Sound Perimeter: Butterflies

Sound Perimeter: Butterflies

From Sound Perimeter by Lia Uribe

March 30, 2026 · 11 min

About this episode

This episode explores the theme of butterflies through music, highlighting compositions by Kaija Saariaho and Herbie Hancock.

Today on Sound Perimeter, we are thinking about butterflies, those fleeting flashes of color that feel more like memories than things you can hold. They show up without warning, linger just long enough to catch your breath, and disappear, leaving an impression rather than a trace. That sense of ephemerality, of beauty that sharpens our attention because it won’t stay, is the thread that connected today’s music: composer Kaija Saariaho ’s Seven Butterflies for solo cello performed by Oliver Herbert , and Herbie Hancock ’s Butterfly performed by Gretchen Parlato . Sound Perimeter is a segment hosted by Lia Uribe (@Lia Uribe) and dedicated to unexpected voices in and around music. We hope it’ll expand your knowledge and connection to sound and let music infiltrate your lives and transform your realities.

People in this episode

Host: Lia Uribe

Topics covered

  • butterflies
  • ephemerality
  • music
  • composition
  • cello
  • jazz

Keywords

  • butterflies
  • music
  • Kaija Saariaho
  • Herbie Hancock
  • cello
  • Gretchen Parlato
  • ephemerality

More episodes of Sound Perimeter

Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Sound Perimeter podcast page.