Organizer: The Walden Woods Project

The Aurea Ensemble will perform “Of Nature Composed,” which explores the intersection of nature, science, the arts and humanities, and the sanctity of our environment. “Of Nature Composed” includes the words and music of 2014 Pulitzer Prize winner, John Luther Adams; American composers, Charles Griffes, John Cage, Lou Harrison, and Charles Ives; with words of naturalist Henry David Thoreau, American contemporary Pulitzer Prize winning poet Galway Kinnell, and Ted Kooser.

The piece was created in 2016 for the Rhode Island Council for the Humanities in celebration of the centennial of the Pulitzer Prize. The mission of Aurea is to investigate and invigorate the relationship between music and the spoken word. Aurea aspires to unify the humanities and fine arts in dynamic, accessible & engaging ways through performance and educational outreach.

The Aurea Ensemble features:

Nigel Gore, spoken word

Chris Turner, harmonica, spoken word

Katherine Winterstein and Alexey Shabalin, violins

Consuelo Sherba, viola

Emmanuel Feldman, cello