Venue: Queensland Conservatorium Griffith University (QCGU)
Location: Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre, IMERSD Live Room and Room 3.63, Music Technology area (level 3)
Date: Saturday March 25 – Sunday March 26.
Time: 10am-6pm
Cost: Free
Explore augmented reality installations stretching throughout South Bank, interact with 3D sound environments in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and travel through the acoustic ecology of global ecosystems in virtual reality. The Sonic Environments program features immersive and interactive sound art inspired by science, changing climates and interdisciplinary research. Featured artists include Daniel Blinkhorn, Leah Barclay, Ricardo Dal Farra and Mauricio Iregui.
Location: Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre, IMERSD Live Room and Room 3.63, Music Technology area (level 3)
Date: Saturday March 25 – Sunday March 26.
Time: 10am-6pm
Cost: Free
Explore augmented reality installations stretching throughout South Bank, interact with 3D sound environments in UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and travel through the acoustic ecology of global ecosystems in virtual reality. The Sonic Environments program features immersive and interactive sound art inspired by science, changing climates and interdisciplinary research. Featured artists include Daniel Blinkhorn, Leah Barclay, Ricardo Dal Farra and Mauricio Iregui.
|
|
INSTALLATION PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS
anthozoa
Daniel Blinkhorn
Looking across the water, sounds can seem to mimic the visual sense of panorama; wind and wave sounds, sea spray and splashing. Underneath the waves however there is a very different portrait. The crisp, delicate clicks, pops, and snaps produced from coral reefs present a soundscape far more intimate and dexterous as the many marine animals bustle and fossick amidst the reef.
Structurally, the composition depicts the many and varied shapes of coral reefs, from their jagged yet intricately textured features, to the dramatic variegations of size, depth and density. The sound shapes created in the piece are designed to describe my impressions of coral reefs.
There are only two sound sources within the composition, that of a prepared piano (more specifically a single D note) and a composite recording of coral. The composite coral recording is comprised of two field recordings; one was captured in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and the other is from a coral reef off the coast of Barbados in the West Indies.
I have used the prepared piano note as a central pitch axis for the work, providing a metaphor for the clear, unbroken line of an ocean horizon, whilst the remaining material consists almost entirely from the (largely unprocessed) composite coral recording that can be heard beginning from 1:25 in the piece. The work was composed in the Studio Alpha, Visby International Centre for Composers, Sweden and the composer’s home studio in Sydney, Australia
‘frostbYte – cHatTer’
Daniel Blinkhorn
chatter is a work from the suite frostbYte, a collection of pieces central to which are location- based field recordings I made whilst on expedition throughout the Arctic region of Svalbard (Spitsbergen).
Positioned at 81° north, 10° East (situated above Norway) the archipelago of Spitsbergen is a truly remarkable part of the world that continues to inspire awe and fascination, and is often at the heart of our collective consciousness for its ecological and climatic sensitivity.
It’s also renowned for its visual and cinematic beauty, so it was no surprise to find that sound plays an integral role in the uniqueness of its appeal. There’s a great deal of sonic activity within the archipelago, both animal and aqueous and the frostbYte suite of works seeks to portray some of these sonorities in a highly abstracted, yet clearly identifiable way.
‘cHatTer’ is essentially presented in two parts, with the primary source of sonic material for the first part being open air and hydrophone recordings of icebergs and iceberg fragments as they melt, collide and dissolve. The second part of the work places these sonorities alongside close-microphone recordings of the Barquentine sailing ship I travelled throughout the region within.
The title itself refers to the beautifully crisp and articulate sounds emitted by icebergs, where I was struck by how much they ‘chatter’ (seemingly) with both one another, as well as with the surrounding water and coastline. I found that, when approaching the icebergs from an underwater recording perspective, they became even more vocal, chirping, popping, snapping hissing and gurgling constantly. The ship also seemed to chatter ceaselessly as it interacted with the ice, water, wind and even crew, producing sharp friction-type sounds alongside the motion-bound sounds of the hull on the waves and other shipboard sonic miscellany. It should also be mentioned that, in the second section many of the sonorities generated from the field recordings become increasingly fictionalised, attempting to portray the types of vessels that usually travel within the region (both by air and sea). The title also suggests the involuntary physiological response prompted by extremely cold temperatures; the rhythm of teeth chatter!
