Origins and Transformations by John Patrick Moore

Origins and Transformations is a listening days journey beginning in the remnants of old growth oak woodlands, winding through what was the largest dune system on the west coast now human transformed into forests, gardens and playgrounds and arriving at the wide Pacific Ocean. Through 12 sections, the sojourner will be guided deeper into live close listening to the ever changing sounds of the wind, birdsong, human laughter and languages, music live and recorded, whirl of bicycles and hum of traffic. Sounds, sights and thoughts intertwine to inspire an expansive sense of time and the connectivity of people, animals, landscape and elements.

The route is around 6-7 miles long but each section can be done individually or combined in smaller sections.

1. Origin Oak woodland – Ohlone Land, grove left by the landscape designers, regenerated from the trees cut down by refugees from the 1906 earthquake. What sounds do you hear? Which are mechanical, human, animal, plant, weather? What are your sonic origins?
2. Playgrounds – Skatepark, 10th street playground, tunnel to music concourse, Ferris wheel, fountains, museums. What mix of sounds do you hear? What does play mean to you?
3. Walled Gardens, gateways and thresholds/liminal spaces – path goes past Japanese tea garden, botanical garden, Shakespeare Garden, the National AIDS Memorial What sounds do you hear through the walls, fences and hedges? What and who are enclosed and what and who are kept out?
4. Heroes – Redwood Grove – What sounds are caused by you as you walk through the grove? Who are your heroes?
5. Hybrids -Rose Garden – Can you hear the sounds of insects? What are the impacts of pollination, evolution, genetic engineering? How were you named?
6. History- Monterey pines and cypress 100 Life spans ending, 13 trees of the colonies, Pioneer mother, log cabin, coyote den, conflicting history, Spanish, Mexican history, Ohlone, Who tells history? What stories are in your head? How do they compare to what has been created in front of you?
7. Engineering land transformation of sand dunes to forests and gardens – Stow lake, Strawberry Hill, waterfalls. What is the sounds from your breath and body do you hear as you climb the hill?
8. Displacement- Ohlone, Taiwanese pavilion, Japanese Tea Garden, Junipero Serra statue controversy, Prayer book Cross – Sir Francis Drake, Portals of the Past – What modes of communication do you hear? What sounds are absent?
9. Human connections – Speedway meadow, polo grounds, Spreckels Lake – What sounds do human make? Do they come from their bodies, instruments, electronic devices?
10. Animals wild and domestic- Bison, red tail hawks, ravens, parrots, dog park, Anglers lodge, horse stables, coyotes – What sounds do you here that come from animals?
11. Harnessing the elements – Murphy windmill & Dutch windmill – Air, Water & Earth. How do the landscape and architecture affect the sound of the air and sea?
12. Origin Pacific Ocean – dunes, beach, fire pits, Snowy plover, origin of life, we carry sea in our own bodies – How do the sounds of wind and water affect other sounds

John Patrick Moore is an Artistic Associate with Central Works in Berkeley where he directed Project Ahab: or Eye of the Whale, Red Virgin: Louise Michel and the Paris Commune of 1871 and Penelope’s Odyssey and appeared in (Wonderland, Palace Wreckers, Edward King, Winter, Hearts of Palm, Richard the First, Reduction in Force, Midsummer/4, Shadow Crossing, The Mysterious Mr. Looney, The Duel & Mata Hari). With Expanded Arts/Free Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot in New York, he helped develop new adaptations of The Seagull, Medea, Richard II and Dracula. New York credits include: Mr. Knightley in Emma the Musical (NYMF), Charles in Edward III (Hope Theatre Off-Broadway Premiere), King Richard in Richard II and Jacques in As You Like It (Expanded Art’s Free Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot). In the Bay Area, he has worked with Marin Theatre Company, The Magic Theatre, 42nd Street Moon, The Shotgun Players, CenterRep and Pacific Alliance Stage Co.

John also assistant directed Urban Opera’s productions of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (SF Chronicle’s Top 10 Classical Music in 2009) and The Witch of Endor and SF Lyric Opera’s production of David Lang’s Little Match Girl Passion (SF Chronicle’s Top 10 Classical Music performance in 2012) which traveled to Den Fynske Opera in Denmark in 2013.
John completed a two year Meisner Technique Program with JoAnna Beckson in NY, studied Suzuki with Jeffrey Bihr, is member of AEA and an alumni of Groundswell and has an AB in History from Princeton University. John is also the board Treasurer of Soundwave, a non-profit organization promoting innovative voices in sound with the most captivating sound art and performance experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area.

