Wendy Reid’s Ambient Bird - Live Oak 2024 with sfSOUND & the Bird Ensemble
Ambient Bird - Live Oak 2024 is a 44-minute interspecies sonic landscape/ambient environment which reflects a philosophy of connecting with all living creatures and the environment. The ensemble is made up of experimental musicians who blend various approaches - traditional, improvisational, acoustic, electronic, and ambient - alongside the natural environment, creating a collaborative and inclusive space where all are welcome to listen, engage and contribute to the evolving soundscape.
The structure of this work can be described as a musical process which attempts to reflect nature’s manner of operations: sonic fragments of an African grey parrot (Lulu) become the musical material of a spatially notated score to be interpreted and performed by the musicians within the ambient environment. Contextual in nature, the work allows performers to act according to unpredictable conditions and variables which arise within the musical continuity. In performance, an attempt is made at a spontaneous unforced growing of sound and silence in which emphasis is placed on formation rather than pre-established form, as in the building and shaping of cell-like units in living processes. (treepieces.net)
This site-specific piece, as with its first incantation entitled ‘Ambient Bird 433’, pays homage to John Cage’s composition 4’33”(1952).
with the Dailybell: at sunset (7:03pm), following the ‘Ambient Bird 2024’ performance, Brenda Hutchinson will lead everyone in bell ringing, celebrating the fall equinox.
Dailybell, created by composer and sound artist Brenda Hutchinson in 2008, is an ongoing aspirational project based on the premise that something as inarguable as the movement of the Earth can be used as a point of unity and awareness among large groups of people who might otherwise find it impossible to agree. For this work, you will be one of the musicians as we distribute 100 bells to be collectively rung at sunset.
Time/location: Monday 9/23/24 6pm at Live Oak Park, 1301 Shattuck Ave, Berkeley, CA 94709
The precise location of the performance will be just north of the recreation/theatre building, near the creek under the trees. There is no formal seating: stand and watch or wander, sit on the grass, ground, steps, distant picnic tables or bring your own chair/blanket.
Special Thanks to the City of Berkeley-Shallon Allen, Silvia Matheus-videographer, Phil Perkins-location audio engineer, Edward Morse-technical assistance, Matt Ingalls-sfSOUND and the musicians of Ambient Bird-Live Oak 2024
Ambient Bird - Live Oak 2024
Musicians:
Lulu, African grey parrot
Wendy Reid, violin
Krys Bobrowski, gilsglas
Brenda Hutchinson, long tube
Aurora Josephson, voice
Ron Heglin, tuba
David Samas, percussion
Kanoko Nishi, koto
Ben Davis, cello
Tom Dambly, trumpet
Matt Ingalls, clarinet
Diane Grubbe, flute
Brendan Lai-Tong, trombone
John Ingle, saxophone
The Dailybell
Musicians:
Everyone