TUNING THE WIND

Wind is air in motion. It makes no sound until it encounters an object. The sounds it produces depend on the strength of the wind and the shape and material of the object it touches. When the wind blows, trees sway, buildings rattle, materials move, and sound waves are generated. Some believe that temperature changes create layers of air, and that the friction between them forms a unique sound—perhaps the true voice of the wind, which birds may be the only creatures capable of recognising. Sometimes the wind howls; at other times, it sings or whistles, shifting from a gentle murmur to an angry roar. The wind’s range of frequencies, tones, and timbres is vast and varied. Tuning the Wind is a piece about the wind, made with the wind—an abstract expression of our ongoing conversation with nature.

Composer Aimée Portioli, known professionally as Grand River, recorded various types of wind and then reworked them through layering and pitch adjustment to create a musical piece where the wind itself becomes a prepared instrument. At times, the sound of the wind is tuned to the 440 Hz reference, while at other times, the instruments are tuned to the sound of the wind. In Tuning the Wind, nature and music merge seamlessly. Synthesizers and wind recordings become indistinguishable, blending natural sounds with human-made instruments. The boundary between a gust of wind and an instrument-generated sound fades away. Human artistry and nature’s symphony merge to become one.

Duration: 36'
Concept, musical composition, sound design and installation by Aimée Portioli
Foley wind recordings by Aimée Portioli and Pablo Diserens
Tuning the Wind was created in 2022 as an installation piece. Since then, it has been adapted into multichannel, 4DSOUND, and stereo installations, as well as performed live on numerous occasions around the world. In 2025 the piece has also been released as a record on the label Umor Rex.

07.11.2025 – South Berlin, Benevento, IT – Tuning the Wind live
01.11.2025 – Belluno, IT – Tuning the Wind live
26.10.2025 – Semibreve, Braga, PT – Tuning the Wind live
11.10.2025 – The Labyrinth, Gunma, JP – Tuning the Wind live
14.09.2025 – SPATIAL 2025, MONOM, Berlin, DE – Tuning the Wind sound installation in 4D spatial sound
21.06.2025 – BAO Music Festival, Valle Trompia, IT – Tuning the Wind live
23.04.2025 – After, Berlin, DE – Tuning the Wind listening session and talk
01.12.2024 – Muzan Editions, Club Daphnia, Osaka, JP – Tuning the Wind live
16.11.2024 – Festiwal Ambientalny, Wrocław, PL – Tuning the Wind live
26.10.2024 – Candid Arts Gallery, London, UK – Tuning the Wind sound installation
27.09.2024 – Ufonic, Mono Lisboa, Lisbon, PT – Tuning the Wind live
22.06.2024 – Paesaggi Sonori, Peltuinum, IT – Tuning the Wind live
09.12.2023 – Live Cinema Festival, Rome, IT – Tuning the Wind live
18.10.2023 – Son de Aquí, Oaxaca de Juárez, MX – Tuning the Wind live
28.06.2023 – SONIC CINEMA, 3537, Paris, FR – Tuning the Wind sound installation in 4D spatial sound
03.06.2023 – Q3AMBIENTFEST, Kesselhaus, Potsdam, DE – Tuning the Wind live
03–04.06.2023 – NEW NOW Festival, Essen, DE – Tuning the Wind sound installation in 4D spatial sound
02.06.2023 – SONIC CINEMA, 3537, Paris, FR – Tuning the Wind sound installation in 4D spatial sound
15.05.2023 – Stone Nest, London, UK – Tuning the Wind live in 4D spatial sound
07.04.2023 – Mostra Festival, Barcelona, ES – Tuning the Wind live
05.03.2023 – Folkwang Museum, Essen, DE – Tuning the Wind live
16.12.2022 – FIBER Festival, 4DSOUND, Het Concertgebouw, Amsterdam, NL – Tuning the Wind live in 4D spatial sound
28.05.2022 – CTM Festival, MONOM, Berlin, DE – Tuning the Wind live in 4D spatial sound
17.03.2022 – C.P. Company Flagship Store, Milan, IT – Tuning the Wind live