Moondust Peace Concert: A Tribute to Forest Life — Winter Edition
At the winter solstice, we revisit The Moondust Peace Concert – Fantasia of the Forests that first took place at the summer solstice. For both seasons, the concert selections offer a moving musical tribute to the beauty and intelligence of our forest creatures. Created by Dr. Moondust, the concert features original compositions inspired by her real-life encounters with birds. Each composition features individual birds. They took a turn chiming in—from a mischievous woodpecker named Woodie, to whom the concert was dedicated, to the forest’s summer songbirds, a pair of owls in an intimate duet, and even the melodic calls of India’s hornbill.
As winter settles over us now, that memory of a warm June evening is a glowing ember we carry into the colder months. After all, first snow brings its own kind of peace—soft, steady, and cleansing—echoing the concert’s message of harmony between humans and the living world around us. Winter invites a different kind of listening. The quiet gives us room to notice the small, steady presences that remain, owls calling through cold evenings, the bright cheer of chickadees, and yes, even woodpeckers tapping through frost. Their persistence reminds us that the forest voice never disappears; it simply changes register.
Dr. Moondust shares the origins and inspiration behind her musical creation: “Woodpecker’s Winter Fantasy is dedicated to the woodpecker (“Woodie”) who befriended me, remained my best friend for many years (alas, nobody lives forever), and delighted me endlessly with his antics including waking me up in the morning by knocking on the chimney and peeking around the corner window to see if he had accomplished his purpose! The intelligence of our fellow creatures is truly fantastic while humans struggle to have even a modicum, but here was a near-mythical being who found me worthy of his attention and went out of his way to get to know me by breaking all thought-barriers.”
Each piece reflects her experience of nature and life: Walks in the woods where a Towhee would sing and hop-skip along beside her on the path. Medleys of other songbirds in the forest who were not so bold as to approach, and beautiful musical dialogue she observed between two owls. Another piece was inspired by an Indian hornbill while she visited north India. There are some very musical birds in India like the peacock, and one only hopes they will not disappear along with their habitats. Let us hope all the forests of the world do not disappear due to human greed.
So, these performances by the composer and musicians remind all who listen of what we risk losing to deforestation and environmental neglect. And during the holiday season, when all our sentiments traditionally turn toward generosity and peace, the concert’s message expands that peace is not only something exchanged between people, but something we can extend to the Earth herself. The creatures who stay with us through winter—the birds, the unseen small mammals, the trees standing patient under their snowy coats—depending on the habitats we protect today.
Looking forward to a new year, Dr. Moondust’s work invites us to begin again with intention. A reminder that the forests still sing, even under snow, and that each of us plays a part in making sure those songs continue into spring and beyond.
Dr. Moondust produced and sponsored this event in Victoria to remind us that every forest has a voice worth saving. Enjoy the concert one composition at a time here:
