Tree-Watching and Listening Project: The Music of Trees
October 25, 2012
I made a special visit to the Washington Park Arboretum yesterday to experience Paths II: The Music of Trees, a series of seven sound installations by composer Abby Aresty. She is a doctoral candidate at the University of Washington, and this outdoor music project is her dissertation. She recorded natural sounds at these sites in different seasons, and then used them in compositions, which are broadcast in three-hour “concerts” on Wednesdays and Saturdays in October. You can read more about this remarkable project in this Seattle Times article.
I didn’t want the month to pass without checking out this unusual art project. Armed with a map from the Visitor’s Center, I strolled the paths looking for the seven listening sites. As always, I enjoyed wandering among the many tall trees of the arboretum. And the unique soundscapes made this visit especially memorable.

“Twisted things continue to make creaking contortions.” (Gaston Bachelard). At Site 1, twisted plastic tubing becomes “mutant” branches.

Site 6 used hanging sculptures like wind chimes, and the music incorporated the sounds of falling leaves.
October 25, 2012 at 3:10 pm
Your photos are gorgeous. We frequent the arboretum (just live a few blocks away), and enjoyed checking out the installation the other day.
October 25, 2012 at 3:54 pm
Thank you! So glad you found my blog.
October 26, 2012 at 7:09 pm
I found a new desktop background in this batch of photos. I fell for the oak leaves this time!
October 27, 2012 at 3:10 pm
It looks like a lovely place to visit. It’s too far for me to make a physical visit; I’m thrilled to have made a virtual visit. Your photos are wonderful.
What a great project to combine the sounds and music with nature. So sorry you couldn’t hear #7 due to the leaf blowers.
October 27, 2012 at 4:02 pm
The red pod that you thought might be a chestnut is actually a magnolia.
October 28, 2012 at 8:08 am
Thank you!’ll fix my caption.