Quercus avium

light + Soundscape

“Quercus avium Ukiyo-e Style Poster” by Ling DeBellis. Digital print 2022.

Kickoff Rice University Martel College’s 20th Birthday, with "Quercus avium," an immersive light + soundscape designed by Martel College junior, Ling DeBellis, and Sid Richardson College senior, Henry Zhang, with guidance from Shepherd School of Music REMLabs director, Kurt Stallmann.

Created by a cross-discipline network of students and faculty, "Quercus avium" aims to enchant the everyday, to bring together nature and technology, while also bringing together people and building community.

"Quercus avium" features a slowly fading RGBW light program in the canopy of Martel Quad’s sprawling Southern Live Oak (Quercus virginiana), intertwined with a 28-minute spatial bird soundscape created with expertise from Dr. Cin-ty Lee, an ornithologist in Rice University’s Department of BioSciences.

Dr. Cin-ty Lee’s Birding Notes to the “Quercus avium” soundscape can be found HERE.

On Saturday, April 16th, 2022 at 8pm in the Martel Quad, we hosted an opening night reception, featuring live classical and contemporary music from the Shepherd School of Music.
The event was attended by Rice University students, faculty, staff, alumni, associates, and family. The opening reception was graciously funded by Judy and Scott Nyquist.

Watch composer-pianist Antonio Sanz Escallón perform his own Piano Suite No. 1, Mvt. II under the “Quercus avium" installation.

Opening Night Musical Concert Program

Prelude from Suite No. 3 in C Major, BWV 1009 (1717 - 1723)
By J.S. Bach
Sajdah Muhammad, cello

Jasmine — JiangSu Folk Song (2017)
trans. Teresa Suen-Campbell

and

Spanish Dance No. 1 (1904)
By Manuel de Falla,
trans. Marcel Grandjany
Lily Primus, harp

Bioluminescence (2022)
Composed by Roscoe Bussell
Roscoe Bussell, piano

Four Ideas for Flute (2022)
Composed by Lucas Lemonholm
William Yeh, flute

Sonata for Solo Violin (2021)
Composed by Daniel Cho
Daniel Cho, violin

Piano Suite No. 1, Mvt. II (2019)
Composed by Antonio Sanz Escallón
Antonio Sanz Escallón, piano