Building Sounds
A collection of new compositions by 2024 Artist in Residence Charles Harding
What sound does a building make? And how can these sounds be used to aid in the composition of new music? These are just a few of the questions sound artist Charles Harding plans to explore when he begins his residency at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre (CSAC) later this summer.
Currently based in Fredericton, Harding studied electroacoustic composition at Concordia University (2018-2022) and is building a career as a contemporary music composer working outside the boundaries of traditional music making.
“As a composer and sound artist specializing in electroacoustic/soundscape composition, I explore the intricate relationships between nature and technology through computer-based music,” says Harding in his artist statement. “My creative journey delves into the intersections of human activity and its impacts on the rest of nature, employing field recordings to design immersive sonic narratives.”
During his residency, Harding will employ a variety of microphones and recording techniques to capture sounds in and around CSAC. Creaky floor boards, echoing stairways, a spinning potter’s wheel, and the percussive rhythms of weekly dance classes are just a few of the sounds available for Harding to collect and manipulate during his residency.
This eighth month residency, made possible through ArtsNB’s Artist in Residence grant program, will stretch from the warm summer months to the coldest nights of the year providing a full range of seasonal sonic possibilities. Each month, CSAC will share a new soundscape composition accompanied by a short video explaining the piece and the source material. The residency will also include open studio sessions, and a live performance with a Q&A, and CSAC’s first immersive audio gallery exhibitions.
Charles Harding will be in residence from July 2024 until February 2025.