Caterpillars and Summer Birds

Performed by Max Hinton (piano), Graeme Scott (flute), Lili Matthews (oboe), Tucker Hall-Klingensmith (bass clarinet), Evan Schultz (bassoon), Ryan Reynolds (bassoon), and Noemi Bender (clarinet)

Instrumentation: Flute, Oboe, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, 2 Bassoons, and Piano

Duration: 8.5’

Program Notes: Caterpillars and Summer Birds is a piece inspired by the curiosity and scientific contributions of Maria Merian. Maria Merian is a botanical artist and scientist who was active in 1600’s Germany. She pioneered the fields of ecology, entomology, and biology through her careful observation of various insects, most notably her books which document the transformation of a caterpillar to a butterfly. In the 1600’s not much was known about insects and people commonly referred to butterflies as “Summer Birds”. Maria’s work broke the bounds of social norms for women. In a time when women were not allowed to do most things; Maria ran her own business, printed and published multiple books, and made significant contributions to the future of science.

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