Glacial Waves

Violin and Audio Recording by Keeley Brooks

Glacier Audio Recoded by Margaret Kingston, 2025

Glacial Waves is inspired by the research of the North Cascades Glacier Climate Project and their dedication to scientific and artistic documentation of glaciers. I was inspired by learning about glaciers as regulators, landscape makers, habitat and markers of climate change. The glaciers in the cascades each have their own history and I deeply admire the project’s work to help tell those stories across a variety of mediums. Glacial Waves attempts to capture the movement inherent in glaciers beneath their sometimes perceived placidity as well as their constant search for their own equilibrium. Margaret Kingston provided several amazing audio clips for the piece from last summer’s field season. These include a calving event which although inherent to a glacier’s existence, can break the equilibrium if too many occur rapidly such as they are now. Just like the glaciers, the piece was made by layers of gradual accumulation. In this case the medium wasn’t snow but layers of improvised violin. I hope you enjoy!