Nelda Swiggett Quintet

Mission:  To use the power of artistic expression — live music, spoken words, images and poetry — to connect audiences deeply and emotionally to the scientific realities of climate change, and to inform and inspire them to act now to address it.

The Nelda Swiggett Quintet’s first climate concert — The Alaska Suite: a story of beauty, loss and hope — debuted on Earth Day 2017. It has been performed 36 times to date, touching nearly 2500 people across Washington State with its message of hope and call to action.

Nelda Swiggett’s second climate work — For the Birds — debuted Fall 2024.

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 deeply and emotionally to the scientific realities of climate change. Ultimately a story of hope, audiences leave the performance feeling empowered to take meaningful action.

Why birds? Birds are a part of our daily life experience, and an inspiring connection to the natural world. But climate change is having a significant and alarming impact on many bird species, and this should be a wake-up call for all of us.

Featuring Nelda Swiggett (piano, compositions), Clif Swiggett (trombone, percussion), Kate Olson (saxophone, flute), Chris Symer (bass), Adam Kessler (drums) and the poetry of Jill McGrath.

About the Composer

Pianist and composer Nelda Swiggett has been active on Seattle’s music scene since the early 90’s. As a bandleader, she’s headlined at many of the Northwest’s top jazz venues, including the Seattle Jazz Fellowship, Dimitriou’s Jazz Alley, Bumbershoot, the Bellevue Jazz Festival, and the Earshot Jazz Festival. Nelda is an award-winning composer and OA2 recording artist. Her five album releases have received rave reviews and extensive airplay around the globe. 

On Earth Day 2017, Nelda debuted her first climate-themed work, The Alaska Suite: a story of beauty, loss and hope. This piece has been performed 36 times to date, touching nearly 2500 people across Washington State 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.

Feedback about the Climate Concerts

“… wonderfully inspiring… The content was informative without being preachy, the music was magical…”

—  Gail M.

”… the quintet’s performance was stellar… Many in the audience told us the haunting music and urgent message both moved them and motivated them to become more involved in climate activism.”

— Keith Ervin, chair of Green Buildings Now

“… spliced with a dialogue about climate science and solutions. It touches the emotional edges of our understanding and invites action from a deeper place.”

—  Louise Stonington

“… conversations and emails have been “a buzz” of enthusiasm and appreciation for your concert and climate message. It was indeed remarkable…”  

— Linda Jack

The Artists

Nelda Swiggett (compositions, piano, narrative, curated images) is a Seattle native, and spent much of her childhood hiking, climbing and skiing the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Her father Jack Christiansen was a passionate explorer of the wilderness. From a young age, Nelda followed him deep into the heart of the Olympic and Cascade mountains, mostly off trail, route finding with map and compass. When she entered the University of Washington, she was a classical piano performance major, until a serious ski accident landed her in a hospital bed in traction for two months. When she returned to college, she dropped out of the music program, fell in love with jazz, earned a Bachelor of Science in Scientific and Technical Communication, and embarked on a dual career as a technical writer and jazz musician. Who knew this combination of experiences and skills would later inspire her to communicate the science of climate change through the power of music.

Kate Olson (saxophone, flute) can be heard performing with her own bands KO SOLO and KO ELECTRIC, as well as numerous other projects, including the Royal Room Collective Music Ensemble and Electric Circus (led by Wayne Horvitz), Birch Pereira and the Gin Joints, Battlestar Kalakala, the Seattle Men’s and Women’s Choruses and cabaret producers Can Can Presents and Verlaine & McCann. She’s performed in Russia, Latvia, Turkey, Switzerland, South Korea, Cuba, and Slovakia, and appeared on stage with Bobby Previte, Skerik, Patricia Barber, Elvis Costello, Brandi Carlile, Sir Mix-a-lot, Seattle Repertory Theater, Cafe Nordo, the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and Seattle Symphony Pops, among others. Kate has a BA in Music from the University of Wyoming and an MM in Improvisation from the University of Michigan. She is currently on the jazz faculty at Pacific Lutheran University. www.kateplayssax.com/

