From the Earth

Composer’s Note\nThis original musical piece was created as part of Water Stories: A River Harvest, under faculty direction of Dr. McCluskey and Dr. Leverette Hall, which utilizes key elements of storytelling blended with environmental justice. One main visionary facet is how the arts and water connect people and link communities, specifically along the Ribault River. To ensure alignment, style preferences, sound movements, tone, and timbre were discussed with Dr. McCluskey and choreographer Rayanna Campbell. After on-site visits to Ribault River Preserve Park and Eartha’s Farm and Market, this musical soundscape was produced, which serves the Water Stories vision and themes of resilience, proximity, stewardship, water, trees, and time.\nI am a student studying in the field of music technology, where much of my work typically explores combining electronics with the world of percussion. I remain an active percussionist who strives to explore the soundscape of the world in which we live and integrate it into the music we make. This piece utilizes soundscapes of water, wind chimes, and reversed vocal lines that work together to paint an environment of nature and time itself. To capture the idea of resilience and boldness, melodies and moving lines were established that equated to the feeling of soaring up into the sky. These lines, combined with the power of the percussion, build the theme of taking a stand for what we care about.