Tree Concert

Berlin loses thousands of city trees every year. In order to stop this trend and raise public awareness of the need to protect trees, the Friends of the Earth Germany (BUND) organisation put on an unusual charity concert. The idea was to stage a “Tree Concert” and have a chestnut tree perform as a musician in order to collect donations. A unique instrument was built that made each falling chestnut become part of an artistic composition created by the impact of the chestnut as it triggered a combination of sound and light effects. The instrument consisted of cloth membranes stretched over a steel frame. Attached sensors responded to any vibration on the membrane caused by the falling chestnuts and translated them into harmonic sounds. In addition, the sounds made by the tree itself, such as branches creaking and leaves rustling in the wind, also became part of the composition. The tree could thus “play” for its companions and attracted a large audience with the aim of collecting donations for the cause. Statement by the jury »The idea of promoting and staging the issue in the form of a musical performance, and thus conceive of it as sound, is outstanding. As a means of raising awareness about the problems concerning trees, this installation was not only implemented to be visually attractive, but also to create an experience that leaves a lasting impression on the audience.«