‘frostbYte – wild flower’
Daniel Blinkhorn
‘frostbYte – wild flower’ is the last in a cycle of works using field recordings from the high artic region of Svalbard.
What was most discernible when recording fragments of glacial ice floating in fjords were the many and varied sonorous ecosystems emanating from underwater, each with its own distinctive personality. In every instance the ice fragments reacted differently to temperature, pressure and other observable phenomena, producing similar, yet unique sonorities. From a physical perspective, over relatively short periods of time both smaller and larger fragments became naturally sculptured by the elements into unusual and strangely evocative forms and shapes, each tempered and distorted by the elements in its own unique fashion. Throughout the work I wanted to capture some of the delicate complexity, as well as the unified symmetries produced through the charismatic, audible ecosystems indelibly linked to each of the naturally formed ice sculptures.
In order to transcribe, then sculpt these natural carvings into gestures and phrases within the piece I chose to de-construct a number of hydrophone recordings into discrete elements, often organised into families of sound shapes. These typomorphologies were then re-constructed into a variety of gestures, phrases and forms, each of which contained its own attendant ecosystem of sound, much like the original field recordings.
From a broader perspective, the resultant phrases are intended to mimic the idea of something that is carved, or sculptured using an array of tools and techniques produced when physically carving ice sculptures. To my mind the final geometries and patterns sculptured became like those of the short-lived wildflowers that grow in the region, each populating its own unique ecosystem and all subject to the natural forces at play around them.
The frostbYte cycle
Daniel Blinkhorn
‘frostbYte – wildflower’ is a work from the frostbYte cycle, a collection of pieces central to which are location-based field recordings I made whilst on expedition throughout the Arctic region of Svalbard (Spitsbergen).
Positioned at 79° north, 10° East (situated above Norway) the archipelago of Spitsbergen is a truly remarkable part of the world that continues to inspire awe and fascination, and is often at the heart of our collective consciousness for its ecological and climatic sensitivity. It’s renowned for its visual and cinematic beauty, yet it should be no surprise to find that sound plays an integral role in the uniqueness of its appeal. There’s a great deal of sonic activity within the archipelago, both animal and aqueous and the frostbYte cycle of works seeks to portray some of these remarkable sonorities in a highly abstracted, yet clearly discernible way.
Seascape
Daniel Blinkhorn
this is a miniature soundscape made from recordings captured here at home, on the East Coast of Australia. Each of the sections in the triptych explores a specific aspect of a seascape. the first section is based on a series of small, intimate natural sounds in a coastal inlet. The sounds of a gentle breeze, gurgling water, creaking branches etc have been carefully choreographed to reflect the sounds contained within this type of natural environment. The material has also been extensively transformed via DSP applications to illustrate some of the artistic possibilities possible within this environment when expressed through the imagination. It draws the listener’s attention to the minute and sensuous sounds of a unified nature surrounding the sea, forming part of a seascape.
Between My Sky and Your Water
Ricardo Dal Farra
Entre mi cielo y tu agua (Between my sky and your water) is a picture in sound of the geography and culture of some Latin American regions, and its links with the geography and culture of the Nordic region. Surrounded by water or asking for it, with clear and bright skies or cloudy days and long nights, maybe different languages but perhaps common hopes. Impossible connections, feelings, thoughts and sensations flowing between my sky and through your water. This piece was composed in 2007 using sounds recorded by colleagues in their native lands, in the north of Europe, with plenty of water around; and by colleagues living and visiting the Cusco region, ancient heart of the Inca’s empire in the higher mountains of Peru, closer to the sun but far from the ocean. Entre mi cielo y tu agua is part of the North-South project. An initiative by Nordic and Latin American composers to share experiences and to know more about each other’s culture exchanging ideas and sounds, and composing a series of electroacoustic works. All pieces are based in a common pool of sounds, created by the contribution of each composer in the group.
