Sustainability Symphony

Overview

This activity is inspired by the soundscape that played in the Lifers exhibition, which students can learn about in Stop 2 of the Sustainable Style virtual tour. 

Noelle Hamlyn: Lifers pairs Noelle's tailored life jackets, called Lifers, with photographs and a soundscape by other artists. The soundscape uses music connected to the 1912 Titanic shipwreck and features interviews with survivors. The Christian funeral hymn "Nearer My God to Thee" was reportedly played as Titanic sank, and “Pull for the Shore” was sung by those in lifeboats waiting for rescue.

These sounds are designed to create a very specific mood, and inspire the listener to think about questions like, "if the Lifers are meant to be a symbol to represent the climate crisis, who decides who gets a place in the symbolic lifeboat?"

Background Information

A soundscape is any combination of sounds that are used to create a mood or atmosphere. One typical soundscape you might be familiar with is the sounds of a "haunted house," which might include:

Some soundscapes can be put together in a way that tells a story. The classic example, as shown in this video by Pass the Sound, uses a series of hand rubs, snaps, claps, and stomps to tell the "story" of a storm.

Your challenge: Create a soundscape about Climate Change and Sustainability!