Clif Swiggett (trombone, bongos) grew up in New York and started playing trombone as a teenager. He toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, played with the Clem DeRosa All-Star Big Band, and played lead bone in the McDonald’s Tri-State Jazz Ensemble. Clif moved to Seattle in 1985, and has since performed and toured with a wide variety of bands, including Room To Move, Cambalache, Caribbean Roots, The Brian Waite Band, Megabopolis, and Clif & Nelda’s little BIG Band (with his wife, Nelda). Clif is also co-creator (along with grammy-nominated vibraphonist, Stefon Harris) of the revolutionary Harmony Cloud™ app, currently being used by music students and teachers around the world to develop a more intuitive understanding of harmony.

Chris Symer (bass) has recorded, performed and toured with many of the world’s leading jazz musicians including Tierney Sutton, Ramsey Lewis, Roger Kellaway, Robben Ford and Bennie Maupin. Studies in jazz and classical performance have provided Chris with an ability to fit into almost any musical situation. His open minded approach has led him to the somewhat unusual practice of tuning his own double bass in fifths an octave below the cello, and he remains fascinated by the tonal palette this tuning provides.

Adam Kessler is a dedicated drummer, percussionist, and educator. He has performed in venues around the world, including Zimbabwe, China, Poland, Portugal, Cape Verde, Montreal, Mexico, and Israel. In 2006 he received a BA in Music from Cornish College of the Arts. While there he gained valuable experience through the study of jazz, Brazilian, electronic, middle eastern, and gamelan music. Adam performs regularly in Seattle, teaches privately as well as ensemble classes, and is an accompanist for Spectrum Dance Theater, and Pacific Northwest Ballet’s classes and outreach program.

Featuring the poetry of Jill McGrath. Jill McGrath has been published in numerous journals, including The Seattle Review, The Hurricane Review, and Arnazella’s Reading List. She published a chapbook, The Rune of Salt Air, and is currently working on two poetry manuscripts.

The Artists

Nelda Swiggett and her father

Nelda Swiggett (compositions, piano, narrative, curated images) is a Seattle native, and spent much of her childhood hiking, climbing and skiing the mountains of the Pacific Northwest. Her father Jack Christiansen was a passionate explorer of the wilderness. From a young age, Nelda followed him deep into the heart of the Olympic and Cascade mountains, mostly off trail, route finding with map and compass. When she entered the University of Washington, she was a classical piano performance major, until a serious ski accident landed her in a hospital bed in traction for two months. When she returned to college, she dropped out of the music program, fell in love with jazz, earned a Bachelor of Science in Scientific and Technical Communication, and embarked on a dual career as a technical writer and jazz musician. Who knew this combination of experiences and skills would later inspire her to communicate the science of climate change through the power of music.

Kate Olson

Kate Olson (saxophone, flute) can be heard performing with her own bands KO SOLO and KO ELECTRIC, as well as numerous other projects, including the Royal Room Collective Music Ensemble and Electric Circus (led by Wayne Horvitz), Birch Pereira and the Gin Joints, Battlestar Kalakala, the Seattle Men’s and Women’s Choruses and cabaret producers Can Can Presents and Verlaine & McCann. She’s performed in Russia, Latvia, Turkey, Switzerland, South Korea, Cuba, and Slovakia, and appeared on stage with Bobby Previte, Skerik, Patricia Barber, Elvis Costello, Brandi Carlile, Sir Mix-a-lot, Seattle Repertory Theater, Cafe Nordo, the Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra and Seattle Symphony Pops, among others. Kate has a BA in Music from the University of Wyoming and an MM in Improvisation from the University of Michigan. She is currently on the jazz faculty at Pacific Lutheran University. www.kateplayssax.com/

