SONIC ECOLOGIES WORKSHOP – All Ages | By Donation
In this hands-on workshop, participants will embark on a journey through sound, voice, and nature. By blending techniques of vocal percussion, live looping, and field recording, participants will explore the interconnectedness of soundscapes, environments, and human expression. The workshop will introduce field recording and biosonification to capture and interpret the sounds of natural ecosystems, using these as foundational elements for co-creating original music.
Led by Ruby Singh, participants will learn the basics of beatboxing, introducing the concept of the “tongue drum” — a powerful tool for creating percussive sounds using the voice. Participants will also explore deep listening practices to foster awareness of subtle sounds around and within them, allowing nature and human voices to merge in spontaneous and collaborative compositions.
Through live looping, participants will experience the process of recording, layering, and playback of sounds in real-time. This technique, paired with environmental recordings, will allow students to weave together human and non-human sounds into collective soundscapes that reflect the interdependence of ecosystems. This workshop is ideal for those who wish to deepen their connection to sound, nature, and collective music-making, cultivating a new way to listen, create, and express.
Key Takeaways:
- Learn the fundamentals of live looping and field recording.
- Engage in deep listening to enhance perception of soundscapes.
- Explore biosonification to incorporate organic sounds into musical compositions.
- Experiment with vocal percussion techniques.
- Collaborate to create spontaneous, eco-inspired compositions that celebrate diversity in sound and voice.
REGISTRATION
Please register for this workshop at CVAG’s shop desk during open hours (Wednesday – Saturday, 10:00am – 5:00pm) or by emailing register@comoxvalleyartgallery.com.
The workshop will begin at 11:00am at the gallery on Saturday, November 16. Participation is by donation. All ages are welcome to attend.
RUBY SINGH
Ruby Singh is a multi award winning performer, composer and producer residing on the unceded territories of the xʷməθkʷəy̓əm, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh, and səl̓ílwətaʔɬ/Selilwitulh Nations (Vancouver, BC.). His creativity crosses the boundaries of music, poetry, photography and film engaging with mythos, memory, justice and fantasy. Singh is an artist whose work is informed by sound found all around us, from the whirling planets and stars of distant galaxies to percussion of an umbrella under coastal rains, to the perpetual moving birdsong of the dawn chorus, constantly circling the globe. The richly imaginative visual textures to his sound design have found kinship in the theatre, film and dance worlds, where he has been celebrated by multiple Jessie and Leo award nominations. His distinct approach uses traditional and emergent sonic practices to create compositions that express the vast spectrum of the human experience. In 2022, Singh received the Lieutenant Governor’s Jubilee Award for excellence in Art and Music. In 2023, he received his inaugural Juno nomination and he won both the WCMA award for best Global Music Artist of the Year and BC Touring Council’s Artist of the Year.
During Moonlight + Magic 2024 on November 15, the day before the workshop, Ruby Singh will be giving a live hip hop performance, and music videos off of his latest album will be playing on the screen in CVAG’s Window + Plaza Media Gallery.
From December 21, 2024 – January 11, 2025. A new video + sound + text work commissioned by CVAG and developed as part of Ruby’s Polyphonic Garden series will premiere in CVAG’s Window + Plaza Media Gallery.
IMAGE: Ruby Singh, courtesy of the artist.