Ponderosa Congress

October 11, 2025 performance by Sam Ross and the Tilikum Chamber Orchestra in Lake Oswego, OR.

The Ponderosa Pine is named for its heavy wood, and has the largest range of any North American pine tree species. It can normally be found towering over dramatic landscapes in the American West. Ponderosa Congress follows a stand of these magnificent pines through an extended period of inclement weather. The sun comes out a couple of times, but the air is still stirred by shifting weather fronts. I was particularly fascinated with the idea of a group of massive trees being bent by wind, so the idea of swaying branches comes up a lot in this piece.

You may be wondering what a “Ponderosa Congress” might be, and that is a hard question to answer. When trees are gathered together, usually not by their own choice, they share signals and messages – hints of what is happening in their environment. They discuss the history of the world and look to its future. These ancient, fire-resistant trees have a collective wisdom that we may never partake of.