Listening with the Woods: Reich & Nature Listening in the Garth Woodland

A participatory contemporary music and nature listening experience in collaboration with Nature by the Taff, Listening with the Woods invited music and nature lovers to try something new by constructing Steve Reich’s Pendulum Music alongside a series of field recording microphones placed away from the listening space. After setting up the experience as a group, participants listened first to Reich’s work, which was then followed by the live-amplified sounds of the woodlands, creating an opportunity for a communal deep listening experience. The event explored how new audiences can be introduced to a classic piece of (usually gallery-bound) sound art, and also how art and music enthusiasts can be introduced to groups and events relating to nature and conservation. Listening with the Woods was a successful first-venture with NBTT, opening regular members’ ears to new sounds, as well as driving new membership from Cardiff’s art scene.