HYDROLOGY
Leah Barclay
Hydrology is an immersive sound environment exploring the aquatic ecosystems that cover over 70% of Earth's surface. The sounds have been recorded using hydrophones (underwater microphones) in freshwater and marine ecosystems across the planet. The featured locations include coastal mangroves in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, Queensland’s iconic Great Barrier Reef and frozen rivers in Norway. The work explores the scientific possibilities of aquatic ecoacoustics with recordings including snapping shrimp, aquatic insects, river dolphins and Humpback whales, which can all be indicators of ecosystem health. Looking at the surface of a river or marine ecosystem, it is virtually impossible to detect environmental changes. The impacts of climate change are often visible in terrestrial environments, yet dramatic changes in aquatic ecosystems can go unnoticed simply due to visibility. Listening to hydrophones provides access to a noninvasive way of understanding changing aquatic ecosystems. Hydrology draws on over a decade of Leah Barclay’s hydrophone recordings from projects including Sound Mirrors (2009-2011), The DAM(N) Project (2010-2013) and her current major research projects Biosphere Soundscapes, an interdisciplinary venture exploring the changing soundscapes of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and River Listening, a project which examines the artistic and scientific possibilities of freshwater ecoacoustics. Biosphere Soundscapes and River Listening are the core focus of Leah’s Griffith University Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre. Hydrology draws on emerging science and explores the diverse sonic properties of water to reveal the acoustic ecologies beneath the surface of oceans, lakes and rivers across the planet.
Canopy
Matt Hitchcock
The multichannel (8) work is inspired by many years spent in tropical rainforests. Spending extended periods of time in small one- man tents, climbing rock faces, abseiling down the sides of waterfalls, tramping through creeks, sleeping under the stars when possible, absorbed in the varying sounds of life and nature from the thundering tones and melodies of massive waterfalls, bird songs, trees and branches creaking and bark ‘popping’ and ‘crackling’ under wind pressures, water drops hitting different surfaces, the strikingly different spatial properties of different types of undergrowth, natural canopies of forest life and terrain and how these elements processes sound. Emotionally, the work responds to the vibrant and constantly changing contrasts between darkness and light which change moods and perceptions, causing perceptual focus to change, the real and surreal blending into amorphous clouds of experiential waves of ‘moments’ in time. This piece takes natural sounds such as bird songs and morphs and treats them so as to obscure their true source while still contributing important aspects to the overall soundscape – other grains of sound are manipulated to emulate but not replicate natural sources, done in such a way as to distort perceptions and completely blur the real and surreal. Extra-musically, this composition uses spatialisation techniques that focus on isotropic phantom images created between equidistant speakers thereby creating an immersive depth of field using pair-wise planes.
DOWNFALL CREEK
Matt Hitchcock
Downfall Creek is an immersive surround sound composition (in HD 7.1 format) created from mono and stereo audio recordings prior to, during and after a major storm that crossed Brisbane some years ago. The impact on the Downfall creek area in the northern suburbs of Brisbane was brutal but at the same time life-giving. The impact on my abode was minimal but the subsequent 5 day blackout was a timely reminder of how easily our modern lives can be impacted by nature's ways. Beyond the sounds of nature, decontextualised and recombined in musical ways, further sounds have been designed and constructed using storm detritus and implements used in the storm-recovery process. This work seeks to dance on the edge of sound and meaning, alluding to confluence and conflict between man and nature, its impact on us and our impact on it. Extra-musically, this composition places the audience as the still-point in a churning world.
TURTLE HIGHWAY
Matt Hitchcock & Toby Gifford
Turtle Highway is an immersive surround sound composition (in HD 7.1 format) created from underwater recordings of the Mary River in Queensland. The piece includes hydrophone recordings in their original form, electronic transformations of these source sounds, and purposefully designed synthetic sounds inspired by the sonic characteristics of the wild sound elements. Many people experience the aquatic environs of the Mary River, however mostly from above, either walking, picnicking, swimming or boating. It is rare indeed to experience the unexpected and deeply complex sounds of the river life - fish, turtles, shrimp, and a menagerie of invertebrates. It is a rare glimpse at an active world most of us will not experience, treated as a rich tapestry of sound in its own right as well as the base inspiration for immersive musical treatment. The composition seeks to retain the essence of the sonic qualities, the timbres, sound shapes and textures contained in the original recordings, and to juxtapose real, surreal and imaginary sounds in various ways designed to alternatively highlight, obfuscate, or fuse the sonic ‘grains’ of sound. Subtle rhythms and micro-melodies present in the source recordings are explored and expanded, with variations created through sound-transformation, destruction and modulation techniques.
