Central Wisconsin Orchestra Prepares Concerts Featuring Tribute To Naturalist

The Central Wisconsin Symphony Orchestra is planning two special Earth Day concerts in Stevens Point this weekend.

The events will feature the world premiere of a tribute to Wisconsin naturalist Fran Hamerstrom. The piece is called Enchanted Moonscape, based on a children’s book by Dr. Hamerstrom called, “Walk When the Moon is Full”. Composer Charles Rochester Young tries to recreate the experience of a central Wisconsin woodland on a moonlit night.

“The connection with the darkness and all the sounds and mystery of the nighttime, as well as getting the viewpoint of that through a child’s eyes, is the part that I was most interested in.”

“Enchanted Moonscape” has a dreamlike quality, with woodwinds and strings answering the recorded night sound of the whip-poor-will and the great horned owl. Writer Casey Martin was Fran Hamerstrom’s friend and literary agent: “I think she’d love the title.”

Martin says the predawn sounds of the prairie chicken were special to Fran and her husband, fellow naturalist Frederick Hamerstrom.

“The dance at dawn – the dance of the prairie chicken. They knew if they got people out to see the birds, they would understand that we needed to protect more of the landscape in order for the species to survive.”

Fran Hamerstrom helped save the birds and their habitat. Charles Rochester Young hopes his music keeps her memory alive:

“In the spirit of Fran Hamerstrom and the way that she got people involved in nature. I didn’t think that she’d be interested in writing a piece about it, but she would try to recreate the experience itself.”

The Central Wisconsin Sympony Orchestra performs “Enchanted Moonscape” Saturday evening and Sunday afternoon at the Sentry Theater in Stevens Point.