Please join us for the Australian premiere of 'Voices of the Rainforest', to be followed by a Q&A with Director and Producer Steven Feld and AFAE President Leah Barclay.
Experience a journey into Papua New Guinea's Bosavi rainforest and an intimate portrayal of its people through this environmental rockumentary concert of a day in the life of the forest and music it inspires. Directed and produced by Steven Feld, and recorded with Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart, the project benefits the Bosavi Peoples Fund, advocating for environmental and cultural survival in the most remote part of Papua New Guinea. WHEN: Friday 13 December TIME: 6pm for a 6.30pm start WHERE: Griffith Film School Cinema COST: Free. Bookings essential. MORE INFO: 'Voices of the Rainforest' is a seventy-minute, 4K image and 7.1 surround sound documentary about the ecological and aesthetic co-evolution of Papua New Guinea’s Bosavi rainforest region and its inhabitants. It is produced and directed by Steven Feld, who first began regular research visits to Bosavi in 1976 and is the author of 'Sound and Sentiment'. 'Voices' was originally a 1991 CD release produced by Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart for his Rykodisc series 'The World'. The recording condenses twenty-four hours of sounds of the rainforest and the Bosavi people into an hour. It makes audible myriad connections between the everyday sounds of the rainforest biosphere and the creative practices of singing to, with, and about it by the Bosavi people. As a work of advocacy for environmental and cultural sustainability, the CD royalties have benefited the Bosavi Peoples Fund, which aides the educational, legal, medical, and social needs of the Bosavi community. In 2016 Feld digitized the original analog audio tapes held in Mickey Hart’s archive, and recomposed an expanded 'Voices' as a 7.1 cinema surround sound concert for the recording’s 25th anniversary. The work was done at George Lucas’s Skywalker Sound, in collaboration with Academy Award nominated sound editor Dennis Leonard. Performances were held in major music halls and auditoriums in the USA, Australia, and Europe in 2017. The success of the immersive soundtrack led to funding efforts to digitize Feld’s archive of Bosavi images, and to send Feld and filmmaker Jeremiah Richards to Bosavi for two months in summer 2018 with high-resolution cameras and drones to renew the project locally. During the trip Bosavi people suggested the film be in two parts, the first a visualization of the 7.1 surround Voices of the Rainforest concert, the second an update about the state of the forest and the problems of development in what remains a remote and under-served region of Papua New Guinea. Feld and Richards will return to Bosavi at the close of 2019 to show the concert film, and to complete the companion documentary, 'New Voices of the Rainforest', for 2020. Voices of the Rainforest Concert Film on BluRay Disc Created in collaboration with the Bona community of Bosavi, Papua New Guinea. Produced by Steven Feld and Dennis Leonard. Directed by Steven Feld and Jeremiah Ra Richards. Executive Producers: Caryl and Mickey Hart. Research, Sound Recording, Composition, Still Photography: Steven Feld. Videography, Drone Imaging, Film Editing: Jeremiah Ra Richards. 7.1 Cinema Surround Editing and Mixing: Dennis Leonard
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Australian Wildlife Sound Recording Group 2017 Workshop and Conference
6th – 11th September, 2017 Camp Cypress, Baradine, NSW. AFAE Members are preparing to venture deep into the Pilliga forest for a week of listening to the natural world – sharing the skills and experience of nature sound recording for a variety of purposes, ranging from scientific research, to artistic responses. The event is hosted by the Australian Wildlife Sound Recording Group at Camp Cypress near Baradine, on the edge of the Pilliga forest, the largest expanse of contiguous dry woodland in inland NSW, and a wonderful area for birdlife and wildlife sound recording. The workshop will be a week of expert presentations and discussion, covering all aspects of wildlife and environmental sound recording, including:
