Composers Hanna Tuulikki, Colin Riley and Dai Fujikura share their music and thoughts exploring the importance of place in music. How does the more-than-human manifest itself in the composers’ music, and what does it mean to be composing music in times of the climate crisis?

From imitating birds to Japanese onomatopoeia, we listen to a song written for a stream in the Cairngorms, music that imitates the freedom and order of birds flying, and how can one make sense of climate grief through sound and movement. Join our CEO Susanna Eastburn MBE and festival director Fiona Robertson (Sound Scotland) for a unique insight into composing. 

Our recommendation at the end is for In Place, a collection of songs by Colin Riley which you can explore fully at InPlaceProject.co.uk 

In this episode, you listened to the following music and sounds: 

• Litanies for the Furness Fells (2018), featuring words by Richard Skelton and Autumn Richardson; part of In Place, released by Squeaky Kate Music  
• Water over Stone (2018), featuring words by Nan Shepherd; part of In Place released by Squeaky Kate Music  
• Earth Voices: I. Luften (2021), commissioned by and premiered by Helsingborg Symphony Orchestra at Helsingborg Konserthus, Sweden conducted by Alfonso Scarano 

This podcast was produced by Michael Umney (Resonance FM) and mixed by Chris Bartholomew, with the theme tune composed by Rob Bentall.  

Our heartfelt thanks to the record labels, performers, composers and organisations who allowed us to include excerpts of these recordings on the podcast.