Of Mosses Liverworts and Small Ferns - Richard Whalley

Of Mosses, Liverworts and Small Ferns (2025) The more you look at nature the more you see, and over time I have become fascinated with some of the ‘unsung heroes’ of nature: weeds, mosses, lichens, etc. This piece was written partly inspired by the activities of the Moss Worlds Project at the University of Manchester (https://mossworlds.co.uk/) and by Robin Wall Kimmerer’s wonderful book, ‘Gathering Moss’. With this in mind, the precise source of inspiration that kickstarted the composition of this piece was a limestone rock in the Bruce Peninsula, Ontario, beautifully endowed with the plants listed in the title of this piece. Moss is fascinating, and can be found virtually anywhere where things grow, even in deserts, quietly getting on with its business, and in harmony with fellow organisms. In this piece, the instruments and voice do the same, revealing unexpected complexities. Performed in the Cosmo Rodewald Concert Hall, University of Manchester on 22 September 2025 Soprano - Sarah Keirle-Dos Santos Flute - Sarah Fore Oboe - Imogen Morris Clarinet - Lucy Thompson Harp - Kimberly Wong Piano - Richard Whalley Violin - Naomi Isaacs Cello - Catrin Owen Score and parts available from Composers Edition - https://composersedition.com/richard-... With special thanks to Adnan Marafi and Alex Apostolopoulos for organising the concert, and to the staff of the Martin Harris Centre, University of Manchester for hosting the event. Other links: https://www.sarahkeirle.co.uk/ @sarahfore_ @justharpthings https://www.richardwhalley.com/ @naomisaacs.music