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.
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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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