Sonic Peaks is an adventure with mountains and music. My name is Payton MacDonald. I’m a musician and endurance athlete. This TRAILER explains the project.

I am currently working on summiting the 146 highest mountains in the Northeastern part of the United States. I’ve already finished the Catskills 35. Now I’m working on the Northeast 111. That’s 111 mountains over 4,000 feet. Once those are done I plan to expand this project to other parts of the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Africa.

I am creating a graphic score for each hike, that reflects the feelings/experiences I had on a given peak or collection of peaks if I do several in one day.  Here is an example of one of those scores, from when I hiked Halcott mountain:

I hike and mountain bike a lot, and when I’m out there I always think about music. I hear/imagine/see music that is surprising, rugged, tender, challenging, awe-inspiring, all the things we find in nature. Graphic scores are the best way to notate this music, and the best way to connect time in the mountains with music making.

I also plan to engage with other artists. In addition to my recordings and performances, I welcome contributions from other musicians. As Sonic Peaks develops, I aim to involve  local communities in the creation of new work and musical realizations of these pieces. And of course I welcome people to join me on the hikes.

Sonic Peaks is the second part of a massive three-part trilogy that explores the connections between experimental music and outdoors athleticism. The first part of the trilogy is my Sonic Divide project, completed in 2016. (The third part will be titled “Sonic States” and will include a 5,000-mile self-supported bikepacking adventure across the U.S. from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean.)