VISCOSITY
Matt Hitchcock
Everything tangible has mass, everything fluid has viscosity (a fluid's internal resistance to flow). PsychologicalFlow (Csíkszentmihályi) relates to the ability to lose oneself in-the-moment, to deep focus, where time and space distort. Psychological flow (for me) has viscosity. This piece is inspired by two of my favourite places of flow – the studio and the Great Barrier Reef. This piece attempts to describe some of the ways the Great Barrier Reef makes me feel, and documents my attempts to cultivate these same feelings of flow while creating this work in the studio. On the Barrier Reef, my sense of scale is intensified; discernment of contrast is amplified - the smallest drops of water in the largest drop of water (the ocean); coral spawn and biolumniscent plankton surrounding me on a night dive at the same time as the expanse of the milky way, no separation between the sky and water; the sense of the tiniest particle in as intense focus as the massive, time and space distorted. This piece attempts to describe these multiple moments, places and spaces, flowing between and juxtaposing them (musically) to reflect the way memory can distort time and space by merging multiple locations or events, not tied to any simple structure or direction as our minds wander - the peaceful, dramatic, calm, turbulent, tiny and massive all coexisting and then merging into a single moment – the moment when flow happens.
‘Fluctuant Rainforest’ by Mauricio Iregui and Leah Barclay – room 3.56
Immerse yourself into the Amazon Rainforest with this multi-speaker interactive installation that reacts to your auditory position in the chair and allows you to explore and journey through a dynamic sound experience.
Coronium 3500 (Lucie’s Halo) by Scott Smallwood
Coronium 3500 is a site-specific sound installation consisting of a multi-voiced generative composition based on solar-powered sound-making devices. The four instruments, arranged in a circular orientation, activate only in direct sunlight. These play a generative composition of melodic patterns based upon an equal-tempered pentatonic scale in the “3500 Hz” system, which will change throughout the day in response to the length of time they have been individually activated, as well as the general ambient light level. Every ten minutes, the four voices will “chime,” coming together and playing a short piece in sync/harmony with each other, before going back to their individual characteristics.
Daniel Blinkhorn
Looking across the water, sounds can seem to mimic the visual sense of panorama; wind and wave sounds, sea spray and splashing. Underneath the waves however there is a very different portrait. The crisp, delicate clicks, pops, and snaps produced from coral reefs present a soundscape far more intimate and dexterous as the many marine animals bustle and fossick amidst the reef.
Structurally, the composition depicts the many and varied shapes of coral reefs, from their jagged yet intricately textured features, to the dramatic variegations of size, depth and density. The sound shapes created in the piece are designed to describe my impressions of coral reefs.
There are only two sound sources within the composition, that of a prepared piano (more specifically a single D note) and a composite recording of coral. The composite coral recording is comprised of two field recordings; one was captured in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia, and the other is from a coral reef off the coast of Barbados in the West Indies.
I have used the prepared piano note as a central pitch axis for the work, providing a metaphor for the clear, unbroken line of an ocean horizon, whilst the remaining material consists almost entirely from the (largely unprocessed) composite coral recording that can be heard beginning from 1:25 in the piece. The work was composed in the Studio Alpha, Visby International Centre for Composers, Sweden and the composer’s home studio in Sydney, Australia
‘frostbYte – cHatTer’
Daniel Blinkhorn
chatter is a work from the suite frostbYte, a collection of pieces central to which are location- based field recordings I made whilst on expedition throughout the Arctic region of Svalbard (Spitsbergen).
