Trees of Music

The tree that gives voice to the strings is facing extinction.

String players rely on the unique resonance of Pernambuco wood, which has been used to make bows since the 1700s. Deforestation in the Atlantic Forest has wreaked havoc on these trees, with 93% of the forest decimated and fewer than 2,000 Pernambuco trees left in the wild.

We are reconnecting with the forests that have sustained music, at a time when they desperately need our protection.

Join Trees of Music in planting 50,000 Pernambuco saplings in Brazil, helping to regenerate the Atlantic Forest.

The Atlantic Forest in Brazil is one of the most bio-diverse ecosystems on the planet. It is home to more than 20,000 species of plants and animal species unique to this forest, including endangered jaguars, golden lion tamarins, woolly spider monkeys, maned three-toed sloths and red-tailed parrots. 

But this unique and irreplaceable biome is at risk of permanent extinction.

Only 7% of the forest remains and this remnant is shrinking by 1-3% per year. It is time to give back to the forest that has given us the authentic, traditional sound of string music.

Trees of Music aims to reverse the damage wreaked on the forest 

The project is supported by regenerative agro-ecology experts RAIN (Regenerative Agroforestry Impact Network). Together we will regenerate lost forest and support sustainable bow-makers to keep the music playing.

We aim to:

• Plant 50,000 Pernambuco trees
• Restore 150 springs
• Train 70 farmers to plant and care for the trees
• Regenerate 30 hectares of the Atlantic Forest

We can all play a part in saving the Trees of Music

Your donation will go towards seeds, soil, staff and equipment to plant and nurture 50,000 saplings and restore 150 springs over the next two years. For example:

• £5 will plant 4 trees
• £100 will plant 80 Pernambuco trees
• £400 will help regenerate a water spring in the forest
• £2,000 will help train 70 local farmers to care for the trees

Join the artists calling for more sustainable music

We are joined by some of the world’s most talented string players and ensembles, among them Steven Isserlis, Tasmin Little, Matthew Barley, Viktoria Mullova, Hugo Pilger, the London Mozart Players and the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment. 

"The Brazilian pernambuco tree, favoured by virtually all bow-makers for its unique ability to bring out resonance in string instruments, has been so affected by deforestation that if we don’t take action, it might have as little as ten years left until extinction ... It’s beyond heartbreaking to realise how little Brazilian forest remains ... I think all of us musicians feel desperation when we read about the state of the natural world. But it’s especially jarring to consider that immaterial beauty, music, can contribute to such physical harm. 

There’s a strong parallel with the anxiety so many of us feel about the carbon footprints of our touring. Surely it ought to be possible to make great art that doesn’t inadvertently destroy the planet in the process! Or, better still, align our art with active efforts to heal? ... What a relief, then, to discover Trees of Music, a new initiative to cultivate sustainable pernambuco." - Matthew Barley

“For a violinist, the bow is an essential partner to the violin – without a beautiful bow, a  violin will never sound at its best. No musician wants to make music at the expense of our  environment so it is imperative that we find a way to ensure that nature and music continue to nourish and inspire us in a symbiotic way.” - Tasmin Little OBE 

“I care deeply about the health of the rainforests for the survival of all the different species of plants and animals that dwell there, for their sake and for ours too. As musicians it is our duty to be conscious of the carbon levels we are contributing to and to be aware of the forests and their importance. I am lucky enough to have traveled to parts of South America and to have relationships with members of its indigenous communities, so protecting those communities is something that is very dear to me."  - Misha Mullov-Abbado.

Trees of Music has been featured on BBC Radio 3, in Strad Magazine, Classical Music Magazine and Gramophone Magazine, and is promoted by the Milton Keynes International Festival.

We urgently need your help

We don't have much time to save the Trees of Music, but we have all the tools and skills to make it happen. All we need now is your financial support.

Donate - help us fund this urgent project, and earn rewards.

Got a special occasion coming up? Why not buy your loved one some Pernambuco trees or restore a forest spring for them?

Share this campaign - tell your friends about Trees of Music and keep up to date with the campaign through Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Remember to tag us! 

Collaborate - if you are an individual or organisation connected to music, register to become a Trees of Music ambassador or official partner. 

Who are we? 

At RAIN, we believe that indigenous communities, landowners, local farmers, and environmental specialists on the ground are the most knowledgeable when it comes to protecting the ancient and old-growth forest. That's why our projects are conceived, designed, and run by locals in Brazil and the UK, with support from us, to change their surroundings for the better. To find out more about our projects, click on the RAIN logo below.