South Australian composer Dr. Jesse Budel will premier his 360-degree listening experience during the Flinders Creative Festival this November.
Dr.Budel has spent his Artist-in-Residence at Flinders University's Assemblage Creative Centre recording and mixing his work in a state-of-the-art ambisonic studio that offers a one-of-a-kind immersive experience using future sound technology.
The $10,000 Flinders' Artist in Residency will culminate in his new work, Mandala, which has captured the sounds of South Australian national parks using the Buddhist understanding of the Mandala as a three-dimensional visual projection of a deity's palatial residence.
Drawing parallels between these three-dimensional visuals and three-dimensional sound, Dr.Budel's inspiration for Mandala came through considering natural soundscapes as residential habitats for non-human beings.
"For this project, I've been making second order ambisonic recordings with a CoreAudio Octomic in various South Australian natural locations, including the forested Adelaide Hills on Peramangk Country, coastlines of the Adelaide plains on Kaurna Country, and marshlands of the Fleurieu Peninsula on Ngarrindjeri Country," he says.
"Using the diverse voices of our state's rich acoustic environments, this piece is aimed at cultivating reverence and respect for our local flora and fauna."
The Flinders Ambisonic Studio is the first of its kind in South Australia and one of only a few in Australia that allows for unique creative and research opportunities for local musicians and sound artists to explore 360º surround sound and immersive audio.
Dr.Budel says Ambisonics uses special microphones that capture sound from all directions, providing a truly immersive listening experience.
"Imagine being in the middle of a symphony orchestra, with music enveloping you from every angle. Ambisonics creates that magical sensation. The Festival of Creative Arts is a fantastic opportunity to immerse oneself in the world of creativity and culture, and I've been exploring the world of Ambisonics to create a captivating listening experience."
Dr Budel has applied his talent across a range of audio mediums and has seen his music performed by the Australian String Quartet and a range of national and international ensembles.
Mandala will be presented at 12pm and 3pm on both Monday 20 November and Tuesday 21 November, with tickets available here
