Hear works inspired by the beauty of America’s National Parks from the GVSU New Music Ensemble, by the Mojave Desert from Floating Points, and by Alaska’s arctic vistas by John Luther Adams.

Listen to music from a collection of pieces about different national parks, Dawn Chorus, from the Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble, an Michigan-based ensemble dedicated to commissioning and performing new works. Hear “Red Vesper” featuring natural sounds, by composer David Biedenbender, dedicated to Capitol Reef National Park in Utah.  Also, from that record, there’s music by Paula Matthusen, dedicated to Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota, and by Ashely Stanley, inspired by Arches National Park in Utah.

Then, listen to an expansive piece by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer John Luther Adams, whose life and work are deeply rooted in the natural world. From a concert recording made at Le Poisson Rouge, hear his “In a Treeless Place, Only Snow,” as played by ACME (The American Contemporary Music Ensemble.)

There’s ambient-acoustic music by Markus Sieber, who makes music as Aukai, recorded in a small cabin high up in the mountains near the Old Spanish Trail in Colorado in winter. Plus, hear work by the British artist known as Floating Points (aka Sam Shepherd), inspired by the Mojave Desert, and more. - Caryn Havlik

Program #4357, Music for Earth Day (First aired 4/22/2020)

ARTIST: Floating Points
WORK: Mojave Desert [1:17]
RECORDING: Reflections: Mojave Desert
SOURCE: Luaka Bop
INFO: floatingpoints.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble
WORK: David Biedenbender: Red Vesper [7:17]
RECORDING: Dawn Chorus 
SOURCE: Innova 1044 | Due out April 24, 2020
INFO: innova.mu

ARTIST: Aukai (Markus Sieber)
WORK: Colorado [3:38]
RECORDING: Branches Of Sun
SOURCE/INFO: aukai.bandcamp.com

ARTIST: Various: Ava Mendoza
WORK: Redwood Regional Park Blues  [4:27]
RECORDING: Beyond Berkeley Guitar
SOURCE: Tompkins Square
INFO: Available at Amazon.com or Spotify, or tompkinssquare.com

ARTIST: Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble
WORK: Paula Matthusen: on the anological understandings of space [6:45]
RECORDING: Dawn Chorus 
SOURCE: Innova 1044 | Due out April 24, 2020
INFO: innova.mu

ARTIST: Grand Valley State University New Music Ensemble
WORK: David Biedenbender: Red Vesper [7:17]
RECORDING: Dawn Chorus 
SOURCE: Innova 1044 | Due out April 24, 2020
INFO: innova.mu

ARTIST: ACME
WORK: John Luther Adams: In a Treeless Place, Only Snow [16:01]
RECORDING:Live at Le Poisson Rouge,March 2011 
SOURCE: This performance not comercially available
INFO: The piece is available on ACME's record Thrive on Routine, via Sono Luminus

ARTIST: Floating Points
WORK: Lucerne Valley [3:39]
RECORDING: Reflections: Mojave Desert
SOURCE: Luaka Bop
INFO: floatingpoints.bandcamp.com