We are in the midst of Earth's sixth mass extinction. How can we, as human animals, begin to wrap our minds around this concept in an emotional, rather than purely cerebral way? How can we relate to the rest of the planet's inhabitants as more than commodities for our consumption? In the information age, where we can know more about them than ever before, how can we experience a personal connection to the awesome beauty and natural intelligence of living things, at the very moment that we stand to lose them?

In this salon, we will discuss some of my personal attempts to find this connection through music and video. I will then invite the group to join me in a vocal experiment, using our voices for a brief exploration into how expressive sound may help us tune in to our more intuitive selves, and possibly bring us closer to the animal psyche.

This interactive presentation will be followed by an outdoor celebration of the abundance of summertime. While I play some live music, we will mingle and enjoy life in the beauty of twilight.

Producer: Ashlynn Manning

Ashlynn Manning is a sound healer, massage therapist, children's yoga teacher, and singer/songwriter. For 5 years she was one half of the Brooklyn-based electro-pop duo Suspicious Package, during which time the duo titled their unique genre of entertainment "Bio-Pop." Their goal was to create captivating pop media that drew the audience closer to the truly awesome details of natural living creatures. Ashlynn graduated Oberlin College with a degree in music, and in the decade since she has traveled the world writing, performing, and exploring music, with the earth and its biodiversity as her muse.