Workshop facilitators include AFAE President Dr Leah Barclay, AFAE founding member Dr Ros Bandt and AFAE board member Andrew Skeoch who is the president of the Australian Wildlife Sound Recording Group. The week will also feature presentations from Jennifer Ackerman – science writer and author of ‘The Genius of Birds’, ecoacoustics specialist Michael Towsey and a range of other presenters you can explore here. The workshop and conference is suitable for beginners, field naturalists, student and professional researchers, artists/musicians and anyone interested in engaging with the natural world more deeply through listening and acoustic ecology. Download the program here or explore further information about the program and registration on the Australian Wildlife Sound Recording Group website. AFAE founding member and internationally renowned Australian sound artist Dr Ros Bandt has created a stunning 2 CD set of original sound works fusing old and new, east and west influences with her cross-cultural modern Australian spike fiddle, the tarhu. This extraordinarily resonant instrument probes 6 world heritage sites in Europe and the Pacific, accompanies poetry in ancient Greek, Persian and Maltese, and connects with artists from China, Vietnam, Thailand, Turkey, the US, Greece, Crete, Germany, Australia, Thailand, and Samoa. She investigates the environmental issues of global warming in the arctic, water usage, fishing and farming ethics, and the biosphere reserves of America. The connections trace back to the worlds oldest bird, the lyrebird and the longest continuing culture on earth in Australia. Ros Bandt is at once a composer, sound artist and skilled musician, as at home in the concert hall, the gallery, the electro-acoustic studio, the internet or the bush as these CDs show. The works created over a decade interpret each acoustic space individually, from improvised solos and duets to elaborate electro-acoustic symphonies and award winning multi- channel works remixed. But it's the sonorous worlds she creates that are so worth the deep listening they invite. Tarhu Connections launched on May 19th 2016 at the 14th century Venetian Sabbionara Gate in Hania, Crete at the opening of the collaborative exhibition Listening through the Walls, one of the tracks on the CD. It is in Hania that the Bandt developed her unique style on the tarhu informed by 30 years of performing , recording, sound research and acoustic ecology practice. Seven tracks were made at this incredible location. Purchase the double album online via the Hearing Places website. In support of the project Bandt produced the ABC Radio Feature ‘Listening through the walls’ commissioned for Soundproof in 2016 which can be streamed online here. This radio feature explores one of the most ancient city states, Hania in the northwest of Crete, where walls have been built, destroyed, reformed and recycled according to its chequered history. It's one of the most contested morcels of land—changing hands from the Greeks, to the Christians, the Ottomans and Venetians, all before the two world wars. In this radio piece, Bandt collaborated with two local Haniot artists to take the people of Hania on an acoustic walk and discover through listening the changing identity of this fascinating town. Ros Bandt began making multi-channel sound works in 1972 and has been a pioneer in the interdisciplinary possibilities of acoustic ecology both in Australia and internationally. INVISIBLE PLACES 2017 SOUND, URBANISM AND SENSE OF PLACE 7-9 APRIL 2017 SÃO MIGUEL ISLAND, AZORES, PORTUGAL Many studies engaged with acoustic ecology have focused on urban environments, motivated by increasing concerns about the sensory impoverishment related to the dominance of anthropogenic sound associated with traffic and other types of transport, machinery from industry or construction, alarm signals and other sounding activities, which often mask and interfere with our living environment. These anthropogenic sounds have tended to be linked to a lack of environmental quality, as they inhibit the perception of other natural sounds. The sounds of the wind, the water, the voicing of certain animals originating from natural landscapes often contrast with human sounds in urban landscapes. They often share the same physical characteristics as measured by volume, duration, frequency or tone, but are experienced