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about

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About

Branching Songs is an art project that draws attention to trees and forests in the West Coast region. The Branching Songs team is experimenting with sound and new media technologies combined with land-based practices to create compelling artwork and workshops with the aim to build awareness about the crucial role trees and forests play in ecosystem health. 

The British Columbia (BC) coastal region has long been known for its unique biodiverse forests which include old-growth trees who play a crucial part in the province’s natural health and contribute to the health of the planet. However, deforestation from logging and development has diminished this habitat and accelerated extreme environmental conditions, such as heat events, mudslides and flooding. Despite heating and drought from climate change, forests in regions such as the Sunshine Coast are being clear cut. Even urban forests are at risk, such as the trees clear cut for the Transmountain Pipeline expansion project despite knowledge about the need to eliminate fossil fuels and expand urban forests.
 
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Wild and urban forests have positive effects on mental health and physical well-being, and people who experience connections with trees and forests are more likely to care for them. So it's of paramount importance to engage and mobilize people in the movement to protect and care for our trees and forests.  The Branching Songs team creates sound art and live events to advocate for trees and forests.
 
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Video article, 2022

Andreyev, J. A. & Lantin, M. & Street, S. & Jacobsen, C. & Madsen, K. & Overstall, S. & Felsing, L. & Plisic, L., (2023) “Branching Songs”, Journal of Embodied Research 5(2): 4. doi: https://doi.org/10.16995/jer.9016

Team: 

Julie Andreyev, artist, Associate Professor, Emily Carr University (ECU)

Sadira Rodrigues, Director of the Sunshine Coast Arts Council (SCAC) 

Giorgio Magnanensi, Director of Vancouver New Music (VNM). 

Maria Lantin, PhD 

Simon Lysander Overstall, artist, PhD candidate, Simon Fraser University (SFU) 

Keira Madsen, BMA 

Lara Felsing, MFA 

Emma Pallay, MFA

Myles Feltenberger, BMA 

Itamar Sitbon, BMA 

Sam Street, BMA 

Cara Jacobsen, BMA 

Leanne Plisic, BMA

Branching Songs Ensemble:

  • Julie Andreyev, Tree and Lightning Stick instruments 

  • Simon Lysander Overstall, Tree instrument and software programming 

  • Keira Madsen, Tree Voice instrument 

  • Myles V Feltenberger, Looper instrument 

  • Giorgio Magnanensi, resonators and diffusion

 

Supported by: 

Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada 

Emily Carr University of Art & Design 

Basically Good Media Lab, ECU 

Sunshine Coast Arts Council 

Vancouver New Music 

contact: jandreyev @ ecuad.ca 

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