The National Film and Sound Archive’s Sounds of Australia is a public registry of recordings that celebrates the unique and diverse recorded sound culture and history of Australia. It was launched in February 2007 with a foundation list of 10. Each year, public nominations are called and 10 recordings added to the Registry, selected from the nominations by a panel of experts from the recorded sound industry and cultural institutions. Nominations for the 2008 additions to the Sounds of Australia registry are now open. Recordings may be a single item or group of related items; published or unpublished; and may contain music, spoken word, or any other sound. Criteria for selection include artistic excellence, historical relevance, technical or scientific achievement, and prominence in shaping Australia’s culture and identity.
To be eligible for inclusion, sound recordings must have been made in Australia, or by Australians, and must be at least 20 years old. Individuals may submit up to three nominations per year.
Nominations close 1 April 2008.

An exhibition of optical and sonic installations, Beyond the Window is curated by Martina Mrongovius and features artists Lise Couchet, Clare Hassett, Martina Mrongovius, Erin O’Callaghan, Philippe Pasquier, Yandell Walton and the “We’re all looking” photographers. Comprising of holography, stereo-photography, interactive spatial sound, augmented photographic prints and choreographed photography this exhibition stretches the notion of the image. Each of the collaborative installations twists the viewers’ natural tendencies of perception to explore how we perceive through virtual windows into the spaces beyond. The artists have created scenes that are structured by the emotion of our encounters with people and places. These artists are brought together to present a fresh approach to understanding visual scenes, using images that oscillate between the physical, optical and virtual.
Beyond the Window opens at Bus Gallery, Melbourne on Tuesday 18 March and runs until 4 April 2008.

YAMAHA has teamed up with the MUTEK festival to present the Canadian premiere of the brand-new and visually stunning TENORI-ON live performance console. Created by TOSHIO IWAI, the TENORI-ON is a unique 16 x 16 LED-button matrix performance instrument with a one-of-a-kind visual display. This unique performance tool enables producers to perform using MIDI, while loading the TENORI-ON with samples to ‘jam / improvise’ within their set beats per minute. A broad range of international talent will be on hand for this event, ready to put the TENORI-ON to the test, featuring Pole, Sutekh, Robert Lippok, I Am Robot And Proud, Nathan Michel, Pheek.
Launching at the Society for Arts and Technology, 1195 St Laurent Blvd, Gloucester, Canada, 7pm Friday 11 April, 2008.