by humans differently. Beauty is in the ear of the beholder, we could say. Soundscapes are part of any ecosystem and a fundamental manifestation of life. Every individual and species contributes and responds differently to a given sonic context with its own perceptual mechanism and will use diverse communication strategies. Development processes and urbanization have directly influenced the environment, often in negative ways that eliminate or diminish unique sounds, causing loss of social identity and cultural diversity. The aim of this conference is to bring together scholars, artists and theoreticians on soundscape art and ecology and encourage them to present new perspectives that will further interdisciplinary research and practice. We still know little about the complex relationships between landscapes and soundscapes or the significance of acoustic ecology for all living organisms including ourselves. Focused study and intentional stewardship of our sound heritage for the holistic evaluation of landscapes is fundamental to the evolution of all species, and will have a great impact on the survival of many. More information at www.invisibleplaces.org Sound + Environment 2017
Art | Science | Listening | Collaboration 29 June – 2 July 2017 | University of Hull ‘Sound + Environment 2017' is an international conference bringing together artists and scientists to explore the ways in which sound can deepen our understanding of environments. Keynotes include BAFTA award-winning sound artist and field recordist Chris Watson and Australian sound artist and president of the AFAE Leah Barclay. Through exploring scientific and artistic approaches together, the conference will engage with sound in order to create complementary ways of investigating, understanding, and taking action. This conference is endorsed by the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology (WFAE). Call for papers and creative works: www.soundenvironment.net BALANCE-UNBALANCE 2017
[Arts + Sciences x Technology = Environment / Responsibility] A Sense of Place August 21 to 23, 2017 i-DAT, Plymouth University, UK. The 6th edition of the Balance-Unbalance International Conference will be held from August 21 to 23 of 2017 in Plymouth, UK. Produced by i-DAT in collaboration with the Sustainable Earth Institute, Art and Sound at Plymouth University, North Devon’s UNESCO Biosphere Reserve, Beaford Arts, Fulldome UK and the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology. The theme for BunB 2017 is “A Sense of Place”. Our increasingly mediated relationship with the environment brings new insights to the invisible forces that affect complex ecologies. From meteorological data flows to temporal climate change models, our relationship with our environment is becoming more abstract, simulated and remote – tempering our desire to act. Could it be that we know more and experience less? BunB17 maps the coordinates of our Sense of Place – the horizontal landscape to the vertical transcalar spaces of the macro/micro. Balance-Unbalance encourages submissions related to acoustic ecology. Deadline for submissions is January 16, 2017 (midnight, UK time) and notification of acceptance is February 28, 2017. More information at www.balance-unbalance2017.org Dr. Toby Gifford is an acoustic ecologist, audio technologist and sound designer. His research focusses on ‘Aural Embodiment’ – the notion that much more of our lived experience is mediated through sound than is typically understood. His Jambot software has received national acclaim, appearing on the ABC New Inventors program. Interactive installations have been exhibited in the Australian Centre for the Moving Image, the Museum of Melbourne, Splendour in the Grass music festival, and the European Capital of Culture Festival in Patras, Greece. He has been artist-in-residence at the Gallery of Modern Art developing live soundtracks for silent films. He is an active acoustic musician, live electronic music performer, and works at the arts/science nexus. His research in Ecoacoustics specialises in soundscape analysis for freshwater ecosystems.
Welcome to the final edition of the AFAE Newsletter for 2016! This members update includes reports from our recent AGM, news from the WFAE and a series of events and opportunities for 2017.
