Reaching the first Mark!

 I'm thrilled to report that we've passed the first mark for the Wetlands Arts project.  The new Wetlands Soundscape has been inspired, created, composed, written, arranged and finally recorded. There are 12 pieces that make up the collection.

Beginning last September, the first track of the first piece was recorded in situ, in December last year. It was added to in February, with the choir singing the chorus at the wetlands, then the lead vocals and narration added in July and August, followed by editing, mixing, and mastering.  Along the way, I've had over 50 musicians, singers, and volunteers participating in this first stage, between February and August, working on the remaining 11 pieces.

At the end of this month, the Soundscape will be presented at an Artists Briefing for those artists involved in next year's exhibition. They will then have almost 12 months to develop their ideas and create their masterpiece which is to be based upon what they hear in the Soundscape. 

Every musician involved has their profile included on the projects Vlog and you can meet them (as well as some other volunteers, and the studio engineer) here: Wetlands Arts Project  Through the coming 6+months, I'll be doing profiles on each of the artists involved - some @26 of them.  

In the meantime, the new collection has been named:  Wetlands: A Masterpiece and it will have a staged release; the signature track in late November, with further tracks released in the first few months of 2027. 

Subscribe to the Vlog and join us on the journey 

Where's Your Go To Place?

 

 

When the pressures of everyday life and/or the worries of the global crisis' get us down, it's good to have a bolt-hole.  A "Go-To" place. A place that calms the storm within and the storm without.

 Some will say, "oh, I meditate"or "oh, I pray" ...but there's much to be said for taking your WHOLE body, not just your mind, to somewhere else. And there is much research that supports this view. 

 For example, a Japanese immunologist's 20-year research study proved that the  natural airborne compounds known as phytoncides, (which trees release naturally) when breathed into the human body, had the ability to lower levels of stress hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline. Thus, time in forests, for example physically improved the body's ability to cope better with life's stress. Some people find it beneficial to spend time by the ocean or near water. Simply, being in Nature is a powerful healer.

 My go-to is the wetlands. For me, the sounds of nature, the birds, the wind in the trees, the sound of rainfall, all contribute to a sense of calm and peace. It's also inspirational. So here's where I've been on this chilly wintery morning;   

Looking for the Bright Spots

 Gosh, the world can be feeling quite overwhelming at the moment, can't it. Especially when we might be feeling helpless at not being able to do anything, and hopeless that everything is getting out of control.  

But music is a great escape, isn't it? Whether you're making it, practicing it, learning it, performing it, or just enjoying it! It can lift our hearts, stir our memories, make us feel joyful, wistful, sad, or hopeful. Any way you're engaged with it, music will affect our mood.

I wanted to share this little clip with you today ....because I'm so involved in the Wetlands Arts Project, I'm spending a lot of time in nature and at the local wetlands. Being there always lightens my mood, makes me feel happy. I hope this little clip does the same for you.  (The music is Dancing in the Light from the Luminous album which is NOT on the Bandcamp page.  However, there are some lovely tracks on the first wetlands album "Song of the Wetlands" which IS on Bandcamp and when you listen to Feathered Promenade on that album, the clip below will make perfect sense.)

 Feathered Promenade on Bandcamp

Track In Progress

 With a major new project on the go, life has been pretty flat out. With the first layer of the first track put down in December with Anyerin Drury on Didgeridoo, invitations went out at the beginning of the year for the second layer. In February a group of local singers gathered at the Wetlands Centre in Shortland to lay down a chant which would sit behind the Didge track.

On a beautiful still and cool Saturday morning, we gathered to chant. Stevi Cannon directed the voices, Zac Limon bought his equipment to record in situ, and Catherine Knight worked behind the camera to get some footage. Here's a taste of the sound with the Didge track playing.  

Don't forget to subscribe to the Vlog The Wetlands Arts Project  to be notified when new updates are loaded up. I'd love to share the journey with you, introduce you to the musicians and their instruments, the artists who will create their works from the music, and the volunteers who work tirelessly in the wetlands.