NYC Gazette

Juilliard's Earth Month festivities feature a lineup of innovative and engaging programs that celebrate our changing environment. The events, which include Ellen Reid SOUNDWALK Lincoln Center and Central Park, John Luther Adams’ Crossing Open Ground, and the Juilliard Green Club’s Earth Day Celebration, aim to highlight public engagement, interdisciplinary work, and partnerships with peer organizations.

Ellen Reid, the Pulitzer Prize-winning composer and sound artist behind SOUNDWALK, invites participants to explore the location-based sound art installation at their own pace, experiencing how weather, light, and music can alter perceptions of the natural environment. Reid emphasizes the importance of taking a moment away from the fast-paced world to enjoy the beauty of public parks and immerse oneself in nature.

Speaking about the Crossing Open Ground performance, composer John Luther Adams expresses his hope that the music will encourage audiences to slow down, pay attention, and reconnect with their place within the larger community of life on earth. Directed and choreographed by Pam Tanowitz, the outdoor work involves an ensemble of Juilliard students and alumni musicians and dancers moving across Lincoln Center’s campus in a celebration of nature, life, and art.

The Earth Month celebrations culminate with a concert at the Greene Space at WNYC and WQXR, where Juilliard music and drama students will perform works that explore themes of nature and the environment. The concert, hosted by WQXR’s Annie Bergen, will feature chamber and historical performance ensembles, new works for guitar, and select readings by a drama student. The event will also be livestreamed on WQXR’s YouTube channel.

These diverse and thought-provoking programs underscore Juilliard's commitment to artistic excellence and global citizenship, providing a platform for talented artists to engage with pressing environmental issues through the power of music and performance.