Beneath a marbled sky, the erg sprawls endlessly; its countless dunes molded by eons of relentless winds. They are linear dunes, long and snake-like, some reaching hundreds of kilometers in length. They slither across the landscape alongside one another—sometimes running perfectly parallel, sometimes converging, and sometimes branching off into patterns resembling river estuaries. It is a landscape in motion, appearing like a rolling sea to one who is patient enough to closely observe it. Sometimes, when the sand flows in the exact right way, it causes a mass-vibration to occur, and a haunting, rich tone hums across the erg. This sonic phenomenon is refered to by many as "singing sand dunes".
Erg for symphony orchestra is a work that is heavily inspired by the shapes, behaviors, and sounds of sand dune landscapes. This inspiration extends so deeply into the design of the work, that traces from actual dunes, drawn from satellite images of erg landscapes, are featured in the musical score and read by the performers as a unique form of notation. In addition to this, the sounds of wind, blowing sand, and even the sounds of "singing sand dunes" are all imitated, collectively coalescing to form a shifting and constantly evolving musical landscape.

Performed by the NZSM Orchestra, October, 2023.

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An ongoing aspiration of BMI Award-winning composer and cellist, Nicholas Denton Protsack, is to seek new connections between music and the natural world. Called a "(composer) to keep a close eye on" by the Canadian Music Centre, Nicholas' ecologically informed music includes composed works, studio albums, and experimental improvisations, and has been featured in a wide variety of concert settings across North America, Europe, and New Zealand. Recent accomplishments include two first prizes in the 2021 SOCAN Foundation Young Composers Awards and commissioned works for the Toronto Summer Music Festival and the American Prize-winning Ensemble for These Times (E4TT).

	As a cellist, Nicholas is an active freelance performer and advocate of new music—frequently involved in collaborative projects that range from traditional to highly experimental concert idioms. Although primarily a chamber musician, he has also appeared as a soloist with the Okanagan Symphony Orchestra and the San Francisco Conservatory Orchestra.

	Nicholas is currently undertaking a PhD in music at Victoria University of Wellington (NZ), studying with composers Michael Norris and Dugal McKinnon. His other major teachers have included David Garner (composition), Jean-Michel Fonteneau (cello), Jennifer Culp (cello), and Morna Howie (cello).