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Harpers Ferry is a historic West Virginia city and international tourist hub. But four years ago the national park and surrounding town were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Ambient music creates a world without a sense of time.”
Musician, composer and software engineer Peter Chilvers has worked with Brian Eno on several remarkable generative music apps for IOS devices, beginning in 2008 with Bloom. Such has been the success of these imaginary music applications that last year the 10-year anniversary was released: Bloom: 10 Worlds.
Let’s stop right here and I’ll assume you don’t know who Brian Eno is and what he has accomplished. In short, he’s one of the most creative and influential minds of our time. His biography is here. In May, Eno was awarded the Stephen Hawking Medal at Starmus space festival. At the ceremony, an asteroid was named after him. Pretty big stuff, yes?
If you’ve not tried Bloom, Air or Trope, you are missing out on something very unique, special and for me, absolutely necessary. Bloom is simple. Touch the screen and a raindrop-like circle appears with a tone. All the while a gentle drone (which I mistakenly thought was a piano) underpins your creation. The tones repeat, but never in exactly the same way. Do nothing and music will appear.
Why do I say these are necessary? Very simple: stress relief. Open Bloom, relax and listen. Twenty minutes in and time has slowed to a crawl.
I spoke to the thoughtful and delightful Peter Chilvers in June of this year.
peter_chilvers_part_one.mp3
Part one of an extended interview with Peter Chilvers.
peter_chilvers_part_two.mp3
Chilvers describes what we might hear in Bloom:10 Worlds, Reflection's seasonal sounds and an amusing story about the "cacophony" that had to be erased.
Harpers Ferry is a historic West Virginia city and international tourist hub. But four years ago the national park and surrounding town were devastated by the COVID-19 pandemic.
On this West Virginia Morning, tourists from around the world visit Harpers Ferry each year to immerse themselves in U.S. history. But the number of visitors fell in 2020, as public health restrictions ramped up nationwide. Jack Walker visited the town to learn how things have changed since the COVID-19 pandemic began.
This week's broadcast of Mountain Stage was recorded at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek, CA. On this episode, host Kathy Mattea welcomes GRAMMY-winning Australian rock star Colin Hay, Canadian singer-songwriter Bruce Cockburn, legendary folk and country artist Ramblin' Jack Elliott, San Francisco rocker Chuck Prophet and his band The Make Out Quartet, and folk duo The Lucky Valentines.
Across the nation, there are more and more local news deserts; communities with no local newspaper, television or radio station to cover what’s going on. When a small town paper like The Welch News in McDowell County, WV, can’t compete and shuts down, losing those local eyes and ears can affect accountability. No one is there to watch over things. Local news also provides a sense of cohesion and identity for a community. What happens when it’s gone? This story was supported by the Pulitzer Center.