Deadline: 31-Jul-2026
In the Beginning is an international artistic collaboration inviting people worldwide to submit bird recordings, environmental soundscapes, photographs, and videos for a large-scale immersive musical and visual production. The work will premiere at Christ Cathedral in California in November 2026, celebrating biodiversity, environmental resilience, and the beauty of creation through music, visual storytelling, and nature-inspired art.
About In the Beginning
Composer Julian Revie, together with an international artistic team, is inviting contributions for In the Beginning, a newly composed immersive musical and visual work that will be presented at Christ Cathedral in California in November 2026.
The project brings together original music, architecture, large-scale visual projections, and natural media to create a multisensory artistic experience. It explores the themes of creation, renewal, memory, light, hope, and the enduring connection between humanity and the natural world.
Project Vision and Theme
In the Beginning is inspired by the belief that nature is a living expression of beauty, harmony, and renewal. The artistic concept reflects the spirit of Saint Francis of Assisi, whose vision of creation celebrates all living beings as part of a shared song of praise.
The project explores themes such as:
- Creation and the origins of life
- Light and transformation
- Memory and reflection
- Ecological renewal
- Biodiversity and environmental resilience
- Harmony within nature
- Beauty emerging from fragile environments
- Hope and restoration
Through music and visual storytelling, the production highlights how life continues to flourish even in places affected by environmental challenges.
What Types of Contributions Are Requested?
The artistic team welcomes original audio, photographic, and video material inspired by birds and natural environments.
Eligible submissions include:
- Birdsong recordings
- Field recordings
- Natural soundscapes
- Wildlife audio recordings
- Videos of birds
- Landscape videos
- Wildlife photography
- Bird photographs
- Images of feathers
- Bird nests
- Bird wings
- Environmental textures
- Forest scenes
- Wetlands
- Rivers
- Mountains
- Extreme close-up photography
- Microscopic nature imagery
- Slow-motion wildlife footage
- Recordings of wind
- Water sounds
- Natural resonance
- Sounds of forests and ecosystems
- Quiet moments in nature
- Unexpected expressions of natural beauty
Special Focus on Environmental Resilience
The project is particularly interested in recordings and imagery showing birds and wildlife thriving despite environmental devastation or ecological change.
Examples include:
- Birds singing in abandoned places
- Wildlife in industrial landscapes
- Life returning after forest fires
- Recovery in deforested regions
- Bird migration
- Nest building
- Birds in flight
- Dawn chorus in difficult environments
- Wetland restoration
- Quiet signs of ecological recovery
- Moments of hope, tenderness, and resilience
- Natural beauty appearing in unexpected places
The aim is to document how life continues to emerge, adapt, and inspire even within fragile ecosystems.
Why This Opportunity Matters
In the Beginning demonstrates how art and environmental awareness can work together to inspire appreciation for the natural world.
The project helps:
- Celebrate biodiversity
- Preserve birdsong and natural soundscapes
- Promote environmental awareness
- Encourage wildlife conservation
- Showcase ecological recovery
- Connect global communities through artistic collaboration
- Inspire appreciation for nature through music and visual storytelling
Rather than focusing only on environmental loss, the project highlights resilience, hope, and renewal.
Who Is Eligible?
The invitation is open to contributors worldwide.
Eligible participants include:
- Nature photographers
- Wildlife photographers
- Birdwatchers
- Ornithologists
- Environmental researchers
- Conservationists
- Sound artists
- Field recordists
- Filmmakers
- Students
- Artists
- Citizen scientists
- Environmental organizations
- Nature enthusiasts
- Anyone with original bird recordings, photographs, or environmental imagery
Professional experience is not required. Contributors simply need original material that aligns with the artistic vision of the project.
How the Contributions Will Be Used
Selected recordings and imagery will become part of an immersive artistic performance featuring:
- Original choral compositions
- Organ music
- Handbell performances
- Spatial sound design
- Large-scale visual projections
- Architectural lighting
- Birdsong recordings
- Environmental soundscapes
- Wildlife photography
- Nature videos
Together, these elements will create a powerful artistic experience celebrating creation, biodiversity, and the harmony of the living world.
How to Apply
Interested contributors should follow these steps:
- Collect original bird recordings, field recordings, photographs, or videos.
- Choose material that reflects beauty, resilience, ecological recovery, or the harmony of nature.
- Ensure recordings are clear and photographs or videos are high quality.
- Organize files according to the required technical specifications.
- Submit your work following the official project guidelines and deadlines.
- Keep copies of all original files for future communication or production purposes.
Tips for a Strong Submission
To increase the quality of your submission:
- Submit only original content.
- Record authentic wildlife behavior.
- Minimize background noise in audio recordings.
- Use high-resolution images and videos.
- Showcase diverse bird species and natural habitats.
- Capture meaningful moments of resilience and renewal.
- Present natural scenes with minimal editing.
- Follow all technical submission requirements carefully.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Avoid these common submission errors:
- Poor-quality or distorted audio.
- Blurry or low-resolution photographs.
- Excessively edited images or videos.
- Copyrighted material that you do not own.
- Ignoring submission instructions.
- Providing incomplete information.
- Submitting content unrelated to birds or natural environments.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is In the Beginning?
In the Beginning is an immersive musical and visual production that combines choir, organ, handbells, spatial sound, architecture, visual projections, birdsong, environmental recordings, and nature imagery to celebrate creation and renewal.
Who can contribute?
Anyone with original bird recordings, environmental sounds, photographs, or videos can participate, including artists, students, photographers, conservationists, researchers, and nature enthusiasts.
What types of media are accepted?
The project accepts birdsong recordings, field recordings, wildlife videos, landscape footage, bird photographs, macro photography, microscopic imagery, slow-motion footage, and other original nature-related media.
What themes should submissions reflect?
Submissions should represent creation, biodiversity, ecological resilience, migration, nesting, environmental recovery, hope, beauty, harmony, and renewal.
When and where will the performance take place?
The completed work will be presented at Christ Cathedral in California in November 2026.
Why does the project focus on birds?
Birds symbolize hope, resilience, freedom, and renewal. Their songs and presence help communicate the project’s artistic message about the enduring beauty and harmony of the natural world.
Can I submit recordings from environmentally damaged areas?
Yes. The project especially encourages recordings and imagery showing birds and wildlife thriving in landscapes affected by industrialization, deforestation, wildfires, abandonment, ecological imbalance, or other forms of environmental degradation.
Conclusion
In the Beginning is a unique international opportunity for artists, photographers, filmmakers, birdwatchers, conservationists, and nature enthusiasts to contribute to a meaningful artistic collaboration. By combining music, birdsong, environmental recordings, photography, and visual storytelling, the project celebrates biodiversity, ecological resilience, and the enduring beauty of creation. Every contribution helps build an immersive experience that inspires audiences to appreciate nature, recognize hope in fragile landscapes, and strengthen the connection between art and the living world.
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