Porch Swing Orchestra Logo
ABOUT PSO PSO RADIO SLOW BELL EP

no. 263 | Pecan Tree Choir for Artist Run Club, August 26, 2026

Just before sunrise, I connected two wires to the understory of a large pecan tree located just at the south entrance to the Lady Bird Lake trail by Barton Springs Pool. For the past three years, in August, I have been happy to do a small performance for Artist Run Club. In the dog days of summer, most galleries are closed, and it’s a great time to meet up at the springs for a run.
 
The wires are attached to sensors connected to a Pocket Scion, a plant sonification device made by the Scottish company Instruo. The Pocket Scion measures small changes in electrical charges generated by the tree and translates them into a wave, which in turn is converted into computer music.
 
The music in this week’s piece is a record of the tree’s electricity. The Tree-J set includes a drop when the tree stopped sending a signal. After gently touching the sensors, it started up again. The whole thing was super fun and exceeded expectations.
 
After the performance and a brief explanation, I invited folks to try touching the sensors. Couples kissed and then folks all joined hands making a huge circle. You can hear folks in the recording laughing while holding hands. It was the most joy I have ever experienced in the proximity of any artwork I have been a part of. I am still processing that.
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿

UPCOMING PSO LIVE PERFORMANCE AND CLOSING RECEPTION

BOOM AND DUST
CO-OPt RESEARCH + PROJECTS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 9TH TIME TBA
LUBBOCK, TEXAS
 

LETS'S MAKE SOMETHING TOGETHER

I love to collaborate, remotely or in person, but if you have a piece you would like to feature on PSO (without contributions by me), by all means, please reach out!
 
Email us at info(at)porchswingorchestra.org
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿

ABOUT PSO — THE WEB PROJECT

Porch Swing Orchestra is an art project begun on the web by Barry Stone that explores the interplay between still images, sound, and place.
 
Photographs and musical improvisations build a framework for deep listening and visual contemplation. Barry Stone plays acoustic guitar with a Fahey-inspired picking style mixed in with electronic effects, like My Bloody Valentine for a campfire. The sounds of the outside—bird calls, stray conversations, passing cars—become part of the music.
 
Stone scrambles the code and layers images taken on-site to channel chance operations into new imaginaries.
 
Most PSO pieces are made on Stone's front porch in Austin, Texas, but PSO has traveled to Spiral Jetty in Utah, the border town of Del Rio, Texas, Maine, and the San Juan Islands.
 
Each piece consists of a paired image and audio recording taken on site, uploaded to a standalone fullscreen homepage. Each piece is displaced by new pairs of audio and image. Past pieces can be accessed and streamed randomly via the PSO RADIO page.
 
Since 2018, PSO has collaborated with dozens of musicians, artists, poets, writers, and activists to publish over 240 unique combinations of images and sounds.
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿

PSO PERFORMANCE

PSO performs live in unconventional venues such as Shield Ranch and the James Turrell Skyspace, The Color Inside, as a part of The University of Texas Landmarks Songs in the Skyspace Program. PSO was commissioned to create a unique set of visuals and audio compositions for the Texas Historical Commission for the Sounds of Liberty Hill Event Series at the French Legation in Austin, Texas.
 
Original projected imagery accompanies an immersive audio experience which can comprise field recordings, acoustic guitars, e-bow, synths, piano, and singing. PSO plays solo and often with others such as Bill McCullough, Leslie Moody Castro, and longtime collaborator Paul Stautinger.
 
PSO also curated a series of live events, VAST IS THE SEA, at Co-Lab Projects in Austin, in which 8 artists presented works combining images and sound over four weekends.
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿

PSO EXHIBITS

PSO has been the subject of many gallery presentations. PSO has exhibited in solo shows at Klaus von Nichtssagend Gallery in New York, ICOSA in Austin as a Soundscape artist, and the Galveston Arts Center.
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿

PSO RELEASES

PSO has released two full length lathe cut vinyl records, a full length CD, a split virtual seven inch EP with The Reformers, and two Cassette EPs.
 
Releases can be purchased on BANDCAMP or at BARRYSTONE.COM
 
Never miss a piece or performance by signing up for our FREE NEWSLETTER.
 
To experience selected past pieces, listen to the PSO RADIO, or stream us on TIDAL in the links below.
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿

ALL NEW PSO RADIO

Listen and view a stream of randomly selected past PSO pieces rendered in fullscreen glory!
Exclusively here at PSO HQ.
Click on the PSO RADIO Icon to Start the Stream
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿
Orchestra Players: Gregory Brooks, Bob Warner, Emily Scarlet Kramer, Rainey Knudson, Ryan Lauderdale, Tamara Gonzales, Katy Chrisler, Gibson + Recoder, Paul Stautinger, Sarah Hennies, Eric Zimmerman, Matt Bauer, Sandy Carson, Ryan Rhodes, Rebecca Marino, Shannon Spurgeon, Aaron Winslow, Ivy Stone, Mark Menjivar, Gavin Watts, Ryan Sprott, Brad Tucker, Caleb Churchill, John Hunt, Audra Wolowiec, Lauren Grant, Bill McCullough, Henry Smith, Anthony Francis, Xavier Gilmore, Ana Treviño, Ariana Gomez, Thomas Hooper, SKLOSS, The Reformers, Zuriel Waters, Joe Williams, Jason Reed, Adam Henry, Saumon Oboudiyat, Hannah Spector, Leslie Moody Castro, Lauren Klotzman, Joey Fauerso, Jessica Mallios, Pete Stiles, Matt Bauer, Rahim Fortune
︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿︵‿
Newsletter Bandcamp Tidal Instagram Barry Stone