Longleaf is an evening-length multimedia work by composer Ben Morris commissioned by Loop38. The piece tells the story of the longleaf pine forest, an endangered ecosystem spread throughout the American Southeast with its last stands in rural East Texas. The piece will trace the history of the tree and the timber industry in East Texas with video projections, historical photographs, natural soundscapes, and music, raise awareness about the ecological importance of old-growth forests, and encourage forest preservation and appreciation in the future.
This residency at Stephen F. Austin will mark the work’s world premiere and will be accompanied by a recording session, several outreach events such as masterclasses, a panel discussion, and a walking tour of Stephen F. Austin’s Experimental Forest.
This project is generously funded by Mid-America Arts Alliance, the National Endowment for the Arts, and the state arts agencies of Arkansas, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas.
