At 85, Annea Lockwood Continues Her Lifelong Exploration of Earth’s Sounds

Outside the home of Annea Lockwood, the soft whisper of a breeze stirs the leaves along her tree-lined driveway, while wind chimes gently sway in the backyard. Occasionally, birds add their melodies atop the distant hum of passing cars.

Reflecting on her neighborhood, Lockwood describes it as a tranquil and charming place with a surprisingly radical history.

At 85, Lockwood is a composer whose insatiable curiosity and unique sensitivity to nature’s soundscapes have defined her work. She resides about an hour north of Manhattan on a street named after Baron de Hirsch, a 19th-century philanthropist known for aiding the resettlement of persecuted Russian Jews. Her house was originally constructed for the Mohegan Colony, a community founded on anarchist principles. Nearby, the Hudson River area witnessed the violent Peekskill Riots during a Paul Robeson concert decades ago.

Lockwood notes the area’s dynamic mix of political legacies: "This neighborhood blends a right-wing town with a left-wing colony. It’s quite fascinating."

For five decades, Lockwood has made her home and studio in Crompond, New York, sharing her space with her late partner, composer Ruth Anderson, until Anderson’s passing in 2019. Recently, Lockwood has been dedicating significant time outdoors, embarking on creative journeys along rivers such as the Columbia and Elwha with younger musicians, blending intergenerational collaboration with her passion for environmental sound.