PROGRAM NOTE

“Frederick Law Olmsted is considered the “father of landscape architecture” in the United States. Though not exactly a household name, his impact on his country was profound and his aesthetic was visionary in the nineteenth century, designing the first urban parks, including Central Park, Emerald Necklace, Stanford University’s campus, and many more. Contrary to the European aesthetic, Olmsted was keen on “listening” to nature. Though a park is by definition human-made, his designs focused on local landscapes and allowed them to be themselves. In crowded, noisy, stressful city-environments, he believed we all deserved a place to stop and take in nature.

 

Olmsted’s home and office, Fairsted (Brookline, MA), is where his firm operated, and this location – a park and creative studio – provides the inspiration for Piece of Mind. The piece is about stillness, contemplation, the creative process, and above all, letting sounds and silences simply be themselves.” 

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This piece was a part of Landscape's Music Lungs of the City Project - learn more about this collaboration here.