SURROUNDINGS | Slavek Kwi (Artificial Memory Trace)
GrDl 134 | Gruen Digital > [order]
Stereo (MP3 & FLAC) | Multichannel (MP3 & FLAC) | 5.1 Surround (AC3)
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„Surroundings“ is an project created and facilitated by Slavek Kwi with and for young children with autism and Asperges Syndrome. The final composition combines instrumental and vocal contribution recorded during workshops with children and
teachers – including sound environment in the school St. Declan’s and within some social events – and various field recordings imported as alien element to discover for children by Slavek. The final multichannel piece was performed in The National Concert Hall in Dublin and then placed as permanent sound installation in the library of the school.
01) introduction 2:28
02) SURROUNDINGS – SoundAdventure 41:54
Excerpts:
2 Tracks (44′23″)
Samples of Sounds employed within SoundAdventure – Composition (examples are in chronological order of appearance and recorded as it is):
03) rain 0:38 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Meath, Sept. 2006)
04) water-stream 0:11 (rec. Aughris Head, Sligo, May 2008)
05) flock of ducks flying off 0:09
06) feast of laughing ducks 0:34 (rec. Dobruska, Czechie, 1995)
07) crows 0:07 (rec. Meath, January 2009)
08) frogs bombina bombina 0:25 (rec. Dobruska, Czechie, 1994)
09) frogs rana ridibunda 0:16 (rec. Amsterdam, Holland, 1991)
10) frogs_chorus 0:35 (rec. Mamori, Amazonas, Nov. 2007)
11) ambient rec. outdoors of St.Declans, April 2006 0:13
12-13) underwater rec. of passing boat 0:11 + 0:23 (rec. Doel, Belgium, May 2009)
14) ambient rec. outdoors of St.Declans, July 2009 0:11
15) football rec. outdoors in St.Declans by Nicola, July 2009 0:33
16) electromagnetic field of active CD-player 0:21
17) electromagnetic field of computer screens in St.Declans 0:31(rec. with electromagnetic detector, 2007)
18) sea-birds 0:33 (rec. St.Georges Cape, Newfoundland, Canada, July 2008)
19) cat 0:31 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Sept. 2008)
20) frost falling from trees 0:28 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Nov. 2008)
21) rainbird “captain of the forest” 0:56 (rec. Xixuau Xiparina, Amazonas, Aug. 2007)
22) steps in snow 0:10 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Feb. 2009)
23) bumble-bee 0:05 (rec. Ivy Cottage, May 2006)
24) painting of house with ruler 0:08 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Apr. 2007)
25) dogs 0:12 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Oct. 2009)
26) birds on feeder 0:50 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Feb. 2007)
27) singing tube 0:08 (played by Aaron, July 2009)
28) plectophone 0:14 (played by Deidre, July 2009)
29) spiral – “giant slinkie” 0:07 (rec. Liege, Belgium, 1996)
Bats and ultrasound
30) solitary hunting bat – sonar 0:09 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Aug. 2008 with heterodyne ultrasound detector)
31) social calls of bat transposed from ultrasound original by 12 semitones into human hearing range 0:07 (rec. Ivy Cottage, Aug. 2008 with ultrasonic range microphone)
32) insectivorous microbats – sonar 0:11 (rec. Mamori, Amazonas with detector, Dec. 2008)
33) microbats – sonar transposed from ultrasound by 36 semitones 0:28
34) microbats – sonar transposed by 60 semitones 0:15 (rec. Mamori, Amazonas with ultrasonic microphone, Nov. 2007)
35) macrobats (fruitbats) – flying foxes 0:38 (rec. Northern Territory, Australia, Aug. 2006)
36) hundreds of bats flying inside Kitum Cave 0:32 (rec. Mt.Elgon, Kenya, Africa, Dec. 2000)
37) wind rec. from inside cracking wooden church 0:30 (rec. St.Georges Cape, Newfoundland, Canada, July 2008)
Underwater recordings
38) off the pier (rec. Conche, Newfoundland, Canada, June 2008)
39-40) fishsongs of “pescada” 0:21 + 0:16 (rec. Xixuau Xiparina, Rio Jauaperi, Amazonas, Brazil, Jan. 2009)
41) shrimps and seal 0:14 (rec. Aughris Head, Sligo, May 2008)
42) pink dolphin “boto” – sonar transposed from ultrasound by 36 semitones 0:37 (rec. Mamori, Amazonas, Dec. 2008)
43) “boto” – sonar transposed by 30 semitones 0:30 (rec. Xixuau Xiparina, Rio Jauaperi, Amazonas, Aug. 2007)
44) cat-fish, crustaceans and insects rec. off floating wooden pontoon at night (rec. Xixuau Xiparina, Aug. 2007)
45) underwater insects (rec. Mamori, Amazonas, Dec. 2008)
46) shrimps, molluscs and fish on coral reef 0:06 (rec. Garig Gunak Barlu, Arnhemland, Australia, Aug. 2009)
47) dripping rain on water-surface in container 0:12 (rec. Ivy Cottage, 2008)
Composed and Constructed July-October 2009 by Slavek Kwi as multichannel soundscape in 5.1 home-cinema surround system. This Release is stereo-mix (multichannel version is available as ac3 file or 4-track version).
