When you spy the cap of a mushroom in a forest, what you are actually seeing is a mere fraction of the fungal organism that produced it. The vast majority of the organism is comprised of mycelium—subterranean tendrils that form vast networks beneath the forest floor. These networks are not only what allow the fungus to propogate, they also act as an integral player in the entire forest ecosystem. Specifically, mycelium networks latch onto the roots of trees and other plant life, exchanging some energy for essential nutrients the trees and plants rely upon to be healthy. This symbiotic relationship runs deeper, however. By passing nutrients through these networks, some trees and plants have evolved a remarkable ability to literally communicate with one another: They alert one another to disease and predation, and even assist one another, altering their root structures to make space for growth, and sharing their nutrients.
When musicians perform as an ensemble, they must form a collective intelligence to produce a desired group sound. Sometimes this collective intelligence can behave quite like an organic network, analogous to trees and plants communicating through mycelium. In creating A Mind in the Branches, I intended to realize a work of music that would bring this process of collective intelligence to the forefront of the performance. Rather than treating the ensemble as a homogenous unit that traverses a linear work of music from beginning to end, the performers instead have their own individual agency, their own ability to explore the score a number of non-linear ways. However, in doing so, they will also encounter instances in which they must work together, or musically communicate with one another, or even behave as a homogenous unit for a moment, should the need arise. In doing so, the performers become interdependent "trees" in the ecosystem that is A Mind in the Branches.

Written for Ensemble for These Times (E4TT).

If you are interested in performing this work and would like to obtain a color-coded version of the score for ease of performance, please send me a message via the ‘Contact’ section of my website.