Workshop Series: Ecologies of Sound: Soundscape Composition as an Artistic Practice | 08/03 - 13/04/2025

Workshops Design and Facilitation: Dimitris Savva

Location: MAD Lab (Media Arts and Design Research Lab), Potamitis Building, 3rd floor, Kitiou Kyprianou, 3036, Limassol, CY

Eligibility and Admission: Artists from any medium and practice are invited to apply. No prior knowledge of sound practices is required. Participation is free; however, an application process will determine the selection of participants. A maximum of 10 to 12 participants will be selected.

Workshops Language: English

Description: The series of workshops Ecologies of Sound: Soundscape Composition as an Artistic Practice invites artists from any medium and practice to explore acoustic ecology, soundscape theory, and soundscape composition.

Duration: A total of 15 hours, divided into five 3-hour workshops, plus one day for the participants' projects presentation.

Workshop Schedule:

1. 08/03 | 10:00 - 13:30 | MAD Lab
   Workshop 1: Theory and Practice - Listening and Imagining

2. 15/03 | 10:00 - 13:30 | A hiking trail in Troodos
   Workshop 2: Sound Walking in the Forest

3. 22/03 | 10:00 - 13:30 | MAD Lab
   Workshop 3: Composition and Aesthetics

4. 29/03 | 10:00 - 13:30 | MAD Lab
   Workshop 4: Creative Brainstorming of Project Ideas

5. 05/04 | 10:00 - 13:30 | MAD Lab
   Workshop 5: Project Feedback and Open Discussions

6. 13/04 | Time to be arranged with participants | MAD LabFinal Presentations: Presentation of Works

What to Expect: The workshops will feature:

• Seminars on acoustic ecology and soundscape theory.

• Activities of sound meditation, deep listening, and soundwalking.

• Listening and analysis sessions of soundscape compositions.

• Classes on soundscape composition techniques and practices, accompanied by hands-on tutorials.

Creative Task: 

TheCreative Task: The primary task for participating artists will be to create a project that integrates their artistic practice with soundscape composition. Indicative examples include combining soundscapes with dance performances, fine art, multimedia or photography installations, video art, theatrical monologues, or music compositions.

Participants will use sounds from the Troodos Forest Soundscape Recordings Archive, which is being developed as part of my postdoctoral research, Cyprus Forest Soundscapes and Acoustic Ecology. The theme of the artworks will be shaped by the artists, drawing inspiration from acoustic ecology and engaging in dialogue with the experiences and knowledge they gain about nature, sound, and ecology.

The completed works will be showcased during a public event at MAD Lab (Media Arts and Design Research Lab), offering participants the opportunity to share their creations with the audience.

Learning Outcomes: 

By the end of the workshops, participants will have gained valuable knowledge, experiences, and skills in acoustic ecology, soundscape theory, and soundscape composition. They will specifically have the opportunity to:

• Understand the concept of soundscape through theories and definitions provided by R. Murray Schafer, Barry Truax, Bernie Krause, and Bryan C. Pijanowski.

• Familiarize with key terminology used to describe soundscapes, illustrated with sound examples. Topics will indicatively include Bernie Krause's concepts of biophony, geophony, and anthropophony, as well as R. Murray Schafer's ideas of background and foreground sounds, soundmarks, acoustic horizon, and hi-fi and low-fi soundscapes.

• Explore the principles of acoustic ecology and recognize the importance of the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology's mission to foster conscious listening to sound environments, raise awareness of the impacts of noise pollution, and highlight the cultural and ecological significance of preserving valuable soundscapes as part of our shared heritage.

• Expand auditory perception of soundscapes through activities such as sound meditation, deep listening sessions based on Pauline Oliveros' techniques, and soundwalks inspired by the practices of Hildegard Westerkamp, conducted in both urban settings and the Troodos region.

• Develop an understanding of soundscape composition aesthetics through listening and analysis sessions of soundscape works.

• Create a soundscape composition using the Troodos Forest Soundscape Recordings Archive and integrate it with their artistic medium. This process will provide participants with foundational skills in soundscape composition, editing, mixing, and processing.

 Important Information:

• Commitment and Attendance: Selected participants must attend all workshops and present a complete or a work-in-progress project at the end of the series.

• Technical Requirements: Participants need access to a laptop, descent-quality headphones, and a willingness to learn basic functions of the DAW software Reaper.

• Research Context: These workshops are part of the research project Cyprus Forest Soundscapes and Acoustic Ecology, conducted by Dimitris Savva and funded by the Cyprus University of Technology's POST-DOCTORAL Programme. As part of the research, participants will be asked to give a short interview and complete brief questionnaires about their workshop experience to help us explore and understand their developing relationship with acoustic ecology.

• Selection Criteria: Participants will be selected based on their commitment to attend all workshops, their willingness to present a project, and the goal of achieving a balance in art mediums and gender representation.

Application: Submit your application by completing the following Google form. The form asks you to provide a short bio, a portfolio, and a paragraph sharing why you are interested in participating.

Application Deadline: March 1, 2025.

Contact: savvadimitrios@gmail.com

Feel free to contact me with any inquiries.