Mexico and New Orleans – Listening practice & Cross-disciplines

Posted: November 28, 2010 | Author: | Filed under: Conferences | Tags: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

I had the great experience of giving a talk in the festival Visiones Sonoras organised by the CMMAS in Morelia – México. Sounding Underground makes connections between people and their current or lost acoustic environments. Interesting questions about its performative function, and the possibilities of the networks are still in my mind. I enjoyed the emphasis placed on the instruments and objects in all the pieces of the Electroacoustic Concert 5 , it connects me more with the performance.
IV Encuentro Iberoamericano de Paisaje Sonoro
One day later, I presented a paper about Sounding Underground in the IV Encuentro Iberoamericano de Paisaje Sonoro organised by the Fonoteca Nacional in Mexico City. A very diverse and interesting cross-disciplinary and cross-arts reflection about “Paisaje Sonoro” (Soundscape). Excellent speakers and attendants, a learning experience about listening and creating: Whales, Flamencos, Veracruz, San Juan Potosí, Islas Resonantes, Bells (Chile and Mexico), Cartography Mobile experiences, Water, an Electroacoustic concert in 10.0 and lessons about Silence.

Last but not least, I attended to the American Anthropological Association AAA Conference in New Orleans, as speaker in the Session: “Perception, production and circulation: Sensory Ethnography through media” organised by Julia Yezbick and Aryo Danusiri from Harvard University. Sensory Ethnography is a new field where Sounding Underground experience fits very well, and gets nourishment from Anthropology.

Thanks to all the organisers and great people that I met through all these three wonderful events.

In Morelia

Posted: October 5, 2008 | Author: | Filed under: Presentations, Workshops Talleres | Tags: | Leave a comment

A talk about the project “Linking Urban Soundscapes via commuters’ memories” and an improvisation activity – resembling the one in México, took place in the CMMAS in Morelia-Michoacán, México. My colleague Ron Herrema, offered a concert with works of composers from the MTIRC, a partner from the IOCT, at DMU.

People were very enthusiastic with the activities. Sounds from the soundscape of Mexico City metro are not something completely detached from their experience, and they were immersed with it, voicing and playing with musical instruments. These interventions were an additional element for an improvisation planned for the use of the voice in the process of remembering (with Mexican commuters). This process becomes abstract and it enters in the recreation of a soundscape in a sort of Jazz ensemble. For these trained musicians the communication and the atmosphere was great. The interactive system was attractive and innovative for them.  The soundscape, in many ocassions went to the background of our attention. The balance needed between listening and remembering is completely different when the remembering is done with musical instruments. The system then is flexible, the soundscape inspiring and provocative, and the intention of remembering probably needs to be agreed with participants, finding balance beetween musical instruments and the role of the voice. A great opportunity to learn. Muchas gracias a todos los participantes!!!!

Both events were covered by the press and the Television in Morelia. Here a link to a short article published by Cambio de Michoacan