Friday 15 March 2019

Apply the ‘Helios Principle’

One of my favourite orchestral works is the Helios Overture by Carl Nielsen. It opens with a vivid and moving depiction of sunrise, and then beautifully depicts the sun’s progress across the sky from dawn to dusk.

When I listen to this music, I hear the progress of a life: the hot, intense miracle of birth; the exuberant energy of youth; maturity and achievement; the exhausted sighing towards darkness.

Nielsen's overture is a perfect example of the natural world providing inspiration for creative thoughts and deeds.

Look within the natural world for seeds of inspiration: seeing birds in flight inspired people to build flying machines; the beak of a kingfisher inspired the sleek and efficient shape of Japan’s famous bullet train; the intricate structure of a butterfly wing inspired a new way to combat counterfeit banknotes.  


What do you find most beautiful and intriguing about the natural world? How can this inspire you to think in new and exciting ways? How has the natural world solved problems similar to yours? How can you adopt and adapt these solutions?

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