there a moment without music in the world. 

Music is usually defined by human composition - the intentional application of music theory to make pieces using voice or instruments – but even modern musicians have challenged that expectation. A renowned work of the 20th century is 4’33 by John Cage, a work in three movements, where not a single note is played. Instead, a performer sits at a piano, opening and closing the hood to mark the different movements. Where is the music in this performance?  

Whether in a concert hall or in the great outdoors, our day to day is saturated in sound.  To describe the qualities of sound in a given area is to describe a soundscape. 

Soundscapes are inherent to every environment. Factors like climate, geography, proximity to civilization, and wildlife will affect the unique sound signature of an area. These characteristics can be summarized in three parts; the biophony, the geophony, and the anthrophony ().  

Sounds produced by “biological organisms” - from whale songs to bird songs, barnyard moos and thundering hooves- are all of the biophony. The geophony is sounds from “nonbiological sources” - the ambience of falling rain and thunderstorms, crackling fire, or wind singing through trees. Anthrophony was the most recent term to be defined, considered to be any sounds produced by humans and our tools. The anthrophony includes beautiful sounds, as we’ve crafted rich soundscapes of symphonies, though arguably, anthrophony is the most disruptive of the natural world, with noise pollution  

The soundscape ecologist, Bernie Krause, pioneered these definitions.  His work has used soundscapes to analyze trends in natural resources, many of his studies tracking animal populations through changes in their environment (for example, bird species present before/after a forest clear cut). Krause has spent his life and career recording soundscapes and using his experiences to bring awareness to the importance of sound in our surroundings. 

These definitions provide a new framework to listening to the world around you. The anthrophony is colored with noise pollution, but also contains all composed and improvised music. John Cage’s 4’33 wasn’t a silent performance – the concert hall was filled with a cacophony of shuffling and murmurs, coughs and conversation. An act in three movements that centered on the anthrophic orchestration of the audience. 

Composed Mindfulness 

The natural world has inspired inspiration for music for time uncounted.  

Within a vale of western mountains, a small cabin by Shotpouch creek hosted a unique experience - a meditation of sound. On a grassy knoll, a creek steadily bubbling nearby, and within walls of towering Douglas firs, a violin sang out into the clearing. This song had been primed with a call to awareness, to pursue immersion in the landscape and sounds.  

This meditation was led by Rebecca Sabine - a professional musician, a mother, and a lifelong learner. Her career with the Las Vegas Philharmonic () has spanned 5 decades, allowing her to perform with artist like Frank Sinatra, Celine Dion, and Adele. Over the course of her life, her relationship to music has developed, unfurling into a journey that allows her to explore realms of self, musicianship, and community.  

Rebecca has published several different works that utilize different compositional techniques to convey symbolism of place and inspire reflection.  

Her album, Siloheuttes of Zion, was born after she experience Zion National Park, in Utah. Each song is connected to a part of that experience, and the songs are composed with different timbres and moods to convey an impression of the park. Each song is purely orchestral, program music. 

Many of her pieces are meant to accompany meditation, and are published through her venture Violin Sound Sanctuary, or through the meditation app Insight Timer. These works often feature recordings of natural soundscapes, which center connection to nature as part of self reflection.  

These are only a small part of her musical practice. The meditation of sound at Shotpouch Cabin was a true showcase of her talent - leading a guided meditation, with an improvised violin song in harmony with the environment around her. This craft invited the listeners into  

Rebecca has cultivated a practice of mindfulness that utilizes several different compositional techniques to cultivate an environment of awareness. Her work inspires connection to self and the environment around you, regardless of in person performance or recording.  

Rebecca Sabine performs her mindfulness workshops worldwide. She received her Bachelors from Oregon State University, and is currently pursuing a Masters at the Pacifica Graduate Institute. 

Amplifying Science 

Arts and science are often painted as subject in total opposition. Though, from common tools to industry innovations, theres many ways the two are used in synchronicity.  

Using sound to convey data is not a new practice - from the clicks of geiger counters to illustrate radioactivity, to wind chimes that sing the intensity of the weather, data-sonfication is an emergent practice that has many applications. Large datasets converted to sound can help researchers find patterns, it can be used to introduce engineering and technology concepts in a way that engages creative thinking, and it can inspire collaboration between broad communities of arts and science. 

Chet Udell, a researcher at Oregon State University, is in the process of developing a technology that sonifies data about climate. Udell is working on the development of “WeatherChimes”, a gadget that collects environmental data to be converted into musical material. This technology is already being used in a study about Alaska’s weather. Initial experiments have demonstrated how environmental phenomenon can resemble musical structures - inverse relationships such as temperature and humidity (ex. as temperature gets hotter there’s less moisture in the air) can be interpreted in similar patterns as proper counterpoint.  

Victor Villegas is a technologist that works for the Oregon State Extension Service, and through his work and his mentorship, he advocates for comprehensive STEAM education, with an emphasis of reaching out to communities that have been underrepresented. Victor is familiar with many data-sonification technologies, including PlantWave. PlantWave is a gadget where you attach electrical nodes to leaves of a plant. It measures the electric signal between the nodes, which fluctuates from a plant photosynthesizing, growing, or responding to it's environment. The electrical signals are interpreted through a simple user interface to create music. Victor uses PlantWave to engage with students that are interested in science or creative projects. 

