Schools Listen and Create New Music Inspired By Nature

Thanks to the Ohio Arts Council’s ArtStart Grant, The Well has been able to collaborate with four Ohio musicians to create six pieces of Field Recording/New Music inspired by and incorporating sounds of local soundscapes. As a part of this year’s Mindful Music playlist, students have listened to music incorporating birds, frogs, wind rustling through the trees, gibbon monkeys, a zoo train, and ocean waves. Now, students have been tasked with creating their own field recordings!

We partnered with Liz Wu, of Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's Sound Discoveries, to provide students with a lesson plan on how to capture sound from the environment and how to create their own composition in GarageBand. Five schools have sent submissions created by their classrooms and we created a public playlist for all to enjoy!

Listen to them all on this Field Recordings Playlist.

In Cincinnati– At Woodford Elementary, The Well engaged students through a Kennedy Heights Arts Center artists-in-residence, with lead artists Sonya Verma and Stacy Sims. During the residency, Sonya and Stacy worked with two groups of 2nd grade students to create their own field recording music. The first group created their piece using gongs, chimes, singing bowls, bubble wrap, sticks and paper. The second group created their piece, titled “Easy Does It”, which uses gongs, chimes, singing bowls and their own voices. Special thanks to Woodford’s music teacher, Mrs. Wallace for helping us create these pieces!

At the Academy of World Languages, 5th and 6th grade students, involved in the True Body Project After School Program–led by Kami Lerma, A Mindful Moment Trustee–created new music titled “Friday Flow.” They created this piece using chimes, metal railings, lunchroom sounds, water, gravel, and snapping. They also used Percussive Melodies by Ketsa Music as a backtrack.

In Pittsburgh– At Turtle Creek STEAM Academy, 5th grade students, Thea, Aracellie and Xyleia, created their selection using BandLab loops, in-person learning sounds, and the pledge of allegiance. Special thanks to their wonderful music teacher Ms. Endler for helping them complete this piece. 

In St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands– Several Woodson Middle School students in Ms. Dissinger’s music class created selections with sounds from different locations on the islands. Sahara B. captured sounds from Woodson Middle School, Lalique B. captured sounds from Dorsch Beach, Kayden F. captured sounds from Frederiksted and Ani V. captured sounds from a crucian night time outside of her home.  

In Cleveland– At Imagine Bella Academy in Cleveland, students created two field recordings while in Ms. Pierson’s Mindfulness classroom. In their first selection, “We Love Ms. Pierson” students captured the sounds of whispers, chimes, singing bowls, steel tongue drum, snapping, clapping and breathing sounds to create this piece. In their second piece, “I Am Enough” students used beatboxing, inspirational quotes, chimes, steel tongue drum and singing bowls to create this inspirational selection. Special thanks to the Mindfulness teachers Ms. Pierson, Ms. Kent and Ms. Sirl. 

We are so grateful to our schools, partners, and the Ohio Arts Council for this opportunity to support composers, collaborate with artists, and bring new Mindful Music into schools. To learn about Mindful Music Moments or to hear what’s playing in your school, ask your school administrator, visit our website www.thewell.world, or contact our Music Coordinator Bryce Kessler (bryce@thewell.world)