Hear Th↓s Space and The Octopus Collective
Hear Th↓s Space are an arts collective that specialise in creating site-sensitive events. Together with the The Octopus Collective, a sound art and new music organisation in Barrow-in-Furness we organised some workshops that focused on soundwalkng, field recording, composition and performance. After a day of workshops in June 2015 participants had the opportunity to spend some time composing with field recordings gathered during the soundwalk. These works were performed at a concert on 4th October 2015 at Cookes Studio in Barrow using the Hear Th↓s Space sound diffusion system. Before the concert participants had the opportunity to rehearse their pieces using the 16-channel diffusion system and Hear Th↓s Space facilitated a diffusion workshop beforehand so that composers could familiarise themselves with the system and sound diffusion techniques.
Hear Th↓S Space Commission:
As part of this project I was also commissioned to create a soundscape work using the recordings gathered by myself and the participants. Before the soundwalk I made previous visits to Barrow to familiarise myself with the area and its soundscape. During these visits I mapped out a soundwalk route and made some recordings. My first impressions of the town was that it was an industrial landscape dominated by BAE systems who design both security technology and land, sea and air craft such as submarines and combat vehicles. Their massive industrial shipyard dominates the skyline and is the largest employer in the area. However beyond all this Barrow has some beautiful wildlife and scenery due to its location on the Cumbria Furness Peninsula and a very diverse and rich soundscape.
Barrow Soundwalk is a stereo soundscape work, using recordings that were made by the participants on the soundwalk in June 2015. It also features some of my own recordings that I made on recent trips to Barrow. It is a very interesting process working with recordings that I have not made. By listening to these recordings it becomes clear that each person was fascinated by different sounds such as the sound of wind going down a pipe, the squeak of a balloon when you rub it, the bell on a bicycle or the sound of gravel.
My compositional aim was to create a work that reflects elements of the soundwalk while creating my own sonic recreation of the soundscape of Barrow.
I would like to thank the other members of Hear Th↓s Space and The Octopus Collective for their time and efforts in facilitating and organising these wonderful events which bring new music to a wider public audience.
Barrow Soundwalk is a stereo soundscape work, using recordings that were made by the participants on the soundwalk in June 2015. It also features some of my own recordings that I made on recent trips to Barrow. It is a very interesting process working with recordings that I have not made. By listening to these recordings it becomes clear that each person was fascinated by different sounds such as the sound of wind going down a pipe, the squeak of a balloon when you rub it, the bell on a bicycle or the sound of gravel.
My compositional aim was to create a work that reflects elements of the soundwalk while creating my own sonic recreation of the soundscape of Barrow.
I would like to thank the other members of Hear Th↓s Space and The Octopus Collective for their time and efforts in facilitating and organising these wonderful events which bring new music to a wider public audience.
