Performing with Plants: A sound performance and discussion with Scott Kildall
Description
Can plants could perform like players in an orchestra?
Performing with Plants is the culmination of Scott Kildall’s two-week residency at Western Hills Garden. While on site, Scott will research and work closely with selected plants and trees, learning their individual qualities in consultation with the garden team and experimenting with how their bio-electric activity responds to environmental conditions.
Using custom-built sensors, Scott listens to the subtle electrochemical signals within plants and translates this live data into sound. The program begins with a short introduction to the process and ideas behind plant bio-electricity. Participants will then experience a short, live, site-responsive sound performance, where 10–12 plants and trees “play” together.
Because the data is live and environmental conditions are always changing, no two performances are the same. Some plants may be active and expressive, others quiet and subtle. The work unfolds slowly, inviting deep listening and attention.
The program concludes with an informal conversation and Q&A, offering space for reflection on the process, the technology, and what it might mean to listen more carefully to the living world around us.
This is a performance and discussion—not a workshop—and is designed as an intimate, contemplative experience.
Details
April 25: 9:30-10:30am
$40
Instructor bio: Scott Kildall is an interdisciplinary artist working at the intersection of ecology, sound, and technology. His work uses custom-built electronic instruments and sensors to translate hidden biological and environmental data—such as plant bio-electricity, microbial activity, and mycelial communication—into sound and sculptural forms. Kildall treats his projects as experiments and prototypes, often developed through residencies in natural environments. His work has been presented internationally, with documentation and sound recordings shared widely online to engage broad audiences.