Origins and Transformations by John Patrick Moore

Origins and Transformations is a listening day's journey beginning in the remnants of old growth oak woodlands, winding through what was the largest dune system on the west coast now human transformed into forests, gardens and playgrounds and arriving at the wide Pacific Ocean. Through 12 sections, the sojourner will be guided deeper into live close listening to the ever changing sounds of the wind, birdsong, human laughter and languages, music live and recorded, whirl of bicycles and hum of traffic. Sounds, sights and thoughts intertwine to inspire an expansive sense of time and the connectivity of people, animals, landscape and elements.

The route is around 6-7 miles long but each section can be done individually or combined in smaller sections.

1. Origin oak woodland- Ohlone Land, grove left by the landscape designers, regenerated from the trees cut down by refugees from the 1906 earthquake. What sounds do you hear? Which are mechanical, human, animal, plant, weather? What are your sonic origins?
2. Playgrounds- Conservatory of Flowers, Skatepark, 10th street playground, tunnel to music concourse, Ferris wheel, fountains, museums. What mix of sounds do you hear? What does play mean to you?
3. Walled Gardens, gateways and thresholds/liminal spaces - path goes past Japanese tea garden, botanical garden, Shakespeare Garden, the National AIDS Memorial. What sounds do you hear through the walls, fences and hedges? What and who are enclosed and what and who are kept out?
4. Heroes & Memorials- Redwood Grove – What sounds are caused by you as you walk through the grove? Who are your heroes?
5. Hybrids - Rose Garden - What are the impacts of pollination, evolution, genetic engineering? How were you named? Can you hear the sounds of insects?
6. History- Monterey pines and cypress 100 Life spans ending, 13 trees of the colonies, Pioneer mother, log cabin, coyote den, conflicting history: Spanish, Mexican history, Ohlone. Who tells history? What stories are in your head? How do they compare to what has been created in front of you?
7. Engineering land transformation of sand dunes to forests and gardens - Originally Water was pumped from the ground by the wind mills at ocean beach and pumped here. The pond at the top of Strawberry Hill watered the eastern end of the park and Stowe Lake the western half to the sea using gravity alone. What sound do hear from the man-made water features?
8. Human connections - Portals of the Past, Speedway meadow, polo grounds, Spreckels Lake - What sounds do human make? Do they come from their bodies, instruments, electronic devices?
9. Animals Wild and Domestic 1- Bison, red tail hawks, ravens, parrots, dog park – What sounds do you hear that come from animals?
10. Animals Wild and Domestic 2- Angler's lodge and casting pools, coyotes & horse stables – What sounds do you here that come from animals?
11. Harnessing the elements - Murphy windmill & Dutch windmill - Air, Water & Earth. How do the landscape and architecture affect the sound of the air and sea?
12. Origins Pacific Ocean – dunes, beach, waves. The origin of life comes from the sea and we carry sea in our own bodies - How do the sounds of wind and water affect other sounds?