Audium Listens III is here!
Meet Audium’s artists-in-residence, learn about their work and discover their process designing a fully-immersive work at Audium.
Hosted by Ollie Mills —->
Season 3
Danishta Rivero is a “creature with many tendrils.” In this episode, she discusses her multidimensional artistic practice, while diving into her composition “Heretical Voicings.” Danishta reflects on her deep awareness of humanity’s connection to the earth, a recurring theme in her embodied practice and improvisational explorations with modular synth technology.
Learn more about Danishta here.
Featuring Dantishta’s music, including two collaborations: Voicehandler (w/ Jacob Felix Heule) and Las Susicas (w/ Alexandra Buschman-Román).
Makana Muanga explores his artistic evolution and his time at Audium, driven by his quest for societal connection and community-building. Through his piece, “Kukusanyika Pamoja,” he pushes his audience to “see each others’ spirits”, emphasizing the importance of communal bonds in today’s fragmented society.
Roco explores the intersection between the Puerto Rican and Palestinian struggles for liberation. Through their art, Roco aims to evoke emotional responses and provoke action, drawing parallels between shared colonial histories and divergent lived experiences.
More info on the Free Palestine movement: AROC, Palestinian Youth Movment & PCRF
Season 2
Ronald Peabody
In this episode, Ronald (aka Angelnumber 8) goes deep into learning and life as an Audium resident. Hear about his approach to play and storytelling at Audium, how he nourishes his own creative fire, and how much he’s learned from the other residents during his time at the theater of sound.
View the episode’s transcript here.
Alex Abalos
Find out more about Alex’s history in the Bay Area experimental music scene and how he’s designed a new composition using the “punk rock” spirit of Audium. Alex will also drop some knowledge about the inspiration for his work, The Fall of the I Hotel, a documentary that chronicles an activist movement around the demise of a Filipino housing project in the 1980’s.
View the episode’s transcript here.
Sharmi Basu
Sound artist Sharmi Basu (they/them) explains their path from political organizing to queer brown punk noise. Learn about their practice of decolonizing sound and the complexity of care work in their communities. Sharmi’s sound composition, Care is a Sinkhole, tells the story of a society reliant on caseworkers for its most marginalized people in crisis.
View the episode’s transcript here.
Season 1
Season 1 of Audium Listens features Bay Area artists in conversation during 2020-21 about how they were affected by the Covid-19 crisis. Learn how they responded, pivoted and grew amid the intense emotion of the times. Hosted by Dave Shaff.
Pamela Z
For some people, life seemed to come to a standstill during COVID. Not multimedia artist Pamela Z, she’s “wading knee-deep in punishing deadlines.” Hear about Pamela’s impressive history with music and art, her adaptation to online performances, and her thoughts on the intensity of the past year. Find more of her work at pamelaz.com and hear her new album here. View the episode’s transcript here.
David Möschler
Many orchestras are being reborn post-COVID. David Möschler’s Awesome Orchestra was already breaking apart classical traditions before the pandemic- no auditions, free beer, & outdoor rehearsals to name a few. But now, with new revelations around equity and inclusion, even the most non-traditional of orchestras must contemplate change. View the episode’s transcript here.
Mark Sabb
As we appear to be coming out of the worst days of the pandemic, it’s time to start asking the big questions. Mark Sabb helps us throw up a mirror to see who we are and how the Bay has changed for artists and arts institutions. Learn about Mark’s work as a digital artist, founder of Felt Zine, and digital content strategist for the Museum of the African Diaspora. Find more of Mark here, and check out this episode’s featured musicians Dev Moore & Jawn Diego. View the transcript here.
Scott Shigeoka
We’ve all heard that there are two Americas now: Us & Them. Storyteller creative Scott Shigeoka is trying to change that. Hear their story of coming out as queer, writing for the Washington Post and organizing music festivals. All this informs their current work creating opportunities for dialogue with “the other side” of the political and social divide. Check out Scott’s work at scottshigeoka.com. And view the transcript here.
Mia Feuer
We reflect on the tumult of 2020 with sculptor and CCA professor Mia Feuer. Mia takes us deep into her research and art around climate change. We discuss motherhood during COVID, careerism, and how to change with a changing planet. Find out more about Mia at miafeuer.com. This episode’s background music is by Nate Tedesco. See the transcript here.
