Shimmering riparian corridors, hard-laboring orchards, wildlife under-crossings, and the confluence of two mountain ranges can all be found in Coyote Valley. This “last-chance” ecosystem is essential to the wellbeing of humans and non-humans from San Jose to Morgan Hill, California. Many hands come together to tend to the life in this valley from those who labor in the orchards and regenerative farms to those who steward the intensive and visionary conservation and restoration efforts of the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority.
EarthStory Founder, Will Rand collaborated with Open Space Authority General Manager Andrea Mackenzie to imagine the music of Coyote Valley. Will composed five short pieces to evoke different stories of life in the valley. The music was recorded by EarthStory co-director, Grace Alexander and the remarkable cellist, Aireleen Zhu in Vancouver, B.C. Darío Acosta used his recording gifts to capture the project beautifully.
The incredible communications team at Open Space Authority, including Charlotte, Annamarie, and Avery, created beautiful videos to give sight to the sounds in each short piece of music. You can see the finished project on the Open Space Youtube Channel.
“Máyyan ‘Ooyákma Coyote Ridge”
Starting with the swaying grasses and wildflowers of springtime, the rushing of the wind sweeps into an ode to the awe and wonder of taking in the whole valley from above. This movement hopes to extol the beauty of the smallest, most delicate wildflower to the grand expanse of the entire valley below.
“Laguna Seca”
Water always finds a way. Even though the dammed up and unnaturally confined streams around Laguna Seca have struggled against their harshly drawn banks, water always has the final word. This music imagines Laguna Seca as it has always been: lush, abundant, and in free flow to rise and fall at will. The climax of the piece also hints at the moment that the dam will break and the water will be free to flow in harmony with the valley once again.
“Valley of the Heart’s Delight”
Coyote Valley has hosted the stories of so many. From indigenous families who cared for all of the living inhabitants of the valley for thousands of years to those who now tend to the orchards and tirelessly work with the land. So many overlapping stories of resilience over industrial domination and hard work in the face of difficult odds. This movement is an ode to the laborers who seek to know Coyote Valley for who she has always been.
“Foothills”
This piece starts walking one of the trails at Coyote Valley Open Space Preserve. Imagining what someone might feel as they take a deep breath in this gentle landscape after stepping out of their daily work routine. The music meanders along the path as the thoughts twist and turn, working themselves out. Sometimes the natural world is our best therapist, giving us the space to find the calm, clarity, and repose we need to carry on.
“Wildlife”
So many animals call Coyote Valley home. Many others need safe passage from mountain range to mountain range. This whimsical movement mimics the dialogue of many different animals of the valley from songbirds to owls to small prairie mammals to mighty cougars. This movement is intended to be modular to lots of different species depending on the video footage/photos that it might accompany.
So much gratitude for the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority for their incredible imagination and partnership throughout this project.
Incredible work Will and Grace!