This introductory course will explore "inhuman" listening as a speculative and creative practice. Drawing initial inspiration from major figures in the sonic arts — such as John Cage, Pauline Oliveros, and R. Murray Schaefer — the course will investigate how the act of listening itself can act as a wellspring for artistic research and creation; but, crucially, it will move far beyond such historical figures to investigate the speculative potentials of listening from the perspective of non-human animals, bleeding-edge algorithmic listeners, and the inventive worlds of various “Sonic Fictions,” among others.

Drawing on contemporary scientific and artistic research, the course will explore speculation as an artistic strategy for expanding listening beyond normative and anthropocentric perspectives. In addition to weekly lectures and discussions of such topics, the course will highlight the application of such thinking to the ends of artistic production with regular creative exercises, and creative mentorship with the instructor.

The workshop is spread over five, 3-hour sessions:

Stefan Maier is a composer from Vancouver, Canada (unceded Coast Salish territory). Highlighting material instability and unruliness, his work explores the flows of sonic matter through sound systems, instruments, software, and bodies, to uncover alternate histories, modes of listening, and models of authorship. Stefan works fluidly between composition, experimental electronic music, sound art, and installation. His work has been presented by INA-GRM (FR), Ultima festival (NO), Haus der Kulturen der Welt (DE), Liquid Architecture (AU), MONOM (DE), Gaudeamus Muziekweek (NL), and The National Music Centre (CA), among many others. In addition to his work as an artist, Stefan is assistant professor of sound at Simon Fraser University.



WHERE AND WHEN?

This is an online course, but it involves realtime sessions and contact time with your tutor - it's not a "download these videos and watch them at your leisure" type of thing - it's a real workshop with live lectures, individual tuition, assignments and feedback sessions. We've tried to make this remote session as close as possible to the experience of an onsite workshop at CAMP. The course starts on 04/11/2024 and ends on 09/12/2024. The schedule for sessions is as follows (all times are CET):

• Session 1 - Beyond Deep Listening: Amacher’s Third Ear, or an introduction to Inhuman Listening: 04/11/2024, 18:00 - 21:00 CET
• Session 2 - Undead Sonic Fictions: listening to the Great Beyond with Raudive, AUDINT and Drexyica: 18/11/2024, 18:00 - 21:00 CET
• Session 3 - Animal Umwelten: Non-human listening throughout the phylogenetic tree: 25/11/2024, 18:00 - 21:00 CET
• Session 4 - Synthetic Natures: Expanded field recording in the Anthropocene: 02/12/2024, 18:00 - 21:00 CET
• Session 5 - Machine Sensation: Technological Listening in the Age of Artificial intelligence: 09/12/2024, 18:00 - 21:00 CET

HOW TO BOOK

To book your place on the course, click the button in the green section above. You won't pay anything right now - we'll send you a booking confirmation email with everything you need to know next. Your place is reserved without payment for three days.

You'll find a payment link in the booking confirmation email - follow the link to make a payment (either in full, or the first payment of a 2 month payment plan). In the latter case, a monthly payment plan will be put in place, so your card will be charged 1/2 of the fee today, and 1/2 each month (on the same day) for an additional 1 months. All card payments are handled by Stripe, and are extremely secure. We don't store any card data ourselves - all of this is handled securely off-site by Stripe. If you have a discount or grant code, you will be able to add it when you follow the payment link in your confirmation email.

Once you've made a payment, you'll receive another email containing your receipt, links to resources, contact information and access to our group chat to discuss the workshop with other participants.