Ninth International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

In a world where technological advancements and the manifest destiny approach to societal expansion dominate, moments of undisturbed nature have become truly rare, even in preserves like Yosemite National Park – a location of particular interest in my work as a field recording artist and environmental activist. To experience the beauty of untouched nature, one must often travel far abound in search of the few places which still remain to us, and even these are fast disappearing. In order to understand humanity’s impact on the environment, visual means are simply not enough. Sound often tells us more about how ecological systems are impacted than sight alone, allowing us the ability to perceive the differences in the behavior of species caused by human intervention even when visually it might appear as if nothing has changed at all. This session features original natural soundscape recordings from my ongoing series, Songs of Northern California, alongside interactive aural exercises intended to illustrate the ecological significance of both scenes of undisturbed nature and those in which species have reacted and adapted to an evermore invasive human presence. Passing through such idyllic locations as Yosemite Valley and the Santa Cruz Mountains, participants experience an immersive, guided tour of natural splendor, learning essential perspectives and techniques for listening to and appreciating natural sound, such as the ability to discern auditory illusions and phenomena, note adaptations in species’ behavior in response to changes acoustic environments, and identify oscines through musical analysis of birdsong.