No More Walks in the Wood: Songs about Trees

No More Walks in the Wood: Songs about Trees is an initiative to commission new classical works for voice and piano by Texas-based artists on the topic of trees and nature in Texas. The goal of the project is to appreciate trees native to different regions of Texas and raise awareness of climate change in those areas since Texas endures extreme heat, drought, severe storms, and the threat of wildfire due to shifting climate patterns. Ultimately, the goal of the project is to encourage classical musicians, audiences, and students to reflect on their relationship with nature through the lens of music and poetry.

For this 2025 recital tour and commissioning project, composers Ben Morris, Theo Chandler, and Martin Blessinger wrote music for soprano and piano using texts by poets Karla K. Morton and Mark Sanders. These pieces were “In Hurricane with Horses,” “The Trees Know,” “Birch Tree on a Riverbank,” and “Ask the Crow,” and they depicted various scenes in Texas such as Hurricanes and sunsets, trees such as the loblolly pine and oak, and emotional states such as pain, grief, hope, and wonder.

The pieces were premiered by soprano Rose Kearin and pianist Maggie Hinchliffe on a recital tour in Texas. The first performance was at Stephen F. Austin State University on April 11, 2025, followed by two more performances at the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth on June 7th and the Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston on June 22nd. The full hour-long recital program featured other classical art songs about trees from the German, French, and American traditions. This included works by Franz Schubert, Robert Schumann, Claude Debussy, George Crumb, Margaret Bonds, Ricky Ian Gordon, Lori Laitman, and more. These works were presented chronologically, concluding with the premieres.

The premiere performance was paired with a guided tour of the Ruby M. Mize Azalea Garden free of charge so audiences could enjoy the recital and then engage with their local environment. Each recital was recorded, and the new pieces are now available on YouTube. They will be recorded again in a studio setting and performed at a conference for pianists later this fall.