Fire in the Garden: Choral Music about Climate Change

Cantilena highlights the climate crisis with this live streamed premiere of a major new work, “Fire in the Garden: A Climate Change Trilogy” by Giselle Wyers, originally to have been performed for the 50th anniversary of Earth Day in 2020. The powerful texts for this choral premiere are taken from the words of women climate activists and thinkers. Drawing from diverse sources such as Greta Thunberg, Denise Levertov, Barbara Deming, and Hildegard von Bingen, Seattle-based Wyers addresses environmental changes that have already occurred as well as inevitable changes yet to come, and concludes with a call for all of us to act now to forestall even greater disaster.

Dr Allegra Martin conducts the Women of Cantilena for this premiere as well as reflections of nature and our fragile Earth by Moira Smiley, Nancy Telfer,  Joan Szymko, Sarah Quartel, and others. Collaborative pianist, Kelvyn Koning accompanies the chorus.

In 2020, our commissioned work, “Fire in the Garden,” was partially supported by a grant from Mass Cultural Council (www.massculturalcouncil.org).

Cantilena, a women’s chorale, is an ensemble of approximately 30 singers, dedicated to performing music written for the treble voice. Our challenging and diverse repertoire spans the 15th to the 21st centuries and includes works in many different languages and musical forms. We strive to introduce both our members and our audience to works they are unlikely to encounter in other forums, with an emphasis on music composed specifically for treble voices.

Please visit https://www.cantilena.org to learn more about us, our director, and our collaborative pianist.