Today we live on a planet that is changing fast so drastically that it is becoming more and more challenging to connect with nature. Most of our lives boil down to city life, with a nearby park as the only connection point with nature. Sometimes, however, we still get a chance to see stars in a clear night sky or listen to the twittering of birds while walking in the woods.

The following composition takes its inspiration from all the above; From birdsong, fleeting moments of synchronicity with nature, and the ever-growing dichotomy between nature and humanity. 

Birdsong are particularly important in this piece; In all the soloistic passages, most musical ideas come from the songs of a common nightingale (Luscinia megarhynchos) and a Kaua'i 'o'o (Moho braccatus). Their songs were adapted to blend in with the musical context in which they appear, but they have remained unchanged in structure and gesture.

Performed by Giancarlo Latta, Hannah Burnett, and Clara Abel
Recorded live at NJIT

Seen from the Sky

Composer inspired by the connections between music, nature, and science.

Featured in National Geographic and on CBS Sunday Morning.

Author of Birdsong: A Musical Field Guide, available on Amazon.

Graduate of the Hanns Eisler School of Music, Juilliard, and Manhattan School of Music.

Photo credit: Anna Baptist

Seen from the Sky

Alexander Liebermann