Winter’s Silence: Searching for the Music of a Hibernating Forest

Hakemuksen tiivistelmä

“Winter’s Silence: Searching for the Music of a Hibernating Forest” is a 16-month artistic research project. It combines ecological science and artistic inquiry to explore hibernation in Finnish forests. By investigating how forest ecosystems slow down and adapt during winter, the project aims to create new forms of music and artistic practices. Mareike Dobewall is a interdisciplinary artist and researcher with a PhD in Performative and Media-based Practices. The project builds on her nature-score method, where music is composed in response to environmental patterns. Through collaboration with scientists from the University of Helsinki’s Climate Whirl Arts Program and Hyytiälä Forest Field Station, Mareike will study the biological processes of hibernation. She will transform this knowledge into artistic forms, including sound compositions and vocal performances. Mareike’s working method will involve immersion in the forest environment. She will use embodied listening, witnessing, and sensory interaction with the landscape. Her artistic process will be paced by rest, reflection, and careful observation. The interdisciplinary project combines scientific research, artistic experimentation, and community engagement. It includes two winter residencies at Hyytiälä. Here, Mareike will engage in field research and collaborate with local choirs, co-led by choir leader Petra Poutanen, to explore the vocal potential of hibernation. The integration of vocal music with ecological knowledge creates a sensory experience that fosters deeper discussions on vulnerability and interdependence. An artist residency in Turku will further develop these ideas, with a focus on post-human perspectives, inter-species collaboration, and speculative futures. The project will culminate in a multisensory choral performance, offering audiences an immersive experience of winter hibernation and fostering a dialogue on sustainability, ecological resilience, and collaborative coexistence.