Yellow: A Sonic Exploration of Autumn

Have you ever paused to think about the hidden symphony of an autumn day?

Drawing inspiration from the genre of lowercase music, Steve Roden - a pioneer in this space – described this style as bearing ‘a certain sense of quiet and humility; it doesn’t demand attention, it must be discovered… It’s the opposite of capital letters – loud things which draw attention to themselves’. This artistic sentiment deeply resonated with me.

The installation titled 'Yellow' was unveiled at the National Arboretum Canberra, the very place where the sounds used in this creation were originally captured. Amidst the bustle of modern urban life, numerous beautiful sounds often slip past our consciousness. They’re overshadowed either by our relentless pace or the incessant noise pollution. Autumn in Canberra is a canvas of vibrant hues, predominantly painted in tones of yellow. While the transformation of leaves captivates our eyes, the auditory beauty of rustling leaves tends to escape our ears.

For 'Yellow', I embarked on an auditory journey, capturing the essence of leaves – the distinct crunch underfoot, the subtle whisper of leaves dancing in the wind, and the gentle descent of leaves towards the earth. Through meticulous editing and coding with Csound, I crafted a piece that embodies the spirit of autumn. Using two self-made speakers, I then reintroduced these refined sounds back into their natural habitat, offering an invitation to the audience: to pause, to listen, and to revel in the often-overlooked symphony of autumn.