Multicultural paradigms, weaved into a symphony of image and sound, are at the heart of Hong Kong artist and composer Samson Young’s practice. Through compositions, drawings, installations, radio broadcasts, and performances, Samson creates innovative cross-media experiences that touch upon the recurring topics of identity, war, and literature.
Emphasising a sense of play and intellectual witticism through the inclusion of unexpected sounds (ranging from the ring of Gameboys, fanfare rides, and Cantonese nursery rhymes) to references of great works of fiction, Samson builds peculiar scenarios that challenge one’s everyday associations with objects, stories, and spaces.
Samson’s Sounds Unheard masterclass series, “Observing Music”, asks us to consider listening as a multi-sensory experience. Over three episodes, we look at how observing our listening processes, the physical performances of musicians and the spaces in which performances take place can radically change our understanding and appreciation of sound.
In the first episode, “Observing Listening”, Samson asks how we might observe music or music making as a creative intervention. When we listen to music, we also hear many other things around us, including the space and other people. If we were to pick apart these separate sound elements, what might we learn about listening? Samson explores these ideas further in a performance with an improvising musician and a brainwave sensor.
Join us tomorrow for part two of Samson’s masterclass series. For more on Samson, visit https://www.thismusicisfalse.com/.
Tags: brainwave sensor Composer composition Improvisation listening Performer performing Samson Young