Positioned at 81° north, 10° East (situated above Norway) the archipelago of Spitsbergen is a truly remarkable part of the world that continues to inspire awe and fascination, and is often at the heart of our collective consciousness for its ecological and climatic sensitivity.
It’s also renowned for its visual and cinematic beauty, so it was no surprise to find that sound plays an integral role in the uniqueness of its appeal. There’s a great deal of sonic activity within the archipelago, both animal and aqueous and the frostbYte suite of works seeks to portray some of these sonorities in a highly abstracted, yet clearly identifiable way.
‘cHatTer’ is essentially presented in two parts, with the primary source of sonic material for the first part being open air and hydrophone recordings of icebergs and iceberg fragments as they melt, collide and dissolve. The second part of the work places these sonorities alongside close-microphone recordings of the Barquentine sailing ship I travelled throughout the region within.
The title itself refers to the beautifully crisp and articulate sounds emitted by icebergs, where I was struck by how much they ‘chatter’ (seemingly) with both one another, as well as with the surrounding water and coastline. I found that, when approaching the icebergs from an underwater recording perspective, they became even more vocal, chirping, popping, snapping hissing and gurgling constantly. The ship also seemed to chatter ceaselessly as it interacted with the ice, water, wind and even crew, producing sharp friction-type sounds alongside the motion-bound sounds of the hull on the waves and other shipboard sonic miscellany. It should also be mentioned that, in the second section many of the sonorities generated from the field recordings become increasingly fictionalised, attempting to portray the types of vessels that usually travel within the region (both by air and sea). The title also suggests the involuntary physiological response prompted by extremely cold temperatures; the rhythm of teeth chatter!
‘frostbYte – wild flower’
Daniel Blinkhorn
‘frostbYte – wild flower’ is the last in a cycle of works using field recordings from the high artic region of Svalbard.
What was most discernible when recording fragments of glacial ice floating in fjords were the many and varied sonorous ecosystems emanating from underwater, each with its own distinctive personality. In every instance the ice fragments reacted differently to temperature, pressure and other observable phenomena, producing similar, yet unique sonorities. From a physical perspective, over relatively short periods of time both smaller and larger fragments became naturally sculptured by the elements into unusual and strangely evocative forms and shapes, each tempered and distorted by the elements in its own unique fashion. Throughout the work I wanted to capture some of the delicate complexity, as well as the unified symmetries produced through the charismatic, audible ecosystems indelibly linked to each of the naturally formed ice sculptures.
In order to transcribe, then sculpt these natural carvings into gestures and phrases within the piece I chose to de-construct a number of hydrophone recordings into discrete elements, often organised into families of sound shapes. These typomorphologies were then re-constructed into a variety of gestures, phrases and forms, each of which contained its own attendant ecosystem of sound, much like the original field recordings.
From a broader perspective, the resultant phrases are intended to mimic the idea of something that is carved, or sculptured using an array of tools and techniques produced when physically carving ice sculptures. To my mind the final geometries and patterns sculptured became like those of the short-lived wildflowers that grow in the region, each populating its own unique ecosystem and all subject to the natural forces at play around them.
The frostbYte cycle
Daniel Blinkhorn
‘frostbYte – wildflower’ is a work from the frostbYte cycle, a collection of pieces central to which are location-based field recordings I made whilst on expedition throughout the Arctic region of Svalbard (Spitsbergen).
Positioned at 79° north, 10° East (situated above Norway) the archipelago of Spitsbergen is a truly remarkable part of the world that continues to inspire awe and fascination, and is often at the heart of our collective consciousness for its ecological and climatic sensitivity. It’s renowned for its visual and cinematic beauty, yet it should be no surprise to find that sound plays an integral role in the uniqueness of its appeal. There’s a great deal of sonic activity within the archipelago, both animal and aqueous and the frostbYte cycle of works seeks to portray some of these remarkable sonorities in a highly abstracted, yet clearly discernible way.
