Standing Dead is a multimedia work for symphonic wind ensemble and visual projections that documents the impacts of fire events on the forests and landscapes of the Western United States.
The term “standing dead” refers to trees that are left upright after a forest fire. These skeletal groves are a visual marker of a fire’s path. As forest fire events become more common, larger, and more devastating with climate change, these dead forests also become reminders of humanity’s impact on the environment and landscape.
This piece, along with its accompanying visual media, is a document of forest fire in our current time. Standing Dead was filmed on-location in the forests of Montana and Idaho.
Created, composed, directed, edited, and produced by Bryan Curt Kostors
Filmed by Danny Corey
Special thanks to Gary Chicks and the Baker River Hotshots Crew for additional fire footage
Standing Dead was commissioned, premiered, and recorded by the University of Montana Symphonic Wind Ensemble
Audio recorded, mixed, and mastered by Bryan Curt Kostors
