Sound Projects in Tune with World Listening Day
Two Midlands projects are in tune with World Listening Day being celebrated on 18th July to encourage people to listen to the world around them. Warwickshire-based Education 4 Conservation (E4C) has designed an acoustic ecology project called Nocturne, which is part of the Wild Echoes programme. Workshops combine art and technology to explore natural sounds (past and present), music and culture. As dusk falls on the ancient landscape at Newnham Paddox in Warwickshire, participants walk take a journey through the night woodland soundscape. Equipped with hand-held sound recorders, they document their observations through music made from founds sounds, film and photography. Sounding Cov is a community project designed by Coventry-based Performance Frequency that creates soundscapes in a city environment. Sounding Cov explores the joyous celebration of sound. The first workshop is due to take place on 14th November: the 70 year anniversary of the bombing of Coventry. The City will be filled with 11 hours of non-stop chanting, followed by 1 hour of silence. The project will use mantras and musical styles which reflect Coventry. The first rehearsal takes place on Sunday 15th August. Everyone is welcome. Denise Taylor of E4C said: “Our sensory perceptions are dulled by the modern fast-paced environment. Our senses are overwhelmed by so much background noise that we rarely take the time just to stop and listen. Sound, acoustics and music are all wonderful ways of exploring how we can change the way we view the world around us.” Sara McCarthy of Performance Frequency said: “Sounding Cov is a chance for people to sing to the very heart of Coventry. It’s all about interacting with our environment in a sound way and is very much in the spirit of World Listening Day. Anybody, any age or background can come along. It’s all about fun and getting involved. You might want to challenge your sound stamina and stay for the whole 12 hours or maybe just come along for 15mins and see what is going on. Coventry has never seen anything like it before!” The interest in sound and acoustics in modern day Britain is growing, and World Listening Day this year could be the platform for lots of different projects to take shape. - Ends – About Education 4 Conservation Education 4 Conservation (E4C) is a Midlands-based social enterprise which provides workshops in environmental education through its Inspired by Nature programmes. It also works with partner organisations abroad, and is currently developing an e-learning platform called EnvELOP (Environmental Education & Learning Online Programmes). www.education4conservation.org About Performance Frequency Performance Frequency educates people on the use of sound to strengthen performance in business, environment, health and creativity. It provides a range of workshops to inspire individuals to voice themselves at an authentic level, aimed at unlocking potential and applying it to the contemporary world. Courses range from short workshops to 6 week programmes. All work has a sound theme (using mantra) and is aimed at developing individual capacity, power and mastery, encouraging new tools, perspectives on life, and fostering an ability to listen more deeply to nature, self and others. Performance Frequency works independently and in partnership with like-minded organisations and individuals. www.performancefrequency.com
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