Seascape
Daniel Blinkhorn
this is a miniature soundscape made from recordings captured here at home, on the East Coast of Australia. Each of the sections in the triptych explores a specific aspect of a seascape. the first section is based on a series of small, intimate natural sounds in a coastal inlet. The sounds of a gentle breeze, gurgling water, creaking branches etc have been carefully choreographed to reflect the sounds contained within this type of natural environment. The material has also been extensively transformed via DSP applications to illustrate some of the artistic possibilities possible within this environment when expressed through the imagination. It draws the listener’s attention to the minute and sensuous sounds of a unified nature surrounding the sea, forming part of a seascape.
Between My Sky and Your Water
Ricardo Dal Farra
Entre mi cielo y tu agua (Between my sky and your water) is a picture in sound of the geography and culture of some Latin American regions, and its links with the geography and culture of the Nordic region. Surrounded by water or asking for it, with clear and bright skies or cloudy days and long nights, maybe different languages but perhaps common hopes. Impossible connections, feelings, thoughts and sensations flowing between my sky and through your water. This piece was composed in 2007 using sounds recorded by colleagues in their native lands, in the north of Europe, with plenty of water around; and by colleagues living and visiting the Cusco region, ancient heart of the Inca’s empire in the higher mountains of Peru, closer to the sun but far from the ocean. Entre mi cielo y tu agua is part of the North-South project. An initiative by Nordic and Latin American composers to share experiences and to know more about each other’s culture exchanging ideas and sounds, and composing a series of electroacoustic works. All pieces are based in a common pool of sounds, created by the contribution of each composer in the group.
HYDROLOGY
Leah Barclay
Hydrology is an immersive sound environment exploring the aquatic ecosystems that cover over 70% of Earth's surface. The sounds have been recorded using hydrophones (underwater microphones) in freshwater and marine ecosystems across the planet. The featured locations include coastal mangroves in the Sian Ka’an Biosphere Reserve in Mexico, Queensland’s iconic Great Barrier Reef and frozen rivers in Norway. The work explores the scientific possibilities of aquatic ecoacoustics with recordings including snapping shrimp, aquatic insects, river dolphins and Humpback whales, which can all be indicators of ecosystem health. Looking at the surface of a river or marine ecosystem, it is virtually impossible to detect environmental changes. The impacts of climate change are often visible in terrestrial environments, yet dramatic changes in aquatic ecosystems can go unnoticed simply due to visibility. Listening to hydrophones provides access to a noninvasive way of understanding changing aquatic ecosystems. Hydrology draws on over a decade of Leah Barclay’s hydrophone recordings from projects including Sound Mirrors (2009-2011), The DAM(N) Project (2010-2013) and her current major research projects Biosphere Soundscapes, an interdisciplinary venture exploring the changing soundscapes of UNESCO Biosphere Reserves and River Listening, a project which examines the artistic and scientific possibilities of freshwater ecoacoustics. Biosphere Soundscapes and River Listening are the core focus of Leah’s Griffith University Postdoctoral Fellowship at the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre. Hydrology draws on emerging science and explores the diverse sonic properties of water to reveal the acoustic ecologies beneath the surface of oceans, lakes and rivers across the planet.
Canopy
Matt Hitchcock
The multichannel (8) work is inspired by many years spent in tropical rainforests. Spending extended periods of time in small one- man tents, climbing rock faces, abseiling down the sides of waterfalls, tramping through creeks, sleeping under the stars when possible, absorbed in the varying sounds of life and nature from the thundering tones and melodies of massive waterfalls, bird songs, trees and branches creaking and bark ‘popping’ and ‘crackling’ under wind pressures, water drops hitting different surfaces, the strikingly different spatial properties of different types of undergrowth, natural canopies of forest life and terrain and how these elements processes sound. Emotionally, the work responds to the vibrant and constantly changing contrasts between darkness and light which change moods and perceptions, causing perceptual focus to change, the real and surreal blending into amorphous clouds of experiential waves of ‘moments’ in time. This piece takes natural sounds such as bird songs and morphs and treats them so as to obscure their true source while still contributing important aspects to the overall soundscape – other grains of sound are manipulated to emulate but not replicate natural sources, done in such a way as to distort perceptions and completely blur the real and surreal. Extra-musically, this composition uses spatialisation techniques that focus on isotropic phantom images created between equidistant speakers thereby creating an immersive depth of field using pair-wise planes.
