The Nature of Music 18

Other Minds presented the 18th edition of the Nature of Music concert series on Thursday, July 13, 2023 at the Dresher Ensemble Studio, Oakland, California. The event featured a performance of music by Bay Area composer Wendy Reid. A discussion with the composer was hosted before the performance by our Executive and Artistic Director, Charles Amirkhanian.

Since 1980, Wendy Reid has composed an ongoing set of musical processes based on nature, Tree Pieces, ranging from electro-acoustic chamber compositions to larger works for open ensembles in site-specific environments. Processes of the Tree Pieces reflect the inter-connection of all things. In performance, an attempt is made at a spontaneous unforced growing of sound and silence with emphasis placed on formation, as in the building and shaping of cell-like units in living processes.

Reid discussed and performed a set focusing on the Bird Collection, five works spanning four decades. This expansive collection shows a temporal progression of what Reid refers to as “freeing the birds.” In covering the processes and structures of these works, Reid displayed her unique approach to musical notation, the visually skeletal ‘tree scores’ that vary in height from 17 inches to 6 feet, serving as a visual representation of her musical ideas. She also talked about the wonderful musical relationship she has with her avian companion, Lulu.

The Bird Ensemble:
Lulu, African grey parrot
Wendy Reid, violin
Krys Bobrowski, glisglas
Aurora Josephson, voice
Ron Heglin, flutes, tuba
Kanoko Nishi-Smith, koto
David Samas, percussion

Click the image to download the full concert program.

Over the past 30 years, Wendy Reid has composed an ongoing set of musical processes based on nature, Tree Pieces, ranging from electro-acoustic chamber compositions to larger works for chamber orchestra and open ensembles in site-specific environments.

The processes attempt to reflect the inter-connection of all things (including ourselves) in nature. In performance, an attempt is made at a spontaneous unforced and unblocked growing of sound and silence in which emphasis is placed on formation rather than pre-established form, as in the building and shaping of cell-like units in living processes.

The Tree Pieces have been performed and broadcast throughout the United States, Europe, and Asia by the Abel-Steinberg-Winant Trio, the San Francisco Contemporary Music Players, the Kronos Quartet, Other Minds Festival 19, Mills Performing Group, Mills Contemporary Performance Ensemble (Steed Cowart), the New Music Works Ensemble (Phil Collins), the San Francisco String Quartet (Nathan Rubin), Ensemble Klee, Ruffled Feathers, Brassiosaurus, Tree Ensemble, sfSOUND with the bird ensemble, and others.

Reid produced ‘New Music with Birds, Frogs, and Other Creatures’ sponsored by the Oakland Museum and the San Francisco Art Institute. Since 1990, she has taught music composition at Mills College and violin at Holy Names University PMD. She currently teaches at her studio in Berkeley.