the biophony project
Bluebell Wood
Brooklyn Botanical Garden - 990 Washington Avenue 40.667277 N, 73.964325 W
Biomes Performed
Commissioned by the Metropolis Ensemble for the premiere in Brooklyn Botanic Garden, Twelve Miniature Etudes is inspired by the different techniques, music elements and timbre that can be produced by various instruments. Colors I is a movement of long holding notes that build chords. Bullet Notes are melodic lines produced by fast running notes connected from one instrument to the other. Ostinato Rocks are ostinatos with polyrhythms. Imitation You and I is created by musicians imitate each other’s sound, melody, and rhythms. Funky Chords is a movement with three sets of harmonic progressions that musicians use to improvise. In Scale Plays, players use octatonic scale(s) to build a three-part structure. The sound in Duets is produced by paring of instruments. In Unison Tuning, everyone starts by playing a single melodic line and then alternates after that. Composite Hockets is created by rhythmic hockets with different groups. In Chain II, short melodic lines are created and passed around musicians using eye contacts. Rhythm Blocks builds on single note chosen by each player and rhythmic patterns created by them. Colors II is an echo of Colors I.
This work was inspired by the calls and sounds of six different birds - Western Meadowlark, House Wren, Hermit Thrush, Black Rail, Eurasian Nightjar, and Night Heron. Each of the four movements of this piece combines elements from several of the sounds or patterns that one or more of these birds produce and has them work together.
Meet the Artists
Bassist Composer and Educator Walter Stinson has been performing and living in Brooklyn since 2012 after graduating from Purchase College. He began his music studies at the age of 10 by playing along with the classic country radio station and his mother who was a jazz pianist…
DoYeon Kim is an internationally acclaimed and award-winning virtuoso of the gayageum (a traditional Korean string instrument). In addition to traditional Korean music, DoYeon specializes in free jazz, jazz, and improvisation. She regularly performs solo and group concerts worldwide in Asia, Europe, North America, and South America…
Miriam Elhajli is a folk singer, composer-improviser, and musicologist whose work is influenced by the rich musical traditions of her Venezuelan, Moroccan and North American heritage. Elhajli currently lives in New York City where she performs and works as a researcher at The Association for Cultural Equity founded by Alan Lomax…