Discussion facilitated by Clark University faculty Stephen DiRado, Matt Malsky, and Max Ritts
In the late 1960s, Bernie Krause was a prolific composer and foley artist who pioneered synthesizers and worked with industry giants such as Francis Ford Coppola, The Doors, and The Rolling Stones. But after one chance encounter with the sounds of the wilderness, he chose to change his career path, setting out to gather wild field recordings to help battle the climate crisis using acoustic information. More than half a century later, his vast archive of captured soundscapes reflects dire habitat devastation in the world and yields urgent stories about the need for immediate change.
The Last of the Nightingales, directed by Masha Karpoukhina, invites audiences to experience the rich acoustic beauty of the living world through Bernie’s ears, exceptionally attuned over decades. More than half of the ecosystems recorded in his immense archive are now completely silent or will never be heard in their original voice again due to the profound effects of climate change on the stability, biodiversity, and resilience of virtually all ecosystems on Earth. As more and more soundscapes fall silent, Bernie reminds us that it’s not too late to begin listening.
Admission to the screening is free and open to the public. Refreshments will be offered.
Sponsored by the Alice Coonley Higgins Institute for Arts and Humanities and the Environmental Humanities Research Collaborative at Clark University
