Ryan Suleiman and Jenni Brandon Join the Composers Network

I’m delighted to welcome two excellent composers from California to the Landscape Music Composers Network!

Jenni Brandon creates imaginative evocations of our experiences of nature, from woodwind meditations on driftwood and sea glass to a song cycle setting of North American Indian ceremonial texts. Her many works inspired by nature include her CD, Songs of California: Music for Winds and Piano.

Ryan Suleiman channels the sublime wonder of natural phenomena, from salt flats to moonlight, into his music for solo instruments and chamber ensembles. With his music, Ryan seeks to inspire respect for the majesty of the natural world amidst the crisis of climate change.

Screenshot from Explore John Muir’s Yosemite

Landscape Music on NewMusicBox

I was invited to write a series of guest columns for NewMusicBox in November and December. Two of these columns focused on Landscape Music, so I’d like to share them here!

Why Landscape Music is More Important Than Ever – The intrinsic power of music to facilitate reflection and reinterpretation of life experiences makes creating Landscape Music a compelling approach to improving and deepening our connection to nature—a goal which is more important now than ever.

How Landscape Music Evokes the Natural World – What is the role of nature in culture? Why use the term “landscape” in reference to music? How can music symbolize the natural world? What are some of the specific approaches composers have taken to creating landscapes in their music?