It was evening. The air had become strangely audible. Far off in the hills,
trees could be heard creaking and stretching. Grémone Forest seemed
quite near; its foliage murmured like water bubbling out of the earth
in great sombre spurts. There could be heard the sound, not only of
the Ouvèze River, but of its entire valley with the song of all
its little secondary valleys, the rustling of the reeds,
the trot of the current over gravel....
Jean Giono, from Joy of Man's Desiring
[READ MORE OF THIS STUNNING PASSAGE]

Ears Wide Open

The Quarterly Bulletin of the Acoustic Ecology Institute

Number 7
August 2007

CONTENTS

»	Introduction
»	Institute Update
»	Recent Science Findings
»	Soundbytes
»	Listening on the Web
»	Join Acoustic Ecology Institute

Hello again to the core supporters of the Acoustic Ecology Institute. I hope that this quarterly "distilled version" of the AEI website is helping you stay connected to our work, and to your interest in our sounding world. The links to the left will take you to four pages, each of which features recent highlights of our work. Of course, by following the links at the top of the page, you can dive into the full (and increasingly sprawling) AEI website.

One of my great summertime listening pleasures is attending outdoor concerts in places with grass, trees, and open skies. As much as I enjoy the richness and subtlety of nature's voice, and the ways that the combinations of sound, sight, smell, and touch draw me out into the landscapes I find myself in, I also revel in overlaying the beauty of the earth with joyful music and a crowd of people moving in consort.

This experience is especially wonderful during sunset and twilight: clouds moving slowly overhead, colors changing minute by minute; individual leaves and whole trees set in motion by the wind; nearby mountains glowing softly. My body in motion, too, in response to the music, and also in response to these beauties of the earth; my gaze wanders wide and high, tendrils of my spirit sent out among branches, foothills, and cloudscapes. Surely it is times in the quiet expanses of nature that open something in me that can weave all this together with the pulsing of a band of African musicians, so that the music becomes a momentary celebration of the beauty that we experience in this land every day.

Here's to your summertime sonic joys—revel in them while they're here!

Jim Cummings
AEI Founder

P.S.
While this quarterly bulletin is designed for members, please feel free to point friends to this page if you think they might enjoy hearing about the Institute. This collection of pages provides a concise introduction to what we're up to.

Contact:
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Santa Fe, NM 87508
ph 505-466-1879 fax 505-466-4930

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Simply click over to the JOIN ONLINE page and re-ante-up! You can choose to receive another CD, or simply offer your financial support.

There is no "renewal" button, but I'll recognize your name and know you're a returning supporter.

Many thanks in advance.....

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