2015 Falling Walls Conference
Nina Kraus was a speaker at the prestigious Falling Walls Conference in Berlin on November 9, 2015. Her presentation covered how learning to play a musical instrument or to speak another language can improve the brain’s ability to make sense of sound, and how that information can be used to offset learning difficulties suffered by children living in poverty.
Only Human Interview
Nina Kraus and the Auditory Neuroscience Lab were featured in the December 1, 2015 episode of WNYC Radio’s Only Human. Kraus discussed neural synchrony and the importance of how each person’s brain processes sound in noisy environments.
Artifacts Audioplay Tour
Graduates of Northwestern’s MFA in Writing for Screen + Stage, inspired by the sound curriculum and last year’s Sonic Boom conference, produced a site-inspired, audio tour/live-scene theater experience at Salvage One. It ran November 7, 8, 14, and 15, 2015 at 3pm. More information is available at www.lrplays.org/artifacts.html.
The Sound of Design
Sound designer Audrey Arbeeny of Audiobrain was the guest speaker at “Audrey Arbeeny: The Sound of Design” for the Segal Design Institute to discuss sonic branding. The seminar was held October 29, 2015 from 1-2:30pm [pdf] at the Ford Engineering Design Center, room 1.230.
Sounds of South Asia
The Center for Global Culture and Communication presented the “Sounds of South Asia,” a yearlong series of visiting speakers whose work exists at the intersection of Sound Studies and South Asian Studies. The series brought together scholars and students interested in expanding the global scope of Sound Studies and listening to South Asian cultures with fresh ears. It was collaboratively presented by the School of Communication, Department of Asian Languages and Cultures, Asian Studies Graduate Cluster, Asian Studies Program, Screen Cultures Program, Department of Radio-TV-Film, and Department of Communication Studies. The full schedule can be viewed here.
Sexing Sound Festival
Sexing Sound: Gender Sound Music was held October 22-24, 2015. The events were presented through a partnership between the Goethe-Institut Chicago, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Experimental Sound Studio, the University of Chicago, and Northwestern’s Institute for New Music. It was organized and curated by Irmi Maunu-Kocian and Lou Mallozzi of the Goethe-Institut Chicago, with the collaboration of Ryan Dohoney from Northwestern’s Bienen School of Music.
First Annual Cookout
On October 8, 2015, the MA in Sound Arts and Industries held its First Annual “Noise-Water-Meat” Cookout at the patio outside the Northwestern SoundTank. The event brought together sonically inclined faculty, undergraduate, and graduate students, kicking off what will be an exciting year for sound at Northwestern.
Fall SSLG Session
Stephan Moore led the Fall 2015 session of the Sound Studies Listening Group (SSLG) on October 15, 2015 from 8 – 10pm at the Elder Faculty in Residence Apartment, 2400 Sheridan Road. He shared and discussed experimental compositions that influenced his work.
Radiolab Interview
Jacob Smith, Director of the MA in Sound Arts and Industries, was featured in the October 6, 2015 episode of the podcast Radiolab, talking about Allen Funt’s pioneering “reality” shows: Candid Microphone and Candid Camera.
Keynote Address
Stephan Moore delivered a keynote address at the Exhibiting Sound symposium, which took place in Edmonton, AB from October 30 – November 1, 2015.
Rainforest Score Recreation
Stephan Moore recreated David Tudor’s score to the 1968 Merce Cunningham dance RainForest, in collaboration with electronic music pioneer John Driscoll. The performance was included as part of Stephen Petronio’s project Bloodlines, which ran October 1, 2, and 3, 2015 at Columbia College, Chicago.
New Play
David Tolchinsky’s new play Clear was featured in the September 8th issue of Proscenium Journal, along with an interview in which Tolchinsky discusses his work.
Jeff Award Nominations
Josh Horvath has received two Equity Jeff Award nominations for Sound Design, recognizing his work in “The Hammer Trinity, Part 3: The Excelsior King” at The House Theatre of Chicago and in “Native Son” at Court Theatre and American Blues Theater. Horvath has eleven previous nominations and four wins. The nominations were announced on August 21st.