Workshops
Soundscape Weekend Intensive
There is Art in Our Nature
May 2 to 4, 2025
Warbler’s Roost, 3785D Eagle Lake Road, South River
$339 with 2 nights accommodation and $215 with no accommodation.
There is Art in Our Nature
May 2 to 4, 2025
Warbler’s Roost, 3785D Eagle Lake Road, South River
$339 with 2 nights accommodation and $215 with no accommodation.
Advance Registration Required
The annual soundscape weekend intensive will take place May 2 to 4, 2025 at Warbler's Roost, which is on a rural 14-acre property 22 km west of the village of South River, Ontario. This year’s edition will focus on recording, editing and composing - individually and collaboratively - of soundscape compositions, or field recording works, that respond to the theme "There is Art in Our Nature."
The complexity of the natural world is astounding in its diversity and musical nuance. South River is located in a region where the natural world has had many impacts on art making – often cited is the work of Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven who visited the region for inspiration. What does soundscape recording and composition tell us about this same place almost a Century later?
This workshop is appropriate for all levels of audio experience. It also builds on the experiences of past soundscape intensives as it will include time for participants to compose and collaborate along with time for learning. The skills acquired from the workshop can be applied to sound recording and audio production techniques for a variety of artistic and ecological projects.
The intensive weekend workshop will be led by NAISA Artistic Director Darren Copeland who has created radio, concert and installation pieces from soundscape recordings made at the same location as the workshop. There will also be a guided listening walk led by naturalist and birder Fred Pinto from the North Bay Naturalists Club which will broaden participants understanding of the environments captured in their recordings.
Audio pieces made at the workshop will be shared on NAISA’s Soundcloud page and its website. Participants will be encouraged to share their pieces with https://aporee.org/maps/ radio aporee, https://frameworkradio.net/info/ framework radio and https://radio.earth/ radio.earth and expand their community of connections internationally.
Workshop participants should bring a laptop and recording equipment that is familiar to them. However, participants can also access NAISA equipment and resources such as 2nd order Ambisonic recording, Geophone and Hydrophone recording as well as editing and mixing with the Reaper digital audio workstation.
Participants will also be introduced to the Reveil livestream taking place in parallel to this workshop which broadcasts the sounds of daybreak traveling westward from London (UK) time zone by time zone. NAISA Radio is a broadcast partner and will be broadcasting the 24+ hour livestream.
Practical Details:
- All levels of experience are welcome. - Bring your own laptop and a portable audio recorder.
- NAISA will supplement with additional equipment where necessary.
- Dress for colder temperatures at dusk and dawn as well as for some walking on muddy and wet surfaces.
- Warbler’s Roost has comfortable indoor accommodation with kitchens and bathrooms that are shared among the guests. Breakfast is provided each day. Accommodation discounts available for those wanting to share a room with a friend or partner.
Schedule:
Friday May 2
6:00 to 7:00 pm - Lecture - Approaches to Recording and Workshop Introduction
7:00 to 8:00 pm - Listening Tour of Property
8:00 to 9:00 pm - Dusk Recording
Saturday May 3
6:00 to 8:00 - Dawn Recording
8:00 to 9:00 - Breakfast provided
9:00 to 11:00 - Guided Listening Walk and Discussion
11:00 to 12:00 - Sound Editing Tutorial
12:00 to 3:00 - Individual work on Editing (individual assistance is available)
3:00 to 4:00 - Group Listening to Edited Recordings
4:00 to 9:00 - Individual work on Composition (or self-guided dusk recording)
Sunday May 4
6:00 to 8:00 - Self-guided Dawn Recording
8:00 to 9:00 - Breakfast
10:00 am to 12:00 pm - Group Listening to Compositions and Filesharing
12:00 to 2:00 pm - Lunch and Departure
2:00 to 4:00 - Community Soundscapes installation open at NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 313 Highway 124, South River
The annual soundscape weekend intensive will take place May 2 to 4, 2025 at Warbler's Roost, which is on a rural 14-acre property 22 km west of the village of South River, Ontario. This year’s edition will focus on recording, editing and composing - individually and collaboratively - of soundscape compositions, or field recording works, that respond to the theme "There is Art in Our Nature."
The complexity of the natural world is astounding in its diversity and musical nuance. South River is located in a region where the natural world has had many impacts on art making – often cited is the work of Tom Thomson and the Group of Seven who visited the region for inspiration. What does soundscape recording and composition tell us about this same place almost a Century later?
This workshop is appropriate for all levels of audio experience. It also builds on the experiences of past soundscape intensives as it will include time for participants to compose and collaborate along with time for learning. The skills acquired from the workshop can be applied to sound recording and audio production techniques for a variety of artistic and ecological projects.
The intensive weekend workshop will be led by NAISA Artistic Director Darren Copeland who has created radio, concert and installation pieces from soundscape recordings made at the same location as the workshop. There will also be a guided listening walk led by naturalist and birder Fred Pinto from the North Bay Naturalists Club which will broaden participants understanding of the environments captured in their recordings.
Audio pieces made at the workshop will be shared on NAISA’s Soundcloud page and its website. Participants will be encouraged to share their pieces with https://aporee.org/maps/ radio aporee, https://frameworkradio.net/info/ framework radio and https://radio.earth/ radio.earth and expand their community of connections internationally.
Workshop participants should bring a laptop and recording equipment that is familiar to them. However, participants can also access NAISA equipment and resources such as 2nd order Ambisonic recording, Geophone and Hydrophone recording as well as editing and mixing with the Reaper digital audio workstation.
Participants will also be introduced to the Reveil livestream taking place in parallel to this workshop which broadcasts the sounds of daybreak traveling westward from London (UK) time zone by time zone. NAISA Radio is a broadcast partner and will be broadcasting the 24+ hour livestream.
Practical Details:
- All levels of experience are welcome. - Bring your own laptop and a portable audio recorder.
- NAISA will supplement with additional equipment where necessary.
- Dress for colder temperatures at dusk and dawn as well as for some walking on muddy and wet surfaces.
- Warbler’s Roost has comfortable indoor accommodation with kitchens and bathrooms that are shared among the guests. Breakfast is provided each day. Accommodation discounts available for those wanting to share a room with a friend or partner.
Schedule:
Friday May 2
6:00 to 7:00 pm - Lecture - Approaches to Recording and Workshop Introduction
7:00 to 8:00 pm - Listening Tour of Property
8:00 to 9:00 pm - Dusk Recording
Saturday May 3
6:00 to 8:00 - Dawn Recording
8:00 to 9:00 - Breakfast provided
9:00 to 11:00 - Guided Listening Walk and Discussion
11:00 to 12:00 - Sound Editing Tutorial
12:00 to 3:00 - Individual work on Editing (individual assistance is available)
3:00 to 4:00 - Group Listening to Edited Recordings
4:00 to 9:00 - Individual work on Composition (or self-guided dusk recording)
Sunday May 4
6:00 to 8:00 - Self-guided Dawn Recording
8:00 to 9:00 - Breakfast
10:00 am to 12:00 pm - Group Listening to Compositions and Filesharing
12:00 to 2:00 pm - Lunch and Departure
2:00 to 4:00 - Community Soundscapes installation open at NAISA North Media Arts Centre, 313 Highway 124, South River