A few years ago, musician Jody Redhage Ferber heard a word she couldn鈥檛 get out of her head. The word was 鈥渆cotones,鈥� and while it might sound musical, it鈥檚 actually an ecological reference: It describes the place where two biological communities intersect 鈥� 鈥渁 forest edge and a meadow,鈥� Ferber explained, 鈥渙r a stream and a stream bank.鈥�
Ecotones鈥� diversity often leads to particularly rich habitats. And that intrigued Ferber. 鈥淚 thought, 鈥榃ell, how can I spin that into something musical?鈥欌��
This weekend, she鈥檒l reveal the results of that spinning, as Kirkwood鈥檚 Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center will play host to her new concert series, . It features small groups of professional musicians playing in 鈥� and inspired by 鈥� the 1.5-mile Hickory Trail. For two reservations-only performances each this Saturday and Sunday, they鈥檒l share pieces informed by the wildlife that inhabits the 112-acre oak-hickory forest.
For Ferber, the joy in EcoTones lies in playing with the idea of what happens when humans intersect with nature. Birds sing 鈥� and the musicians mimic their song. Frogs croak, and the musicians find music in their chorus. It鈥檚 an intensely collaborative process, one that required far more of its performers than simply reading the sheet music.
鈥淢y initial phone calls to all of the musicians started with, 鈥楬i, I have a really unusual request,鈥欌�� Ferber recalled on Wednesday鈥檚 St. Louis on the Air. 鈥溾�楾his is not your usual gig. Can you hear me out?鈥� I think all of my phone calls started like that, and knowing full well that maybe this wouldn't be for everybody.鈥�
But many of the area鈥檚 best musicians happily signed on, and Ferber was eventually able to enlist 15. They鈥檒l play in small combos on six stages set up throughout the trail, each with its own musical theme. There鈥檚 also a grand piano at the trailhead pavilion for anyone who might walk by, not just the people who鈥檝e reserved a spot at the concerts.
Those reservations are full, but Ferber notes that as people drop off, they鈥檙e pulling from a waiting list. And if you miss this iteration, don鈥檛 despair: Ferber is already planning the second EcoTones iteration, set for Emmenegger Nature Park this September.
Emmenegger is the perfect place for Ferber to continue her vision of the musicians building on the sounds all around them. The park is just a few miles away in Kirkwood, but it backs up to the Meramec River. And so, Ferber said: 鈥淲e're going to have a theme of water and water instruments. There's also an amazing bridge there.鈥�
鈥淭here's been great joy in designing this absolute linkage to the nature right there on site,鈥� she added.
Ferber said she has two goals for the EcoTones concept. The first is to encourage people to 鈥渙pen their senses鈥� and 鈥渂e aware in a way that they maybe don't usually take time for.鈥� The second is a matter of grassroots audience development.
鈥淚 wanted to make a project that would be really fun and engaging and playful for all ages,鈥� she said. 鈥淎nd so maybe when those youngsters come out, it might be their first time seeing a flute or a clarinet or a bassoon. It's this first exposure to these live acoustic instruments 鈥� which is so magical. And they're going to maybe be able to listen to those in a different way than they would if they were inside a concert hall.鈥�
Related Event
What:
When: May 14-15
Where: Powder Valley Conservation Nature Center, 11715 Cragwold Road, Kirkwood, MO 63122
鈥�鈥� brings you the stories of St. Louis and the people who live, work and create in our region. The show is hosted by and produced by , , and . Jane Mather-Glass is our production assistant. The audio engineer is .
