Michigan Tech faculty members Christopher Plummer, Elizabeth Meyer, and Kent Cyr collaborated to record the sounds of the Keweenaw in a piece called Listening to Parks. The exhibit will be coming to the Rozsa on Dec. 5 with a free opening ceremony from 5 to 6:30 p.m.
The exhibit coming to the Rozsa is only a part, an extension, of the original Listening to Parks project, showcasing the sounds of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula . The idea behind the project is that recording the different sounds provides a nearly mobile soundscape that can foster imagination, connection, and interest. The website for the project (http://soundscapes.mtu.edu/listening_to_parks/) provides educational resources on how to get the most out of a “sound walk” where people go out, are quiet and listen to and absorb the sounds around them, categorizing them. Is it a low-fi location, one with sounds that are quiet and easy to distinguish, or a hi-fi location, one with sounds that overlap, making finding specific pieces difficult?
In the Artistic Statement, also found on their website, they say that there will be a musically interpreted piece by an orchestra that takes the sound of the parks and turns it into something inspired and instrumental. It is unclear if this will be a part of the debut in the Rozsa, but given the natural rhythm and beat that comes with the sounds of nature, it sounds like it will be a beautiful addition to this already incredible piece.
Nature hikes, sound walks, and getting outside can be difficult when it gets cold and dreary out, but with the sound preserved in this gallery exhibit, it is possible to enjoy that peaceful sense of connecting with nature while staying indoors. If you’ve been dying to reconnect with the great outdoors, but don’t have enough time between classes, exams and studying, this exhibit will be a great opportunity. The gallery is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Saturdays.