DOWNFALL CREEK
Matt Hitchcock
Downfall Creek is an immersive surround sound composition (in HD 7.1 format) created from mono and stereo audio recordings prior to, during and after a major storm that crossed Brisbane some years ago. The impact on the Downfall creek area in the northern suburbs of Brisbane was brutal but at the same time life-giving. The impact on my abode was minimal but the subsequent 5 day blackout was a timely reminder of how easily our modern lives can be impacted by nature's ways. Beyond the sounds of nature, decontextualised and recombined in musical ways, further sounds have been designed and constructed using storm detritus and implements used in the storm-recovery process. This work seeks to dance on the edge of sound and meaning, alluding to confluence and conflict between man and nature, its impact on us and our impact on it. Extra-musically, this composition places the audience as the still-point in a churning world.
TURTLE HIGHWAY
Matt Hitchcock & Toby Gifford
Turtle Highway is an immersive surround sound composition (in HD 7.1 format) created from underwater recordings of the Mary River in Queensland. The piece includes hydrophone recordings in their original form, electronic transformations of these source sounds, and purposefully designed synthetic sounds inspired by the sonic characteristics of the wild sound elements. Many people experience the aquatic environs of the Mary River, however mostly from above, either walking, picnicking, swimming or boating. It is rare indeed to experience the unexpected and deeply complex sounds of the river life - fish, turtles, shrimp, and a menagerie of invertebrates. It is a rare glimpse at an active world most of us will not experience, treated as a rich tapestry of sound in its own right as well as the base inspiration for immersive musical treatment. The composition seeks to retain the essence of the sonic qualities, the timbres, sound shapes and textures contained in the original recordings, and to juxtapose real, surreal and imaginary sounds in various ways designed to alternatively highlight, obfuscate, or fuse the sonic ‘grains’ of sound. Subtle rhythms and micro-melodies present in the source recordings are explored and expanded, with variations created through sound-transformation, destruction and modulation techniques.
VISCOSITY
Matt Hitchcock
Everything tangible has mass, everything fluid has viscosity (a fluid's internal resistance to flow). PsychologicalFlow (Csíkszentmihályi) relates to the ability to lose oneself in-the-moment, to deep focus, where time and space distort. Psychological flow (for me) has viscosity. This piece is inspired by two of my favourite places of flow – the studio and the Great Barrier Reef. This piece attempts to describe some of the ways the Great Barrier Reef makes me feel, and documents my attempts to cultivate these same feelings of flow while creating this work in the studio. On the Barrier Reef, my sense of scale is intensified; discernment of contrast is amplified - the smallest drops of water in the largest drop of water (the ocean); coral spawn and biolumniscent plankton surrounding me on a night dive at the same time as the expanse of the milky way, no separation between the sky and water; the sense of the tiniest particle in as intense focus as the massive, time and space distorted. This piece attempts to describe these multiple moments, places and spaces, flowing between and juxtaposing them (musically) to reflect the way memory can distort time and space by merging multiple locations or events, not tied to any simple structure or direction as our minds wander - the peaceful, dramatic, calm, turbulent, tiny and massive all coexisting and then merging into a single moment – the moment when flow happens.
‘Fluctuant Rainforest’ by Mauricio Iregui and Leah Barclay – room 3.56
Immerse yourself into the Amazon Rainforest with this multi-speaker interactive installation that reacts to your auditory position in the chair and allows you to explore and journey through a dynamic sound experience.
Coronium 3500 (Lucie’s Halo) by Scott Smallwood
Coronium 3500 is a site-specific sound installation consisting of a multi-voiced generative composition based on solar-powered sound-making devices. The four instruments, arranged in a circular orientation, activate only in direct sunlight. These play a generative composition of melodic patterns based upon an equal-tempered pentatonic scale in the “3500 Hz” system, which will change throughout the day in response to the length of time they have been individually activated, as well as the general ambient light level. Every ten minutes, the four voices will “chime,” coming together and playing a short piece in sync/harmony with each other, before going back to their individual characteristics.