A cave can hold secrets. Louisville Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams knows that, which is why he wrote a piece for symphony orchestra to be performed entirely underground. This episode takes us into Mammoth Cave to hear a performance that unlocks a centuries of stories preserved by the caves' seemingly endless walls. One of those is the story of Jerry Bransford, who brought the Bransford name back to Mammoth Cave 80 years after his ancestors were removed from  their jobs as cave guides because of their race.

Featuring original music from Louisville Symphony Orchestra conductor Teddy Abrams, performed by the Louisville Symphony Orchestra, Davóne Tines, and Yo-Yo Ma.

Special thanks to: Mammoth Cave National Park and Louisville Orchestra for their recording of Mammoth used throughout this episode. Find out more about their projects and concerts by visiting louisvilleorchestra.org  

To learn more about all the history of enslaved guides at Mammoth Cave, read Making Their Mark: The Signature of Slavery at Mammoth Cave, written by Joy Lyons.

Listen to the Our Common Nature EP. 

Credits: Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings 

Hosted by Ana González
Produced by Alan Goffinski
Editing from Pearl Marvell
Sound design and episode music by Alan Goffinski
Mixed  by Joe Plourde
Fact-checking by Ena Alvarado
Executive Producers are Emily Botein, Ben Mandelkern, Sophie Shackleton, and Jonathan Bays.
Our advisors are Mira Burt-Wintonick, Kamaka Dias, Kelley Libbey, and Chris Newell

Episode photo by Austin Mann; Episode and show art by Tiffany Pai

This podcast was inspired by a project of the same name, conceived by Yo-Yo Ma and Sound Postings, with creative direction by Sophie Shackleton, in collaboration with partners all over the world.

Our Common Nature is made possible with support from Emerson Collective and Tambourine Philanthropies

Our Common Nature is a production of WNYC and Sound Postings.

Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts

Yo-Yo Ma wants to know: what place do you love most? What reminds you that you are part of the Earth? Snap a photo of your favorite place on the planet and share it on social with the tag #ourcommonnature

Visit the website at ourcommonnaturepodcast.org