Sustain: Field recording a ekologická krize jako alarmující inspirace

What does the sustainable music of today and tomorrow sound like? The Sustain: Music and sustainability project combines art, music creation, concert and production activities with environmental thinking. The topic of sustainability in connection with music in the Czech Republic has not yet come to the fore, this program changes the rules of the game. Conferences, debates, panel discussions, workshops as well as practical audio demonstrations and installations - all focused on the present and future of music in the age of climate change.

The first event with the subtitle Promoters, artists and the planet: about sustainability in music industry took place on May 23. The second series entitled Natural voices in the creation of experimental electronic music was organized by the music production of the Hybernská Campus on June 6 and 7. The third installment of the Sustain series in October focused on the music of the future. And the last series will focus on field recording and the ecological crisis as an alarming inspiration.

‍Program:

• Wednesday 20 November.
  • 18:00-19:30 The non-music of inequality – Workshop (D.1 Atelier)‍
    • “What soundscapes do we live in? Who and what is heard, who and what is silenced? Who breathes noise, and who lives hi-fi?" A walk through various soundscapes and their transformation with Maria Čtveráčková aka Mary C from the Prague Synth Library following the critical listening walks Nehudba nemíst and < em>The music of non-locals.
    • Entrance fee: 100 CZK (tickets to the workshop are purchased separately at this link)
    • Lecturer: ‍Mary C
• Thursday 21 November
  • Single entrance fee for all events: 190 CZK
  • 18:00–18:30 Lecture and presentation by Tomáš Šenkyřík on the project Soundscape.cz (E.0 Hall)
    • Krajina, which surrounds people, often leaves behind fascinating sound testimonies, sound tracks. Every living organism has its own unique sound signature, every place on earth sounds unique. Penetrating these planes and uncovering sonic signs has to do with attentive listening to sonic landscapes. Czech musicologist Tomáš Šenkyřík will explain his work, which focuses on focused listening to sound landscapes, he will talk about the wilderness and the sound adventure that begins outside the doorsteps of homes.
  • 18: 45-7:45 pm Panel discussion: Field recording and ecological crisis as alarming inspiration (E.0 Sál)
    • In a panel discussion with Slovenian experimental sound artist and archivist Ida Hiršenfelder, Portuguese sound artist Sara Pinheiro and Czech musicologist Tomáš Šenkyřík will focus on connecting focused listening and sound recording with ecological communication through artistic performances, compositions and installations.
    • The debate will begin with a reflection on the previous presentation of the project A soundmap from which to bounce back to broader reflections on how sound testimony can be recast into a message with environmental overlap. Subsequently, participants will explore what is behind Sasha's performance of Anatomy of Symbiosis and Sara's performance of Vertical Chain. With Sára, he dwells on the meaning of "earthly" and "heavenly" sounds in her work. With Ida, visitors will then explore the (im)possibility of empathizing with creatures other than humans. Under Beech Trees revolves around short audio stories that mix elements of reality, mysticism and speculative fiction. It draws listeners into an imaginative future, where people strangely coexist with other entities, are connected to birds, insects, frogs and bacteria.
    • Jiří Slabihoudek, student of the Institute of Musicology at FFUK, hosts.
    • The discussion will take place in English without translation.
  • 20:00-21:00 Presentation by Sara Pinheiro - Vertical Chain (E.0 Hall)
    • Vertical Chain is a live performance for speakers. It plays with the idea of ​​"earth sounds" and "heavenly sounds" to create an effect of verticality. Starting from the two floor speakers and their dedicated sound sources, it slowly moves to the two raised floor speakers. Speakers and their airy sounds. As these two layers interact vertically, they cause the so-called a sense of spatial depth and encourage listeners to experience the sonic tension and resonance between these realms. The performance uses field recordings, synthesized and live processed sounds to create a fluid, evolving meditative experience.
  • 21:00-22:00 > Ida Hiršenfelder: Under Beech Trees (E.0)
    • Under Beech Trees is a site-specific audio walk. It revolves around short audio stories that mix elements of reality, mysticism and speculative fiction. A sound walk accompanies the audience from one place to another, drawing them into an imaginary future where people strangely coexist with other entities. It encourages empathy for sentient beings and encourages all to listen to all beings, including the non-voiced or non-organic. It offers an experimental journey that immerses participants in a sound world different from human experience.

‍Project Sustain supports the development of the competences of professional artistic and professional workers in the cultural and creative sector, the acquisition of new knowledge and skills applicable in their future professional life and the increase of their competitiveness in an international context.