is a site specific installation for full orchestra, designed for the Garfield Park Conservatory’s (Chicago) Palm House. it was written for and premiered by the Chicago Composers Orchestra on December 7th, 2011.
This piece deals with what the sound of a room can mean.
Program Note: Rooms are speaking to us all the time. Cities have a way of making us numb. Hums, creaks, down the hall doors opening and closing, furnaces firing, the steady, slow, magnetic whir of a highway 2 miles off. Conscious or subconscious, perceived or not, the ephemera of noise effects us in ways we seldom are aware.
Juxtapose the natural and the industrial. This is a Natural Habitat with capital letters and encased in glass. Fans keep air moving, the soil is monitored, it is heated, and humidified, and the sunlight is regulated. I am intrigued by the natural experience, why we need to connect with our bodies and other living bodies. This is a very specific natural experience. Close your eyes, feel the air move.
Composed by Kyle Vegter
Performed by the Chicago Composer's Orchesta