As a musician, Cate Byrne sees sound and music as an essential component of climate

activism. A violinist, improviser, and composer, music and the importance of sound have always

been a large part of Cate’s identity. A recent graduate of New England Conservatory, Cate strives

to combine her musical interests with her passions for social and environmental justice. She is

excited to start her masters in Climate Science and Policy this fall at Bard college, while still

playing as much music as possible. Recent endeavors to connect music with the environmental

movement include the composition Plasticity (co-written with collaborators Ryan O’Connell and

Henry Wilson), as well as writing music about endangered ecosystems with her duo Half Moon

Island. She will be joined later in the episode by her collaborator Jake Zaslav to discuss their

electroacoustic music, and the process that went into their upcoming EP

Jake Zaslav is a trumpeter, video producer, and researcher based in New York, NY. A graduate of Tufts University, Jake has studied and performed with musicians such as Wynton Marsalis, Ran Blake, Jason Palmer, and William Parker. He currently works in commercial video and television production including programs such as The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and HelloFresh. His research draws upon his background in jazz, film, and immersive technology to explore the intersections of sound, power, race, and community.

https://halfmoonisland.bandcamp.com/

https://www.instagram.com/halfmoonisland_band/