Birdsong and music, a labyrinth and walking meditation - all part of the mix as we meet the young Australian composer Corrina Bonshek.

The French composer Olivier Messiaen once declared that in the artistic hierarchy birds are the greatest musicians. Meaning I suppose that the sounds of the natural world can and should be part of our musical language. Messiaen famously did transcribe and notate birdsong for use in his own works. Believing it to be the holiest of sounds; the voice of God speaking to us through these tiny creatures.

Following in these footsteps is Corrina Bonshek, an English-born Australian composer whose love of birdsong has found its way into her deeply contemplative music. Corrina has just completed a beautiful new work, Journey to the Centre, for the newly opened Labyrinth in Sydney's Centennial Park. Available from her website, the work can be downloaded to a smart phone and listened to via headphones while walking the Labyrinth.

It's music inspired by composer Ross Edwards' Veni Creator Spiritus, as well as by Arvo Part's full chordal sound in his Fratres for 12 cellos, and the spaciousness of Anne Boyd's 1974 work Angklung. Corrina also incorporates the binaural birdsong recordings made by sound recordist & photographer Marc Anderson for his Wild Ambience project.

Both Marc and Corrina share a belief in the healing and deeply spiritual properties of natural sound and Corrina joins us to talk about working with Marc Anderson, about the power of birdsong, and about composing music for Australias newest labyrinth, a sanctuary for walking meditation nestled deep in parkland surroundings.

Broadcast Time:6.06 Track Title:Winter Woodland Artist:Marc Andersons Wild Ambience Duration:2.10 Record Co.:Wild Ambience Independent release/ download Homepage: http://wildambience.com/

Broadcast time: 6.08 Track Title: As Small Birds Play Artist: Sue Newsome, clarinet Composer: Corrina Bonshek Duration: 5.13 Record Co.: Independent Release Homepage: http://bonmusic.com.au/

Broadcast time: 6.15 Track Title: Fratres Artist: The 12 Cellists of the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra Album Title: Tabula Rasa Composer: Arvo Part Duration: 11.49 Record Co.: ECM Homepage: http://www.arvopart.org/

Broadcast Time:6.17 Track Title:Tropical Dawn Artist:Marc Andersons Wild Ambience Duration:0.45 Record Co.:Wild Ambience Independent release/ download Homepage: http://wildambience.com/

Broadcast time: 6.18 Track Title: Journey to the Centre Artist: Alan Smith & Jane Burroughs (violin), Nicholas Tomkin (viola), Kathryn Close (cello). Composer: Corrina Bonshek Duration: 6.18 Record Co.: Independent Release Homepage: http://bonmusic.com.au/

More here:
The Labyrinth Meditation