Sonic Snapshots

 (A group of 12-13 years olds learn about the Nouveaux Réalistes -left- and follow in their footsteps  by recording 'readymade' sound objects, such as this dustbin, outside- right)

This ongoing  workshop began in July 2007 as a part of a campaign launched by the Mairie de Paris that aimed to open the doors of the city's museums to a wide range of new publics, in particular young adults and children from deprived areas who were not able to go on holiday.

From July-September 804 participants, with no sound editing or recording experience, took part in the programme.

The workshop begins with a tour round the museum's permanent modern art collection. Participants looks at how different artists ( Delaunay, Arman, Villeglé) have depicted Paris visually in their work and try to find sonic equivalents of their diverse approaches. Certain parallels are found in both R. Murray Schafer's World Soundscape Project  and musique concrète's  abstraction of everyday sounds.  They learn how to use a digital recorder and basic editing skills using the open source editing programme Audacity .

    
(Recording the sounds of the bateaux mouches on the Seine - left- and  adjusting recording levels in front of the museum for a younger age group. )  

They then stroll down to the banks of the River Seine towards the Eiffel Tower, and, much like the hoards of tourists who photograph Paris' infamous landmark, record the 'soundmarks' of everyday life encountered on the way. 

In the workshop these audio impressions are edited into short sonic snapshots that can be heard here