Reconnecting Through Sound

Join us for a workshop exploring how soundscape recordings and place-based composition can serve as powerful tools to reconnect individuals and communities with nature. 

As people spend increasing amounts of time indoors and online, communities are becoming disconnected from the natural world—particularly from the rich and meaningful sonic environments that surround them. 

Researchers Libby Meyer and Christopher Plummer will draw on their work capturing soundscapes in remote locations such as Isle Royale National Park, and share examples of how natural sound can be used to foster environmental awareness, emotional insight, and community engagement.  

Participants will experience immersive listening sessions, learn techniques for capturing and integrating natural sound into creative projects, and explore how mindful listening can influence personal and collective well-being. The session will also discuss how these approaches can be adapted for use in education, public programming, and interdisciplinary collaboration.  

About the contributors:  

Libby Meyer, composer and Teaching Professor, Visual and Performing Arts, Michigan Technological University. 

Christopher Plummer, Distinguished Professor, Visual and Performing Arts, Michigan Technological University.

About the Symposium:

The Sound and Environment Symposium has been organised by Newcastle University’s Sound + Environment Research Group, exploring the ways sound can deepen our understanding of environments and the communities inhabiting them.