Der Klang der Bäume: Eine Symphonie der Achtsamkeit

In the organizer's words:

🌳 The Sound of Trees: A Symphony of Attentiveness
German version below

EcoLit's First Public Event
Date: 7th May 2025
Time: 4:00 - 8:00 PM
Location: Peony Meadow, Forest Botanical Garden, Rodenkirchen, Cologne
Languages: English & German

🌿 About the Event
Join us for EcoLit's first public event, The Sound of Trees: A Symphony of Attentiveness, featuring biologist and musician Tarun Nayar (a.k.a. Modern Biology) alongside local artists from the South Asian diaspora:

Senthuran (Flute)

Moonlit Brooks (Poetry)

Zainab Lax (Harp)

In collaboration with Cologne's Forstbotanischer Garten and urban mushroom farm Pilzling(https://pilzling.site), we're thrilled to create a space for collective experience and connection through place-based storytelling, music, and poetry.

🎵 What to Expect
Live improvised music with trees and mushrooms

Guided meditations and poetry

Place-based learning, storytelling, and participation

🌼 Please bring:
A picnic blanket, water, snacks, and any writing or painting materials you may wish to use.

🚗 Please note:

Parking is limited - we recommend using public transport or biking

Toilet facilities are limited

🎤 About the Artists
Modern Biology
Biologist and veteran musician Tarun Nayar merges nature and sound through ambient, place-based music. Using plant bioelectricity, EM radiation, and the Earth's natural hum, he creates immersive experiences with modular synths and analog gear. Rooted in Indian classical music and the raga system, his performances are designed to bring listeners into the present moment.

His work has earned 100+ million views, 1M+ followers, and features in The Guardian, LA Times, BBC, Vice, and more. Live shows include Art Basel Miami, MOCA LA, and the New York Botanical Garden. His Field Trip project aims to reconnect urban audiences with the natural world.

Zainab Lax
A harpist and music therapist, Zainab blends Eastern traditions with modern sounds. With the help of loops and effects, her music becomes a layered journey through space and time, bridging traditional melodies with contemporary expression. She performs globally with a style that celebrates cultural connection and musical innovation.

Senthuran
A Cologne-based multi-instrumentalist, Senthuran facilitates sound healing and draws from deep meditative and spiritual practices. He combines guitar, vocals, and the traditional Indian Bansuri flute to create introspective, atmospheric soundscapes that offer a calm and healing experience.

Moonlit Brooks

Moonlit Brooks, aka Tanya Gautam, is a Cologne-based spoken word artist from Surat, India whose work explores the beauty and brutality of living, belonging and passing.

🌱 About the Project
EcoLit (Ecocritical Literacy through Musical and Literary Practices of Cultural Education) is an interdisciplinary research project funded by the Federal Ministry of Education. It explores how arts education can foster critical engagement with today's social and ecological crises.

🔗 Learn more: https://ecolit.cologne/

The sound of trees: a symphony of mindfulness
EcoLit's first public event
When: May 7, 2025
Time: 16:00 - 20:00
Where: Peony meadow, Forest Botanical Garden, Rodenkirchen, Cologne
Language: German & English

🌿 About the event
Join EcoLit's first public event, The Sound of Trees: A Symphony of Mindfulness, with biologist and musician Tarun Nayar (aka Modern Biology) and local artists from the South Asian diaspora:

Senthuran (flute)

Moonlit Brooks (poetry)

Zainab Lax (harp)

In collaboration with the Forest Botanical Garden Cologne and the urban mushroom farm Pilzling(https://pilzling.site), we create space for collective experience and connection through place-based storytelling, music and poetry.

🎵 What you can expect
Live improvised music with trees and mushrooms

Guided meditations and poetry

Place-based learning, storytelling and participation

🌼 Please bring along:
Picnic blanket, water, snacks and any writing or drawing materials for a creative break in nature.

🚗 Please note:

Parking is limited - we recommend arriving by bike or public transport

Sanitary facilities are only available to a limited extent

🎤 About the artists
Modern Biology
Tarun Nayar, biologist and music veteran, combines nature and sound in an ambient project improvised by plant bioelectricity, electromagnetic radiation and the hum of the earth. Using modular synthesis, analog devices and his training in Indian classical music, he creates an immersive musical experience in the here and now.

Over 100 million views, 1+ million followers and features in The Guardian, LA Times, BBC and many more. Live performances at Art Basel Miami and MOCA LA, among others. His Field Trip project invites urban listeners to reconnect with nature.

Zainab Lax
As a harpist and music therapist, Zainab brings Eastern traditions into modern music. Using loops and effects, she creates atmospheric, multi-layered soundscapes that combine traditional melodies with an urban vibe. Her international stage presence combines cultural diversity with contemporary creativity.

Senthuran
Senthuran is a Cologne-based multi-instrumentalist whose music is characterized by meditation and spirituality. With guitar, vocals and the traditional Indian bansuri flute, he creates tranquil soundscapes that invite inner contemplation.

Moonlit Brooks

Moonlit Brooks, also known as Tanya Gautam, is a Cologne-based spoken word artist from Surat, India, whose works explore the beauty and brutality of life, belonging and passing.

🌱 About the project
EcoLit (Eco-critical Literacy in music- and literature-related practices of cultural education) is an interdisciplinary research project funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research. It investigates how cultural education can contribute to a critical approach to the socio-ecological crises of the past, present and future.

🔗 Find out more: https://ecolit.cologne/