Thursday 20th and Friday 21st August 2009
National Library of Australia – Canberra, Australia

In an age of rapid environmental, social and technological change, the sounds of our world are noticeably disappearing. These sounds form an essential component in the fabric of our cultures, and the ability to preserve these sonic environments is a necessity. Conference themes include capturing the shifting soundscapes of humanity, vanishing natural environments, impermanence of installation and performance works, virtual sounds in virtual spaces, endangered languages and community collections. Selected Australian professionals and practitioners will present powerful ideas regarding the past and future of our sounds.
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Andrew Pekler (Kranky, ~scape, Staubgold)
Spartak (hellosQuare, Sound&Fury)

Sunday July 13th
The Front Cafe & Gallery, Canberra
Wattle St, Lyneham

starts 8pm :: $10 @ door

The National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) announced the program for the inaugural Sound Day to be held at the NFSA’s Canberra headquarters on Wednesday 18 June.

Sound Day is a new addition to the national cultural calendar, where the sounds of Australia will be celebrated by many sectors of the music industry, broadcasters, journalists and the public alike.

“Sound Day is a wonderful opportunity for all Australians to share in the past, present and future of recorded sound as one of the most fundamental activities of our everyday lives,” said the NFSA’s Director, Paolo Cherchi Usai. “Whether it’s our favourite Top Ten hit or the sounds in our backyards, we want to stimulate discussion and debate about how we listen to sound and inspire us to open our ears to the many sources and functions of sound all around us.”

Highlights of the diverse program include the announcement of the 2008 entries to Sounds of Australia, the presentation of the inaugural Thomas Rome Lecture and a string quartet of robots and their musical avatars breaking new boundaries of sound.

The centrepiece of the day will be the announcement by the Hon Peter Garrett AM, MP, Minister for the Arts, of the 2008 entries into Sounds of Australia, the national registry of recorded sound.  Each year, the NFSA invites the public to nominate Australia’s most important sound recordings, and a panel of industry experts then recommends a list of 10 of these nominations to Sounds of Australia. Debate is sure to follow about what has been included and what was excluded from this year’s listing.

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