Climate Change (old guide)
Provides resources on climate change and global warming from the perspective of the disciplines of science, social science and humanities.
Climate change and music
Italian composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi performs one of his own pieces on a floating platform in the Arctic Ocean.
image from https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/morning-mix/wp/2016/06/24/watch-a-world-famous-pianist-perform-on-floating-in-the-arctic-ocean
What kinds of questions do musicians ask about climate change?
- What does climate change sound like, and is it possible to capture that through music?
- What is the relationship between natural sounds such as birds, water, and air, and musical sound?
- Is our current system for writing and performing music capable of representing the world around us?
- How can composers and musicians use the emotional power of music to communicate the urgency of climate change?
Web resources
- ClimateMusicAccording to their website, ClimateMusic combines the "talents and expertise of world class scientists, composers, musicians, artists, and technology visionaries, [to] enable the creation and staging of science-guided music and visual experiences to inspire people to engage actively on the issue of climate change."
- This song is composed from 133 years of climate change dataA University of Minnesota student wrote a piece for string quartet in which each instrument plays music corresponding to the temperature range of a zone in the Northern Hemisphere.
- Music about climate changeSegment of the radio program New Sounds devoted to music inspired by climate change.
- John Luther Adams, climate change, and the "never-ending music of the world"Open Source podcast episode featuring interviews with Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams, the sculptor Janet Echelman, and 'Anthropocene' theorist Jedediah Purdy talking about the power of music, art, and artists to save the earth.
- How streaming music could be harming the planetThis BBC Future article suggests that the environmental impact of streaming music may be more serious than we think.
- Professional musician fighting against climate changeBass player Marc Schmied talks about his path to environmental activism and the work of 350 Brooklyn, a grassroots organization that promotes sustainable energy, opposes the fossil fuel industry, and seeks to educate and activate their communities.
Books and ebooks
The Great Animal Orchestra by Call Number: Sylvania and Rock Creek Main Collection 780 G74 2013Publication Date: 2013-03-12
The Book of Music and Nature an anthology of sounds, words, thoughts by Call Number: ebookPublication Date: 2013-11-25
DVDs and streaming videos
To fight climate change fatigue, researcher Judy Twedt hacked her data and used it to compose music. Her score lets us hear decades of Arctic sea ice loss in just minutes. In the beautiful and sometimes discordant piano piece, played by Kristina Lee, numerical scientific data becomes an emotional experience intended to reconnect us to the rhythm of the planet. (18 minutes)