Clif Swiggett

Clif Swiggett (trombone, bongos) grew up in New York and started playing trombone as a teenager. He toured with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, played with the Clem DeRosa All-Star Big Band, and played lead bone in the McDonald’s Tri-State Jazz Ensemble. Clif moved to Seattle in 1985, and has since performed and toured with a wide variety of bands, including Room To Move, Cambalache, Caribbean Roots, The Brian Waite Band, Megabopolis, and Clif & Nelda’s little BIG Band (with his wife, Nelda). Clif is also co-creator (along with grammy-nominated vibraphonist, Stefon Harris) of the revolutionary Harmony Cloud™ app, currently being used by music students and teachers around the world to develop a more intuitive understanding of harmony.

Chris Symer

Chris Symer (bass) has recorded, performed and toured with many of the world’s leading jazz musicians including Tierney Sutton, Ramsey Lewis, Roger Kellaway, Robben Ford and Bennie Maupin. Studies in jazz and classical performance have provided Chris with an ability to fit into almost any musical situation. His open minded approach has led him to the somewhat unusual practice of tuning his own double bass in fifths an octave below the cello, and he remains fascinated by the tonal palette this tuning provides.

Adam Kessler

Adam Kessler is a dedicated drummer, percussionist, and educator. He has performed in venues around the world, including Zimbabwe, China, Poland, Portugal, Cape Verde, Montreal, Mexico, and Israel. In 2006 he received a BA in Music from Cornish College of the Arts. While there he gained valuable experience through the study of jazz, Brazilian, electronic, middle eastern, and gamelan music. Adam performs regularly in Seattle, teaches privately as well as ensemble classes, and is an accompanist for Spectrum Dance Theater, and Pacific Northwest Ballet’s classes and outreach program.

Jill McGrath

Featuring the poetry of Jill McGrath. Jill McGrath has been published in numerous journals, including The Seattle Review, The Hurricane Review, and Arnazella’s Reading List. She published a chapbook, The Rune of Salt Air, and is currently working on two poetry manuscripts.

TAKE ACTION

What have you done, could do, or will do to make a difference? We have been inspired by the responses of our audiences to this question. Here’s a summary of their thousands of ideas:

“. . . the most important thing you can do right now to fight climate change is to talk about it. Americans rarely talk about climate change with family and friends. Research shows that this climate silence reinforces the dangerously wrong belief that climate change isn’t an existential threat requiring urgent action.” ThinkProgress

A few suggestions:

Climate Fwd: WEEKLY: Sign up to get the latest stories and insights about climate change — along with answers to your questions and tips on how to help.

Inside Climate News: A Pulitzer Prize-winning, non-profit, non-partisan news organization dedicated to covering climate change, energy and the environment.

Green Tech Media: Free intelligence and insights from industry experts and leading companies on the global energy transformation.

Climate at the Legislature:  A continually updated account of the status of bills about climate issues in the Washington State Legislative session.

The average American generates about 16 metric tons of carbon dioxide-equivalent a year, more than triple the global average.1

Poster: Personal choices to reduce your contribution to climate change
PDF: High Impact Action

“…getting involved with a group can help lift your climate-related anxiety and depression in three ways: Working with like-minded folks can validate your concerns, give you needed social support, and help you move from feeling helpless to empowered… Groups are more effective than individuals.”
9 Climate Action Styles
Which One Are You?

A few suggestions

Citizens’ Climate Lobby (CCL)       
CCL empowers everyday people to work together on climate change solutions. Our supporters are organized in more than 400 local chapters across the United States. Together we’re building support in Congress for a national bipartisan solution to climate change. Find your local chapter.

Earth Ministry
Earth Ministry transforms faith into action for the well-being of communities and the environment. We organize people of faith to advocate for strong environmental policies and provide strategic guidance to religious communities working toward environmental justice.

Environmental Priorities Coalition
The Environmental Priorities Coalition is made up of more than 20 Washington State organizations working to safeguard our environment and the health of our communities in the legislature.

