Croak: Sounds by the Water

For a period of four weeks, the Europaplatz in front of the KKL Lucerne presented a focus on the lives of amphibians. Croak: Sounds by the Water, (in German: Quak: Klänge am Wasser) was the name of the project Lucerne Festival created in collaboration with Pro Natura Lucerne to raise awareness among guests and the local community about the threatened world of frogs and toads in Switzerland – combining music and nature in surprising ways.

Seven stations guided visitors through a specially designed habitat consisting of water and land. At each stop, they could compare the calls of native amphibians with musical imitations performed by musicians from the Lucerne Festival Contemporary Orchestra. Which animal – and which instrument – was hiding behind the sound they heard? The answer could be discovered by lifting a flap at the station.

The project involved more than a walk-through, interactive educational trail open to visitors at all times. It also featured hands-on learning experiences. In 19 workshops, more than 400 schoolchildren explored the sound world of local frogs and toads: imitating calls, trying out instruments, forming a joint “frog and toad orchestra” – and even taking turns conducting it themselves.

Two public guided tours, led by Adrian Borgula (former Lucerne City council member and biologist) and Priska Strickler (an expert from KARCH, Switzerland’s National Coordination Office for Amphibians and Reptiles), also proved to be very popular. In total, more than 1,000 people visited the trail on their own, 200 attended the festive opening featuring newly composed music by Daniel Schnyder, and more than 50 took part in the guided tours.

It quickly became clear that this temporary natural space in the middle of the city was more than just a backdrop. During the project period, dragonflies, bumblebees, and honeybees were spotted, while the aquatic plants provided a welcome buffet for ducks. This offered visible proof that even small green spaces can have a tangible, positive impact on biodiversity.

After the Festival ended, the installation didn’t just disappear. All materials were carefully dismantled and repurposed by Naturag Landscaping AG of Malters near Lucerne – from the plants to the stones. In this way, Croak continues to have an effect beyond its original run, as an impetus for greater biodiversity and as an example of how culture can take responsibility.