Program Notes
Giant kelp is a kind of large brown seaweed, common off the west coast of the United States from California to Alaska. Although it looks plant-like with a central stalk and leaf-like blades, it is actually an algae. It is the largest of all algae and one of the fastest growing organisms on earth, growing at a rate of 2 feet a day. Kelp is ancient, with species appearing as early as the Miocene era, 5-23 million years ago. It grows in large, dense forests that are habitat for other animals that depend on them for food and shelter. In this piece, I imagine giant kelp gently swaying in the currents, while rays of sunlight make their way down from the surface in between stalks.