"Big
thanks to Dryad: Jon and Sabine brought us the beautiful
soul-touching performance that carries powerful
environmental education messages." ~ Jiali Xu, Little Oak Ranch "Everyone I talked to loved your presentation and a couple of people said it should be an annual event! Thanks again for your terrific performance!" ~ Fred Seeley, Placerita Canyon Nature Center Associates "Jon and Sabine, this afternoon's program was outstanding. Thank you!" ~ Jay Wilson, Executive Director Mission Trails Regional Park "Thank you both for your amazing presence. The event was elevated by your performance. We hope you will join us for future events!" ~ David Solomon, Terra Madre Gardens "You hit it out of the park. Your new fan base in the desert wants you back!" ~ Leslie Gebhart, UU Church of the Desert |
"Jon and Sabine were truly amazing with their voices, lyrics and beautiful handmade flutes." ~ Paige DeCino, Buena Vista Audubon Society Nature Center "A beautiful presentation and a great message as well." ~ Jean Vought, Friends of the Vista Library "What an incredible experience!" ~ Selene Miles, Biology Professor Grossmont College "I know you will love the show. I saw Jon and Sabine at the Vista Library, everyone loved it, the music was superb and the story was perfect. The entire performance was great, a must see event, and the message is very important. Just go, it will make you laugh and probably also make you cry, it did me." ~ Michael Thielk "Their show had something for everyone, with the children captivated by the performance and the adults listening to each nuance of the environmental teaching." ~ Christopher Nyerges, Mountain Views News |
Jon
Sherman |
Dr.
Sabine Kurz-Sherman![]() |
Jon has been performing his
original earth songs at nature centers and environmentally
conscious events for over
three decades. As an eco musician he is
dedicated to being a voice for his endangered natural
community and ecoregion. As an artisan, Jon gives
voice to the trees themselves through the branch
flutes he's been crafting for over fifteen
years. |
Sabine
earned
her doctorate in biology at the Johannes Gutenberg
University Mainz, in Germany. When her scientific
career brought her to the States, Sabine's heart opened to
the natural wonders of California. Besides
expressing her love of nature musically, Professor
Kurz-Sherman teaches biology and environmental science at
the college level, opening the hearts and minds of her
students to ecological awareness. |
(longer bio) Jon's love for nature was awakened at the age of two, when the wild pasture in the back of his Idaho home glowed with its welcoming life force. Later, his dad would introduce him to the rivers and mountains of that beautiful region, while his mom encouraged his creative and musical side. After moving to Southern California, Jon continued his personal journey of integrating his love of the performing arts with his love for the natural world. In the late 1980's he designed and built an outdoor wooden stage, under the oaks, at the beautiful Descanso Gardens, where he started performing his original ecologically conscious songs. As an eco musician walking his talk, Jon started using a solar powered sound system in 1989 for his outdoor performances. He has participated in numerous Earth-friendly events over the years and has produced 6 albums of original music and poetry. In 2006, Jon started hand-crafting his own branch flutes, his Dryad Flutes highly sought after now for their quality of craftsmanship, unique natural beauty and ecological integrity. When Sabine Kurz contacted Jon in 2014 about making a branch flute for her, they recognized in each other a mutual love and concern for the natural world and have since merged their kindred spirits, talents and lives together through their marriage and musical partnership. |
(longer
bio) Sabine has nurtured a love for music and nature since studying classical piano as a young girl growing up enchanted by the green forests of Germany. Her early work in the sciences included biotope mapping as a field biologist and electron microscopy research. Excelling academically, Sabine earned her PhD in biology at the Johannes Gutenberg University Mainz. As a scientist, Dr. Kurz published 14 peer reviewed articles and presented her research at 22 national and international conferences. When her scientific career brought her to the United States, Sabine's heart opened to the beautiful yet increasingly endangered ecoregions of California, her home for 21 years now. Professor Kurz is currently teaching biology and environmental science at the college level in the San Diego region, inspiring her students toward ecological awareness. Expressing herself musically, Sabine performed for 11 years with the Latin Jazz band "Cadencia" on keyboards, percussion and lead vocals, recording 3 albums with that group. Inspired by the beauty of an old growth forest, Sabine started playing the Native American flute to express, musically, the deep love and concern she feels for the natural world. Having learned about the branch flutes Jon Sherman was making, a musical collaboration grew and blossomed and they have been performing and sharing life together ever since. |
![]() Endangered Species Day, 2022,
Buena Vista Audubon Nature Center.
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"Calling Us Home", on Endangered Species Day, 2022. |
![]() At the Banning Ranch Gala 2019 |
![]() At the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve Interpretive Center |
![]() At Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve |
![]() Earth Day at Mission Trails Regional Park |
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