All sounds were recorded by Slavek Kwi (except: #15 rec. by Nicola and some ambient sounds from school rec. by teachers are employed in SoundAdventure)
All instrumental and vocal parts were performed by children during sound-workshops in St. Declan’s School and also some fragments from children in Temple St. Francis School.
Children from St. Declan’s participating in „Surroundings“ project:
(in alphabetical order) Aaron, Adam F, Adam K, Alan, Alec, Amy, Anu, Bobby, Caelan, Calvin, Caoimhe, Cian F, Cian R, Conor C, Conor P, Dara, David D, David T, Dean, Deidre, Dillon, Doireann, Eoin, Finn, Fionn, Jake E, Jake W, John, Joseph, Kevin, Lucas, Luke, Michael, Nathan, Neil, Niall, Oliver, Orla, Peter, Ross, Ryan C, Ryan L, Shauna, Sive, Sophie, Stephen, Venitta and Zara.
Children from Temple St. Francis school who appeared in SoundAdventure:
Jack, Liam, Ryan M, Ryan T, Sean F and Sean M.
“Surroundings“ celebrates 50th Anniversary of St. Declan’s School 2008-2009 as permanent installation in school’s library.
The project was supported by The National Concert Hall in Dublin and St. Declan’s School.
Special thanks to Cathy Martin from Meath County Council Arts Office for lending us recording devices and to everybody involved.
Sound Art Series by Gruenrekorder
Gruenrekorder / Germany / 2014 / GrDl 134 / LC 09488
Guillermo Escudero | Loop
Slavek Kwi aka Artificial Memory Trace is a Czech sound artist who since 2000 lives in Dublin, Ireland. From the early 90’s he works under the alias of Artificial Memory Trace. He is interest in exploring electroacoustic sounds both in inside locations and outside. Thirty years span his musical activities travelling around the world and making field recordings which are shown through in sound installations with massive sound system. Also he’s interested in the investigation of free music as part of social research, using space and any object that contains as musical instrument. His work comprises both sound base and multidisciplinary projects.
Kwi has released 12 albums and make appearances in several music compilations and distributed, performed and broadcast in Europe, North America, Australia and Mexico. He’s currently working at St. Brendanís Psychiatric Hospital and for The National Concert Hall in Dublin. Make sound-workshops with autistic children and those with learning disabilities.
What we can listen is a wide range of recordings composed and constructed between July and October 2009 by Slavek Kwi as a multichannel soundscape. These recordings are recorded in different places like the Amazon in Brazil, Northern territory in Australia, Kenya, Africa, Canada and contain both of wildlife sounds like underwater recordings, the surrounds of the autistic school and the children themselves singing, playing instruments, laughing, chating and talking among themselves.
This is a sound document that reveals interesting wildlife in different places, combined with several scattered dialogues, quite naive, great comedians of children living in innocence.
Slavek Kwi aka Artificial Memory Trace es un artista sonoro checo quien desde 2000 vive y trabaja en Dublín, Irlanda. Trabaja bajo el alias de Artificial Memory Trace desde los principios de los ’90. Su interés es explorar los sonidos electroacústicos tanto en locaciones al interior como en el exterior. De esta forma Kwi ha viajado a diferentes partes del mundo realizando grabaciones de campo las que mostrado a través de instalaciones sonoras con un gran despliegue de sistemas de sonido. También se interesa por la investigación de la música libre como parte de la investigación social, empleando el espacio y cualquier objeto que contenga como un instrumento musical. Su trabajo comprende tanto en la base sonora como en proyectos multidisciplinarios. Kwi ha publicado 12 álbumes, ha participado en varios compilados y su música se ha distribuido, presentado y transmitido en Europa, Norteamérica, Australia y México. Actualmente trabaja en el St. Brendanís Psychiatric Hospital y para la National Concert Hall en Dublín. Realiza talleres sonoros para niños austistas y para aquellos que tienen problemas de aprendizaje. Lo que podemos escuchar es una gran variedad de grabaciones compuestas y construidas entre julio y octubre de 2009 por Slavek Kwi como un paisaje sonoro multicanal. Estas grabaciones están registradas en distintos lugares como la Amazonía en Brasil, norte de Australia, Kenia, Africa, Canadá y contienen tanto sonidos de vida salvaje como grabaciones bajo el agua, de los alrededores de la escuela austista y de los propios niños que cantan, tocan instrumentos, ríen, charlan y conversan entre ellos. Este es un interesante documento sonoro que revela la vida salvaje de distintos lugares que se combina con diversos diálogos entrecortados, muchos de ellos naive, geniales y cómicos de niños que viven en la inocencia.
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