Sustain Music & Nature, a nonprofit blending music and conservation, collaborated with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service in Alaska to create Refuge Alaska, an 11-minute film pairing powerful visuals with music by U.S.-based artists Sam Kassirer, Akie Bermiss, Matt Douglas, and Derry deBorja. This project underscores the beauty and importance of Alaska’s wildlife refuges, showcasing the landscapes, flora, fauna, and underwater worlds through stunning cinematography. Each composer crafted music for a specific chapter, translating the awe of nature into sound. The film aims to build a deeper connection between audiences and public lands, driving awareness for conservation.
Each composer brings a unique perspective to the project. Kassirer’s compositions echo the expanse of Alaska’s wilderness, while Bermiss captures the vibrant sounds of the land. Douglas’s underwater piece intertwines simplicity and melancholy, reflecting conservation’s hopeful yet challenging path. DeBorja’s bird-focused score balances the majesty and humor of Alaska’s winged inhabitants. Together, they create a soundtrack that resonates with the film’s visuals, offering audiences a fresh, immersive experience of Alaska’s untamed beauty.
During the pandemic, the artists connected virtually to compose their pieces, despite never visiting Alaska. They drew inspiration from archived video footage, channeling their interpretations of the Alaskan wilderness through collaborative sessions. The result is a musical journey that takes viewers over expansive landscapes, alongside Alaskan wildlife, into the underwater ecosystems, and finally into the realm of birds. The music reflects both the vastness and intimacy of these environments, evoking a sense of reverence for the natural world and the challenges it faces.
Refuge Alaska honors Alaska’s 16 National Wildlife Refuges, which range from the high Arctic to the Aleutians, and celebrates the land stewardship of Alaska Native peoples. Sustain Music & Nature’s mission uses the emotional power of music to introduce new audiences to public lands, producing not only films but also “Trail Sessions” and concerts to unite nature lovers and music fans. Through such projects, Sustain advocates for the conservation of these lands and the communities that thrive in and around them.
To learn more about Sustain Music & Nature’s conservation efforts, visit their website, and follow the artists’ journeys through their own work: Sam Kassirer, Akie Bermiss, Matt Douglas, and Derry deBorja.
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