2016 has been an exciting year for the AFAE with various members activities and a national conference. Feedback from members in 2015 identified the need to host national events to expand our current focus on virtual meetings. As a result we agreed to host a conference and we are pleased to report this was a highly successful event. In July 2016, the Australasian Computer Music Association joined forces with the Australian Forum for Acoustic Ecology and NIME 2016 (New Interfaces for Musical Expression) to host an interdisciplinary conference at the Queensland Conservatorium on the theme of Sonic Environments. Sonic Environments invited composers, performers, academics, field recordists, acoustic ecologists and technologists to present research and creative works exploring the ecological, social and cultural contexts of our sonic environments. This conference aimed to expand our current perceptions of acoustic ecology and the role of sound and technology in understanding rapidly changing environments across the world. The program featured over 100 artists and presenters showcasing new work from Australia, New Zealand, Europe, USA, Mexico, Brazil, Japan, South Korea and Vanuatu. Sonic Environments opened with a dynamic keynote panel featuring international leaders in the field of acoustic ecology who each presented short provocations on the conference theme. Panelists included Sabine Breitsameter (Germany), Sabine Feisst (USA), Stephan Moore (USA), Andrew Skeoch (Australia), Vanessa Tomlinson (Australia) and Ian Whalley (New Zealand). It was a pleasure to host members from our WFAE affiliate organisations from Germany, Canada, and the USA. The AFAE management committee experienced a significant change at our recent AGM, with Nigel Frayne and Anthony Magen both standing down from their current executive positions. While they will both remain on the committee, I wanted to take this opportunity to acknowledge their dedication and commitment over the years. I would have never been able to take on the role of president without their consistent advice, guidance and support. Anthony and Nigel have been the backbone of the AFAE for many years and have also served in various capacities for the WFAE. As the previous president of the AFAE, Anthony has played a critical role in the WFAE, including his role on the editorial committee for Soundscape Journal. Anthony’s sound walks have been a valuable tool for public engagement around the field of acoustic ecology in Australia and he has been instrumental in the design, development and governance of every aspect of our organisation. Nigel Frayne has had an incredible impact on the field of acoustic ecology. As a founding member of the AFAE, he has spearheaded various activities over the years, including the 2003 WFAE conference in Melbourne, which was a pivotal event for many people, both nationally and internationally. As the first and longest-standing chair of the WFAE, his commitment, passion, persistence and dedication transformed the organisation into a truly global network. Nigel’s vision to make the WFAE a more manageable organisation resulted in a restructure into clusters of groups with geographical administration and governance. This was the beginning of WFAE affiliates, which is how we continue to operate internationally today. On behalf of the AFAE, I want to thank both Anthony and Nigel for their incredible investment in our organisation and commitment and dedication to the field of acoustic ecology. I am extremely grateful for the support and will look forward to ongoing collaborations in other capacities. I am pleased to report we have a new management committee in 2017, with Toby Gifford stepping into the public officer role and Andrew Skeoch, Vicki Hallett and Jesse Budel joining as new committee members. I will continue as president through 2017 and Anthony Magen and Nigel Frayne will remain on the committee in advisory roles. The reports from our 2016 AGM are available to all members and video documentation is available for those who were unable to attend. The other important outcomes from the AGM was the decision to update our digital presence, which includes launching a new website in January 2017. As part of the digital transition, which includes our existing virtual forum project, we will begin actively using social media in 2017. Please join us on facebook and twitter to connect with other members and stay up to date with the AFAE. As the members of our organisation, we want to support and promote your work. Our current focus on virtual meetings is not designed to replace physical events or meetings, just extend our opportunities to engage with members across Australia. If you would like to be involved in planning these activities, or have your own ideas, please don't hesitate to contact us. Please suggest ideas or projects that you believe are well aligned with the AFAE in 2017 and we can help bring them to fruition. Members are welcome to host local AFAE meetings, sound walks or events and we are always happy to promote your activities through our national database. The AFAE exists to connect and support the acoustic ecology community across Australia. It has been a privilege to serve in the position of president for the AFAE throughout 2016. Thank you again to Nigel Frayne and Anthony Magen for their ongoing support. I am thoroughly looking forward to working with all of our members and new management committee in 2017 and hope we can continue to bring a wider awareness and engagement with acoustic ecology in Australia in beyond. We hope our members across Australia have a wonderful festive season and happy new year! Leah Barclay President, Australia Forum for Acoustic Ecology Anthony Magen is a Landscape Architect and Acoustic Ecologist navigating the ecotones of culture. This navigation is facilitated through the construction of the built environment in a professional capacity, through pedagogy, soundwalking as an active artistic practice and an ongoing commitment to the World and Australian Forums for Acoustic Ecology. Anthony Magen’s practice includes the presentation of neorealist abstractions in ‘live’ situations, small-scale interventions, audiovisual installations and photographic presentations facilitated throughout Australia. Anthony is the previous president of the AFAE. Explore the feature on Anthony's work at Liquid Architecture.
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