A final example of data-sonification comes from the University of Florida usic department. In a collaboration with a researcher who studies red algae blooms and coral reef health, they composed a piece in two parts - Sanctuary, a percussive section that represents data of coral reefs, and Cardinal Flow, a wind ensemble section that illustrates tension and dissonance born from the effects of red algae blooms. This collaboration led to the founding of the group CRESCENDO - Communicating Research Expansively through Sonification and Community-Engaged Neuroaesthetic Data-literacy Opportunities.  

Data-sonification can be applied to any field or research that works with data. Incorporating sound into science, this interdisciplinary approach is already driving innovation. 

An Invitation to Community 

Through harmonies or lyrics, music is valuable in how it inspires connection. This segment is not to examine a composition, but to examine how sharing a listening contributes to a culture of connection.  

Corvallis, Oregon, nestled in the Mid-Willamette Valley, bears a rich ecological history shaped by the stewardship of the Kalapuya people and neighboring tribes. Traditionally, these indigenous communities managed the land to sustain diverse ecosystems, but the arrival of settlers displaced them and disrupted the ecology of the Valley. In the last 200 years, western Oregon has been divided between industries of logging, farming, and manufacturing, and further subdivided between cities and suburbs. Despite, or because of this industrialization, there’s innumerable efforts to encourage sustainable natural resource management.  

It is a difficult task to negotiate ecological restoration between the patchwork of public and private landowners. Beyond the task of any individual, grassroots community organizing has become pivotal in shaping the landscape.   

Land trusts are a type of non-profit organization that can facilitate large scale habitat restoration by collaborating with landowners to conserve ecologically important areas, as well as providing educational and recreational opportunities for their local communities. In the Mid-Willamette Valley, Greenbelt Land Trust conserves over 5500 acres between the Eugene and Salem areas, encompassing riversides, wetlands, woodlands and more. Besides stewarding these diverse ecosystems, Greenbelt makes a considerable effort to engage with their local community, taking form in wildlife walks, volunteer native plant cultivation, and outreach events hosted on their properties.  

One such event is a concert hosted on Bald Hill Farm, a property owned by Greenbelt and connected to the city of Corvallis through trails open to bikers and hikers. The first concert premiered as Symphony on the Land, a collaboration with the Oregon State Symphony, where classical musicians arranged in a cow pasture, performing for picnickers and volunteers. Symphony on the Land was organized shortly after Greenbelt purchased the Bald Hill Farm property in 2013. The property is a short distance away from the Benton county fairgrounds, and is connected to the city of Corvallis through accessible hiking trails. Since it’s inception, concert-goers are encouraged to embrace sustainable modes of transportation, whether hiking, biking, or utilizing shuttles from the nearby Benton County Fairgrounds.  

As with many events, The COVID-19  pandemic interrupted the concert's continuity. The current Outreach Coordinator, Matt Benotsch, came into his role in Winter 2020, and has had to rebuild this event from the ground up.  

Matt's philosophy for community engagement is centered on inclusivity, with extreme care given to how language shapes awareness. Beginning in 2020, Symphony on the Land was retitled to Music on the Land – in part because the 2020 performance was recordings of individual musicians rather than a full symphony, but also from the recognition that symphonies and classical music hold an association with intentionally exclusionary histories and cultures.  

Since 2022, Music on the Land hosts multicultural ensembles, who’s sounds harmonize with the audience and ambience of the event. This year, the concert will open with Corvallis' women's choir Jubilate! The headliner, Outer Orbit, is a soul/funk band from the Portland area, and the DTW Street Band is meant to inspire some movement, playing New Orleans style jazz.  

The role of Music on the Land is not necessarily to promote Greenbelt or to fundraise. As Matt puts it, the concert is “a celebration of conservation and community”. Allowing people to bask in the beautiful space of the foothills of Corvallis, anyone is welcome to attend, and hopefully the experience allows them to connection to their community and surroundings.   

Greenbelt's commitment to grassroots activism is embodied in initiatives like Music on the Land. Simply from sharing space and sound, the event promotes awareness and appreciation for the local environment, helping cultivate a community of change. 

To Conclude 

What could be valuable in examining the intersection of sound and natural environments? What does music and natural resources share? 

Through this series, we've seen creative ways that sound inspires awareness, connection, and community. Humans have never been independent of the natural world - we are a a keystone species that has a unique power to cultivate our surroundings.  

Be observant of sound. Explore community and find opportunities to connect to others. 

This work was composed as part of a class at Oregon State University, and was informed by many community members from the Willamette Valley. 

Sources :  

1. Pijanowski, B. C., Villanueva-Rivera, L. J., Dumyahn, S. L., Farina, A., Krause, B. L., Napoletano, B. M., Gage, S. H., & Pieretti, N. (2011). Soundscape Ecology: The Science of Sound in the Landscape. BioScience, 61(3), 203–216. https://doi.org/10.1525/bio.2011.61.3.6 

2. Gray, P. M., Krause, B., Atema, J., Payne, R., Krumhansl, C., & Baptista, L. (2001). The Music of Nature and the Nature of Music. Science, 291(5501), 52–54. http://www.jstor.org/stable/3082167