Soundwalk at the Mennello Museum

Join Eve Payor from Atlantic Center for the Arts as she leads a soundwalk through the beautiful Mennello Museum lakeside Sculpture Garden. Explore the sounds and rhythms of our urban and natural world. Each walk is beneficial for people of all ages to de-stress, focus, and develop a deeper understanding of how we fit into the ecosystem of our environment.

11AM – meet at the entrance of The Mennello Museum of American Art

Free, and open to the public. Limited to 20 participants. RSVP to secure your spot.

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What is a soundwalk?

“A soundwalk is any excursion whose main purpose is listening to the environment. It is exposing our ears to every sound around us no matter where we are. We may be at home, we may be walking across a downtown street, through a park, along the beach; we may be sitting in a doctor’s office, in a hotel lobby, in a bank; we may be shopping in a supermarket, a department store, or a Chinese grocery store; we may be standing at the airport, the train station, the bus-stop. Wherever we go we will give our ears priority. They have been neglected by us for a long time and, as a result, we have done little to develop an acoustic environment of good quality.” – Hildegard Westerkamp (published in Sound Heritage, 1974)

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How can a soundwalk improve health?

Focused, silent walks can be a key to reducing stress levels, anxiety, distractions, and can improve breath control. Our sense of hearing is heightened, and awareness of our connection to nature is enhanced. Concentrating on the sound environment links us to the risk of noise pollution and solutions to create an ecologically balanced soundscape. Taking the time to listen to our surroundings gives us a deeper understanding of how our everyday actions affect both nature and our well-being.

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How much walking will there be?

Each soundwalk is designed to move through different sound environments. We will be walking at a slow pace to allow for time to fully hear each location. Over the duration of one hour, a distance of approximately ½ mile will be traveled.

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Rain or shine?

Yes. These walks are outdoors. Please check the weather before departing for the soundwalk, and prepare accordingly. Weather conditions affect the way sound travels. It is a wonderful experience to hear how the sound waves of a bird call in humid air travels differently than in dry air.

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Are the soundwalks open to all ages?

Anyone can participate in a soundwalk. On our walks, we do ask that talking and distraction (cellphone use) be kept to a minimum to allow for the enjoyment of the environmental sounds. Therefore, small children may not be engaged enough in this activity to avoid becoming restless.

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About the Artist

The presenter of each Soundwalk is local musician, Lady Eve. She is a classical oboist and ambient music producer who has contributed to the sophisticated modern movement blending orchestral and electronic sound. She has performed at the Mutek Mexico Festival, 800 East Atlanta Art Collective, been a curator at Vancouver’s alternative performance festival: Signal & Noise, and produced her Pan Ambient event series with Seattle’s Decibel Festival. Last year, her exhibition called Watercolors in Sound (produced for Atlantic Center for the Arts) featured a sound and video installation of field recordings from the NSB Soundwalk series. As an active Zazen practitioner, Lady Eve incorporates mindfulness and awareness throughout her artistic endeavors. www.ladyeve.ca