I was asked to write a piece exploring the idea of place, in sound. In response, I examined how a place is not only as a physical location, but also a trigger for experience which can be expressed in sound. I used voices to explore how the experience can lead to a transformation of the self, along with manipulated oud sounds and water sounds.
The narration describes an encounter in a place which, on the surface of things, seems a safe refuge. The place turns out to be anything but safe beneath the surface. I had not set out with that aim, but I found myself joining the #metoo movement in music and sound.
Rather than focusing solely on individual violation, the composition uses the multi-tracked medium to represent community. The narrator is alone, but other voices contribute to the drama and gradually realises she has lived something that millions of people have experienced and continue to experience every day. Ultimately her voice becomes a chorus. The visit to the “Sacred Place” allows her hope in the power that community could provide, in creating resilience and resistance to hidden, unspoken acts of violence.
With thanks to the women who shared their voices.
Mastered by Ian Dean.
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