Origins and Transformations by John Patrick Moore

Origins and Transformations is a listening days journey beginning in the remnants of old growth oak woodlands, winding through what was the largest dune system on the west coast now human transformed into forests, gardens and playgrounds and arriving at the wide Pacific Ocean. Through 12 sections, the sojourner will be guided deeper into live close listening to the ever changing sounds of the wind, birdsong, human laughter and languages, music live and recorded, whirl of bicycles and hum of traffic. Sounds, sights and thoughts intertwine to inspire an expansive sense of time and the connectivity of people, animals, landscape and elements.

The route is around 6-7 miles long but each section can be done individually or combined in smaller sections.

1. Origin Oak woodland – Ohlone Land, grove left by the landscape designers, regenerated from the trees cut down by refugees from the 1906 earthquake. What sounds do you hear? Which are mechanical, human, animal, plant, weather? What are your sonic origins?
2. Playgrounds – Skatepark, 10th street playground, tunnel to music concourse, Ferris wheel, fountains, museums. What mix of sounds do you hear? What does play mean to you?
3. Walled Gardens, gateways and thresholds/liminal spaces – path goes past Japanese tea garden, botanical garden, Shakespeare Garden, the National AIDS Memorial What sounds do you hear through the walls, fences and hedges? What and who are enclosed and what and who are kept out?
4. Heroes – Redwood Grove – What sounds are caused by you as you walk through the grove? Who are your heroes?
5. Hybrids -Rose Garden – Can you hear the sounds of insects? What are the impacts of pollination, evolution, genetic engineering? How were you named?
6. History- Monterey pines and cypress 100 Life spans ending, 13 trees of the colonies, Pioneer mother, log cabin, coyote den, conflicting history, Spanish, Mexican history, Ohlone, Who tells history? What stories are in your head? How do they compare to what has been created in front of you?
7. Engineering land transformation of sand dunes to forests and gardens – Stow lake, Strawberry Hill, waterfalls. What is the sounds from your breath and body do you hear as you climb the hill?
8. Displacement- Ohlone, Taiwanese pavilion, Japanese Tea Garden, Junipero Serra statue controversy, Prayer book Cross – Sir Francis Drake, Portals of the Past – What modes of communication do you hear? What sounds are absent?
9. Human connections – Speedway meadow, polo grounds, Spreckels Lake – What sounds do human make? Do they come from their bodies, instruments, electronic devices?
10. Animals wild and domestic- Bison, red tail hawks, ravens, parrots, dog park, Anglers lodge, horse stables, coyotes – What sounds do you here that come from animals?
11. Harnessing the elements – Murphy windmill & Dutch windmill – Air, Water & Earth. How do the landscape and architecture affect the sound of the air and sea?
12. Origin Pacific Ocean – dunes, beach, fire pits, Snowy plover, origin of life, we carry sea in our own bodies – How do the sounds of wind and water affect other sounds

John Patrick Moore is an Artistic Associate with Central Works in Berkeley where he directed Project Ahab: or Eye of the Whale, Red Virgin: Louise Michel and the Paris Commune of 1871 and Penelope’s Odyssey and appeared in (Wonderland, Palace Wreckers, Edward King, Winter, Hearts of Palm, Richard the First, Reduction in Force, Midsummer/4, Shadow Crossing, The Mysterious Mr. Looney, The Duel & Mata Hari). With Expanded Arts/Free Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot in New York, he helped develop new adaptations of The Seagull, Medea, Richard II and Dracula. New York credits include: Mr. Knightley in Emma the Musical (NYMF), Charles in Edward III (Hope Theatre Off-Broadway Premiere), King Richard in Richard II and Jacques in As You Like It (Expanded Art’s Free Shakespeare in the Park(ing) Lot). In the Bay Area, he has worked with Marin Theatre Company, The Magic Theatre, 42nd Street Moon, The Shotgun Players, CenterRep and Pacific Alliance Stage Co.

John also assistant directed Urban Opera’s productions of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas (SF Chronicle’s Top 10 Classical Music in 2009) and The Witch of Endor and SF Lyric Opera’s production of David Lang’s Little Match Girl Passion (SF Chronicle’s Top 10 Classical Music performance in 2012) which traveled to Den Fynske Opera in Denmark in 2013.
John completed a two year Meisner Technique Program with JoAnna Beckson in NY, studied Suzuki with Jeffrey Bihr, is member of AEA and an alumni of Groundswell and has an AB in History from Princeton University. John is also the board Treasurer of Soundwave, a non-profit organization promoting innovative voices in sound with the most captivating sound art and performance experiences in the San Francisco Bay Area.