People for Climate Action (PCA) 
PCA’s mission is to help local governments develop and implement comprehensive climate action plans to reach the greenhouse gas reduction targets set by the King County-Cities Climate Collaboration, which include a 50% reduction by 2030. Find your local chapter.

Sunrise Movement
We’re building an army of young people to stop climate change and create millions of good jobs in the process. Right now, the leaders supposed to tackle the climate crisis are either asleep at the wheel or purposely driving us toward catastrophe so their oil and gas billionaire friends can keep raking in profits. We must wake them up to reality. Find a local hub.

350 Seattle
People are the heart of 350 Seattle. We’ve come into this fight because of our passion for climate justice, and we work around the clock to influence the political, business, and social realities of our era in the hope of preserving a livable world. We believe our most important task is building and inspiring the movement, because only a movement can bring about the profound change we need, as quickly as we need it to. We’re running out of time: we need you, too. Get involved.

Please contact Nelda Swiggett with additional suggestions.

OUR MISSION

To use the power of artistic expression — live music, spoken words, images and poetry — to connect our audiences deeply and emotionally to the scientific realities of climate change, and to inform and inspire them to act now to address it.

We believe climate change transcends politics.  It is an unprecedented existential threat that affects us all. We believe our greatest challenge is to overcome misinformation and for each of us to find the courage to act individually and together. Acknowledging the dire consequences and sheer scale of climate change can be deeply emotional, yet our response must be based on scientific understanding, technological innovation, sound economics, and effective policy. We believe the performing arts have a unique and powerful role to play in facilitating society’s response to climate change.

BOOK "for the birds"

The standard For the Birds live performance is 90 minutes in length without an intermission. There are no technical requirements for the performance venue. An acoustic piano is preferred, but not essential (we can bring an electric keyboard). We bring, set up and run our own sound system, digital projector, and projection screen. We do not need additional technical support. We have performed intimate house concerts in small living rooms for 20 – 25 people up to public performances in large venues seating 150 or more. For details, see Hosting a Successful For the Birds Concert.

Ask Nelda about funding options, touring “For the Birds,” and 60-75 minute programs. 

PAST Climate concerts

Seattle First Baptist Church, Seattle, WA

The Royal Room, Seattle, WA

Firehouse Performing Arts Center, Bellingham, WA

Horizon House, Seattle, WA

Congregational Church, Mercer Island, WA

Santa Lucia Coffee Co, Centralia, WA

Olympia Unitarian-Universalist Church, Olympia, WA

St. Stephens Episcopal Church, Longview, WA

Packwood Presbyterian Church, Packwood, WA

Stage 7 Pianos, Kirkland WA

First Congregational Church, Bellevue, WA

Madrona Grace Presbyterian Church, Seattle, WA

Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church, Kirkland, WA

The Chapel Performance Space, Seattle, WA

Seattle Unity Church, Seattle, WA

Private house concert, Seattle, WA

Private house concert, Seattle, WA

Grace Church, Bainbridge Island, WA

The Royal Room, Seattle, WA

Private house concert, Seattle, WA

Plymouth Congregational Church, Seattle, WA

First Sundays Concerts series, Bainbridge Island, WA

Westside Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Seattle, WA

The Royal Room, Seattle, WA

Horizon House, Seattle, WA

Panorama Retirement Home, Lacey, WA 

Seattle First Baptist Church, Seattle, WA

The Seasons Performance Hall, Yakima, WA

St. Mathew’s Episcopal Church, Prosser, WA

Shalom United Church of Christ, Richland, WA

Kittitas Valley Universalist Unitarian Church, Ellensburg, WA

Mary Schwartz Summit, Seattle, WA

St. Stephens Episcopal Church, Seattle, WA

Quimper Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, Port Townsend, WA

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Sequim, WA

Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, Port Angeles, WA

Edmonds United Methodist Church, Edmonds, WA

Seattle First Baptist Church, Seattle, WA