Volcano Listening Project

Name: Volcano Listening Project
Start: 2026-01-29T17:00:00-08:00
Location: Columbia Center for the Arts

Schedule

Thu, 29 Jan, 2026 at 05:00 pm

UTC-08:00

Location

Columbia Center for the Arts | Hood River, OR

Doors at 4:30 and 6:30 p.m., shows at 5:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. PDT. (If the event is sold out, unclaimed seats will be released to the waitlist fifteen minutes prior to the show.)
Where: Columbia Center for the Arts, 215 Cascade Ave., Hood River, OR 97031
STORY: Volcanic eruptions can perturb global climate, build mountains, and reshape human civilizations. They can be deadly, but the deep roots of volcanoes also provide a foundry for critical minerals that enable modern society. In these ways and others, volcanoes have inspired scientists and artists alike for thousands of years. The Volcano Listening Project explores connections between scientific research and artistic perspectives of volcanoes, developing tools to represent data through sound that draw equally from data science, volcanology, and new music. ‘Sonification’, the display of data using sound, provides a powerful way to understand complex signals such as are emerging with new monitoring capabilities and can enable volcano science. In equal part, sonification of volcanic data can trigger an emotional response, and thus lead to compelling music. This program will showcase volcano music and the science behind it, led by University of Oregon professor/violinist Leif Karlstrom and featuring an ensemble of internationally recognized musicians: Todd Sickafoose, Idit Shner, Adam Roskiewicz, and Jonny Rodgers.
About the Performers:
Leif Karlstrom came from a family of professional musicians and earth scientists, and has built a career in both domains. As a violinist he toured nationally and internationally with the bluegrass band Front Country and Small Town Therapy. As a scientist he is an associate professor at the University of Oregon, where he runs a research group that studies volcanic processes from current activity at Kilauea volcano to climate-altering Large Igneous Province events. He started the Volcano Listening Project in 2023.
Todd Sickafoose is a composer, producer, and bassist widely known for his work with Ani DeFranco (since 2004) as well as in jazz ensembles with the likes of Adam Levy, Jenny Scheinman, Nels Cline, and Allison Miller, as well as his own group. His work orchestrating and producing music for the Broadway musical Hades Town earned him a Grammy award for Best Musical Theater album and a Tony award for Best Orchestration.
Idit Shner is professor of saxophone and jazz studies at the University of Oregon, with an active performing and recording career across genres that includes commissioned premieres of new music nationally and internationally. She leads her jazz quartet in the Pacific Northwest and is an award-winning teacher.
Jonny Rodgers is a musician and composer known for his work as Cinder Talk and numerous film scores. He has received accolades from The NY Times for developing and performing a unique tuned glass orchestra instrument.
Adam Roszkiewicz is a musician and composer known for his guitar and mandolin work with the Modern Mandolin Quartet (with whom has was nominated for a Best Chamber Music Performance Grammy Award), the Ger Mandolin Orchestra, Front Country, and Small Town Therapy.