The River Rock Ensemble is a set of 150 musical river rocks. The rocks are musical instruments, shakers that can be shaken in many percussive ways. The instruments are intended to be played together as a large set. They are shaken in mass, creating a kind of white noise; like the sound of the flow of a river or the rushing of rapids.

The scores I have created are used to stage symbolic rivers. Players move through physical space while they play, forming a mass that flows from one location to another. The score changes the way the rocks are shaken at different locations. Different geographic places become narrative events as the river flows.

This group of instruments has an active and inactive mode. It is activated through performance. I have added some scores for visitors who see this set in its inactive state. The rocks can be freely touched played at any time with the aid of the personal scores.

The instruments are made of clay, they are hollow and filled with clay beads. They are made from layers of different clays wedged together to make marbled textures. Each rock has been fired to cone 4 (2150*F). This finish makes the ceramics have a dry earthy texture, and also allows the sound to ring clearly like the sound of metal chimes.

This is only the beginning of the life of this ensemble. The long term goal is to have over 300 rocks and to have performances at many locations. The rocks will be performed outdoors in natural spaces, especially riverbeds. The scores will be collaborative, working with other artists to create unique new scores. The rocks will be available for the use as musical instruments in many contexts, and I openly accept offers for collaboration.

I view the rivers created by these river rocks as surrogate rivers, ones that fill in the place of the rivers in Southern California that do not flow. I believe there is the opportunity for community engagement with the environment through these rocks. I made these rocks from a deep longing for the sound of a river. I view the performances as symbolic gestures that place people in the center of the experience. I believe that this kind of engagement opens up many questions about our interactions with the natural world and the need for a surrogate river.