Nelda Swiggett Quintet | For the Birds
Live music, images and poetry invite reflection on our changing climate
For the Birds features a jazz quintet performing the original music of Seattle pianist and composer Nelda Swiggett. But this is not just a concert. The performance engages the power of artistic expression — live music, spoken words, images and poetry — to connect audiences emotionally to the scientific realities of climate change through the lens of birds. Ultimately a story of hope, audiences leave the performance feeling empowered to take meaningful action.
Featuring Nelda Swiggett (piano, compositions), Clif Swiggett (trombone), Kate Olson (saxophone, flute), Chris Symer (bass), Adam Kessler (drums), and the poetry of Jill McGrath.
More Information
About the Composer
Nelda Swiggett has been a vibrant force in the Pacific Northwest jazz scene since the early 1990s. Her compositions blend jazz with Afro-Cuban, gospel and classical influences, creating a distinctive and engaging sound. Her ensembles, including her trio, quintet, and sextet, have graced stages at Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Bumbershoot, and the Earshot Jazz Festival.
On Earth Day 2017, Nelda debuted her first climate-themed work, The Alaska Suite: a story of beauty, loss and hope. This piece was performed 36 times across Washington State, touching nearly 2500 people with its message of hope and call to action. Building on the success of the Alaska Suite, Nelda debuted her new climate piece, For the Birds, in September 2024.
For more information, please visit: neldaswiggett.com/for-the-birds/
Sponsored by Earth and Climate Action Ministry Team
Event Details
Transportation & Parking
We have several parking lots. Our upper lot, off SE 32nd Street, is closest to our Sanctuary, it has handicap and stroller parking. There is a roundabout for drop-offs. Our lower, main parking lot is also off SE 32nd Street. There are stairs that will lead you up to the Sanctuary. If that lot is full, there is also street parking on 32nd Street.
