Swan Song is a large percussive musical instrument that wraps 360 degrees around the trunk of an apple tree - essentially rendering audible the sound of falling fruit. Swan Song derives its title from the myth of the mute swan (Cygnus olor) who is completely mute during its lifespan but may sing one heartbreakingly beautiful song just before it dies.

On exhibit at the the Sonoma County Museum (Santa Rosa, California) from Sept 16 – Dec 31, 2006, the apple tree chosen for the exhibition was specifically selected to lose its fruit during the course of the exhibition, entering its period of winter dormancy in December. The apples, after dropping onto the musical instrument, roll into the soil of the pot, nourishing the tree's roots as compost.

Visitors to the installation are invited to sit and witness the ripening of the fruit as an event, to reflect on the passage of time and cycles of growth, to develop a new or altered relationship with the tree. The inevitable questions -- “Will the fruit fall while I'm sitting there? Will anything happen?”-- ultimately asks us to consider our desire for fulfillment. Song Song is intended to reminds us of the way we shape, alter, and cultivate the landscape around us to meet these expectations.