Of interest
Apr
8
2021
Earth Law – an introduction by Michelle Maloney
As we face a climate changed world and transition away from our destructive reliance of fossil fuels, human societies need to create new ways of working together and nurturing the wider Earth community – the need for new governance systems has never been greater.
Our April online seminar will be an introduction to Earth jurisprudence, an exciting approach that can reshape the way we protect of nature.
April 21st at 7.00pm AEST
Mar
15
2019
Linda Macaulay – Profile
Many AWSRG members will be aware of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology in Ithica, upstate New York, and its archive of wildlife recordings; the Macaulay Library. It is one of the few such libraries dedicated to nature sound in the world, others being the British Library’s sound archive and our own CSIRO Wildlife Sound Archive.
The library has been named after Linda Macaulay, a prolific and accomplished recordist, contributor and supporter of the library.
In this engaging interview, Linda discusses her recording techniques and tells of some more memorable encounters (audio and spectrograms included):
Recordist of note—Linda Macaulay
Mar
23
2018
Is Birdsong Music? – book & CD reviews by Michael Hannan
AWSRG member Michael Hannan has written two reviews of recent publications by zoomusicologist, composer, violinist (and fellow AWSRG member), Hollis Taylor.
Hollis’s work presents insights and responses to the songs of Pied Butcherbirds, and essentially poses the question; do birds display a sense of aesthetics? It is an intriguing question!
Click here for Michael’s review of Hollis’s book, ‘Is Birdsong Music?‘
Michael himself is a composer and performer, and had one of his pieces premiered at our recent conference by clarinetist Vicki Hallett (which can be heard here – scroll down to audio file #19)
Jan
26
2018
Is noise causing birds stress responses similar to PTSD?
New research gives pause for thought…
Dec
20
2017
Chris Watson interview with Richard Fidler
For those of you who (like myself) missed it when first broadcast a few months ago, here is a link to the delightful interview by Richard Fidler with British field recordist Chris Watson.
Chris is not only a hugely accomplished recordist, but a great story teller and sensitive naturalist, and unlike many interviewers dealing with sound and nature, Richard ‘gets it’.
http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/conversations/conversations-chris-watson/9036566
Jun
26
2017
The forgotten songs of Sydney’s birdsong
Forgotten Songs commemorates the songs of fifty birds once heard in central Sydney, before they were gradually forced out by European settlement. The calls, which filter down from the canopy of birdcages suspended above Angel Place, change as day shifts to night; the daytime birds’ songs disappearing with the sun, and those of the nocturnal birds, which inhabited the area, sounding into the evening.
This delightful installation was a collaboration between ecologists and sound artists, with the AWSRG’s Fred van Gessel providing the birdsong recordings.
This artwork was commissioned in 2009 and has now been retained as a permanent installation.
Jun
26
2017
Transforming climate change data into music
Ten years ago, old-school graphs and text-based data were the only way to communicate the growing problem of climate change. But when it comes to inspiring action, a relentless march of charts can disengage many. For Leah Borromeo, co-founder of Climate Symphony, it became clear a different approach was needed.
“Music makes us feel things,” she says. “It affects us physiologically, emotionally. Sound has always acted as a warning for us, we have this ingrained in our limbic system. This is a new way of expressing the climate change issue.”
