 Discover the enchanting music of Dryad, expressed through vocal harmony, classical guitar, flutes made from tree branches and lyrics that convey the wonder and concerns of our natural world. |
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| "Dryad
~ A Musical Conversation With The Spirit Of A Tree!" Under the arboreal name of their two-person band, Dryad, Jon and Sabina Sherman sing their original nature inspired songs in celebration and defense of their California natural community. Through an empathic, Earth-conscious musical styling, Dryad weaves into their lyrics the natural wonders and environmental concerns of the biodiversity hotspot in which they live. As songwriters theirs is an ecocentric vision -- to inspire their audience into harmonious relations with the natural world. Toward that aim, Dryad harmonizes the science background of the musically talented Dr. Sabina Kurz-Sherman, a Professor of Biology for 18 years now, with Jon Sherman's 37 years as an ecomusician. Jon has also been crafting flutes from tree branches for the past 18 years, including the flutes played in Dryad's performances. During their show, introductions to each of their songs are presented as a theatrical dialogue between Jon and a charming dryad, the spirit of an oak tree, who sings and speaks (with artistic license) through Sabina. "Dryad ~ A Musical Conversation With The Spirit Of A Tree!" is being performed the first Sunday of each month through 2024, 12 noon, at the Elfin Forest Interpretive Center. And, potentially, at your house concert, nature center, or Earth-friendly event! Jon and
Sabina are currently recording their album of 16
original Earth songs, to be titled "Calling
Us Home".
To receive email notifications about song releases from
this album, or other performance dates in Earth-friendly
locations, please subscribe
to their newsletter below. |
Dryad's first official song/video release: "January's June" Download "January's June" here: https://dryad1.bandcamp.com/track/januarys-june |
"
Music
From The Woodland"
Dryad also offers "Music From the Woodland", the purely instrumental sound of Sabina's enchanting Celtic harp blended with the magic of Jon's flutes that he crafts from wind-fallen tree branches. "What
a pleasure it was to have you at our
event. I heard so many wonderful
things about your music from those who were
there. I hope you are available to
join us again next year." ~ Stephanie Bidegain, San Diego Brain Injury Foundation |
Concert Schedule Concert History dryadmusicandflutes@gmail.com If you'd like to show support for Dryad's Earth-friendly music and message, you could "buy them a coffee"!  |
 Jon Sherman Jon's
empathic connection with the natural world
was awakened at the age of two, when the
meadow in the back of his Idaho home
glowed with its welcoming life force.
When his family moved to California, Jon
brought along his love for nature,
learning to integrate his creative
expressions with the unique ecoregion of
the Southern California coast. In 1987,
Jon designed and built an outdoor
performing arts stage under the oaks at
Descanso Gardens, a volunteered "gift to
the spirit of natural harmony". What
he received in return was inspiration to
write songs. "Earth songs", as he calls
them, expressing the wonder and concerns
of the California natural community that
has become inseparable from his creative
life. Jon has, for the past 37
years, referred to himself as an
ecomusician and a singer-songwriter for
the Earth, expressing through his nature
inspired music an ecocentric perspective.
In 1989, after writing "January's June", a
song about the greenhouse effect, Jon
pioneered the use of a solar
powered
sound system for his performances,
to better walk his talk. He
has participated in hundreds of
Earth-friendly events over the years,
sharing his solar powered sound system at
many of them, and has produced 6 albums of
original music and poetry. In 2006,
Jon started hand-crafting his own
flutes made from tree branches, his Dryad Flutes
highly sought after now for their quality
of craftsmanship, unique natural beauty
and ecological integrity. When Sabina Kurz
contacted Jon in 2014 about making a
branch flute for her, they recognized in
each other a mutual love and concern for
the natural world and have since merged
their kindred spirits, talents and lives
together through their marriage and
musical partnership.
|
Sabine Kurz-Sherman, PhD Sabina has nurtured a love for music and nature since studying classical piano as a young girl growing up enchanted by the green forests of Germany. Her early work in the sciences included biotope mapping as a field biologist and electron microscopy research. Excelling academically, Sabine earned her PhD in biology at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz, graduating magna cum laude. As a scientist, Dr. Kurz published 14 peer reviewed articles and presented her research at 22 national and international conferences. When her scientific career brought her to the United States, Sabina's heart opened to the beautiful yet increasingly endangered ecoregions of California, her home for 24 years now. Professor Kurz-Sherman is currently teaching biology and environmental science in the San Diego region, inspiring her students toward ecological awareness. Expressing herself musically, Sabina performed for 11 years with the Latin Jazz band "Cadencia" on keyboards, percussion and lead vocals, recording 3 albums with that group. Inspired by the beauty of an old growth forest, Sabina started playing the Native American flute to express, musically, the deep love and concern she feels for the natural world. Having learned about the branch flutes that Jon Sherman was making, a musical collaboration grew and blossomed and they have been performing and sharing life together ever since. Sabina and Jon have been performing their Dryad show on the first Sundays of the month for over a year now at the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve Interpretive Center. Sabina has also taken up the Celtic harp, bringing the sound of that enchanting instrument into her musical expressions. |
~ as ecomusicians: Our stylistic aim is to sonically blend with the natural soundscapes of California and play in a way that wont scare the birds. Our lyrics are written from an ecocentric perespective in celebration and defense of our California natural community. The passion that drives our songs arises out of empathy for our natural communities struggling for existence in this era of environmental crisis. We
define success as the butterfly effect of our music
helping to turn the linear, unsustainable, industrial
growth culture around toward circularity, rootedness,
regeneration and interdependence with the natural
world.
We
participate in local conservation, regenerative,
rewilding and educational actions that benefit and build
good relations with the natural community.
We
spend quality time discovering, learning about and
listening to nature through regular walks on the trails
of our ecoregion.
The flutes played in our music were crafted by Jon from tree branches (mostly windfallen) gathered respectfully and sustainably under the ethic of the "Honorable Harvest". We
give attention and effort to simplifying our own lives,
lessening our ecological footprint and sinking our roots
into the ecoregion where we live, learning to be at home
here.
|
Testimonials
"Big thanks to Dryad: Jon and
Sabina brought us the beautiful soul-touching
performance that carries powerful
environmental education messages."
~ Jiali Xu, Little Oak Ranch
"Everyone I talked to loved your presentation
and a couple of people said it should be an
annual event! Thanks again for your
terrific performance!"
~ Fred Seeley, Placerita Canyon Nature Center Associates "Jon and Sabina, this afternoon's program was outstanding. Thank you!" ~
Jay Wilson, Executive Director, Mission Trails
Regional Park
"Jon
and Sabina were truly amazing with their
voices,
lyrics and beautiful handmade flutes." ~ Paige
DeCino, Buena Vista Audubon Society
Nature Center
"Their
show had something for everyone, with the
children captivated by the performance
and the adults listening to each nuance of the
environmental teaching."
~ Christopher Nyerges, Mountain Views News "Thank you both for your amazing presence. The event was elevated by your performance. We hope you will join us for future events!" ~
David Solomon, Terra Madre Gardens
"You hit it out of the park. Your new fan base in the desert wants you back!" ~ Leslie Gebhart, UU Church of the Desert "A beautiful presentation and a great message as well." Jean Vought,
Friends of the Vista Library
"What
an incredible experience!"
Selen Miles, Biology Professor at Grossmont College |