Cairo McCockran
How do you master the art of the zoom gig? Musician and educator Cairo McCockran drops some insight; topics range from being a black musician in the age of BLM, an ambitious plan for a “Musician Corps,” and how to stay inspired during dark times. Connect and listen to more of Cairo on his instagram. See the transcript here.
Jacintha Charles
Jacintha Charles shares her experiences in the Singaporean and American film industries. Learn how she supports other women in film and how COVID and BLM are shaping her craft. Find out more about her work at jacinthacharles.com. Also featuring the cinematic music of Holly Mead. See the transcript here.
Jean Jeanie
The struggle is real; musicians are out of gigs, money and motivation. Jean Jeanie, leader of the band Future Twin, gives us insight on these issues from her experience as an artist and housing activist during this crisis. Find more of Jean’s music at futuretwin.com. See the transcript here.
Blanca Bercial
Can you hear me? Sound artist and academic Blanca Bercial shows us how listening to the sounds in-between sounds can help us reimagine our cities and our relationships to each other. Learn more about her work at blancabercial.com. See the transcript here.
Stan Shaff
Audium co-founder and spatial sound pioneer Stan Shaff uses lessons from his past to contemplate a better future for the arts during the crisis. See the transcipt here.
Season 3 Credits:
Host, sound design, editing: Ollie Mills
Story consultant: Dave Shaff
Sounds:
Ep 1: All music courtesy of Danishta Rivero, Voicehandler, & Las Suscias
Ep 2: All music courtesy of by Makana Muanga
Ep 3: All music courtesy of Roco Córdova
Season 2 Credits:
Host, sound design, editing: Carlino Cuono
Story consultant: Dave Shaff
Transcription: Odin Rosado
Sounds:
Ep 1: All music courtesy of Ronald Peabody
Ep 2: All music courtesy of by Alex Abalos
Ep 3: All music courtesy of Sharmi Basu
Season 1 Credits:
Host, sound design, editing: Dave Shaff
Voice editor, music & sound design: Nate Tedesco
Story consultant: Emma Scully
Logo design: Michelle Anderson
Final Transcription: Odin Rosado
Sounds:
Ep 1:
Synthesizers: Stan Shaff
Trumpet: Dave Shaff
Ep. 2:
Field recordings of Mission district: Blanca Bercial
Bubbles: Courtesy of Freesound.org
Ep. 3:
All music tracks: used courtesy of Future Twin off the album Suffer No Fools
Grand piano: Ben Slater
Musician asking for tips: Aaron Leese
“Creating, production & publishing” sounds from Freesound.org
Ep. 4:
Cinematic music courtesy of The Gift film and Holly Mead
Punjabi Religious hymn, ‘spanner’ and zip sounds: Freesound.org
Thumb harp, film set, protest & riot sounds: Dave Shaff
Ep. 5:
All sampled beats courtesy of Cairo McCockran
Percussion instruments: Dave Shaff
Recorded drums solos: Cairo McCockran playing with Mean to Me
Ep.6:
Guitar background music: Nate Tedesco
bird, Palestinian protesters, styrofoam : Dave Shaff
glacier calving, cash register, bell ringing, baby noise: Freesound.org
xylophones, extraction machine, bells, police and construction sounds, lion roaring: Stan Shaff
arctic ice: Courtesy of Mia Feuer
Ep.7:
All background music & sounds composed and recorded by
Dave Shaff except:
(opening and closing theme originally composed for Miikka Skaffari’s short plant film.)
Tapping sound: Ryan Elizabeth Reid
Group singing “Didn’t He Ramble”: Percussion workshop led by Aaron Kierbel
Ep. 8:
Background music:
Dev Moore – Valley Prayer
Dev Moore – Stank Aquarium Date
Dev Moore – Aye Mama
ChrisHK – City Fair
Jawn Diego – Dreams
Dev Moore – Find A Way
Jawn Diego – Guap
Dev Moore – Oh Yeah
Sound Effects by Nate Tedesco
Ep: 9:
All background music courtesy of the Awesome Orchestra
Ep 10:
All background music courtesy of Pamela Z.