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Since July 2013, I've been working in the Emerging Audio Group (EAR) in the International Audio Labs at the Fraunhofer-Institut für Integrierte Schaltungen IIS in Tennenlohe, Germany, and living with my family in nearby Erlangen.

The Fraunhofer IIS audio group is most famous for the invention of MP3 compression, which it continues to improve and develop. My principal task is to assist in establishing the sonification group and to undertake the sonification of certain types of multivariate datasets for commercial applications. ...continue reading "Fraunhofer IIS mini-blog"

Probably the most interesting and poignant work to hit the airwaves this week is Tank Man Tango: a dance created as a memorial to Tank Man, the man who defiantly stood in front of advancing tanks in Tiananmen Square 20 years ago: 4 June 1989.
The organising website forget2forget has the details of the art-work, including the U-Tube link to the original footage and the steps people can perform in ritual remembrance of the event–yet another in which a government (literally) rides ‘rough-shod’ over the lives of ordinary people. ...continue reading "Tank Man Tango"

Széll Kálmán tér (Széll Kálmán Square)

Considered by many to be the centre of Buda, it is one of the busiest transport interchanges in Budapest. The Metro station located under the Square, is on the M2 (East-West) line. It is currently the deepest station of the Budapest Metro and the escalator there is so long and steep as to easily induce vertigo. ...continue reading "Buda Transport Interchange"

Perhaps Aaronovitch Voodoo Histories: The Role of the Conspiracy Theory in Shaping Modern History could have started his review a little earlier to better understand the origin of why conspiracy theories are such an important part of our collective consciousness. The Bible and the Koran would be a good place to start. While many of those in power in a society are still able to declare their belief in the murder and miraculous resurrection of a holyman to save us all from eternal damnation and expect to be taken seriously, is it any wonder that more recent conspiracies are given credence. And surely, if nothing else, the book of Revelation is a grand conspiracy fantasy. You can hear him talk about it here.

Towards the end of 2009 I was passing through Fairfield for the first time in a number of years and, seeing a small flock of blue, maroon and grey 'galahs' dart across the Horsley Drive in a death-defying flight from school, I felt a sudden compulsion to drop in. ...continue reading "One universe, many worlds"

Richard Meale inspired and influenced several generations of Australian composers through his music as well as his engaging mind. David Worrall and Ross Edwards both studied with Meale – They share some of their personal memories about their passionate teacher on the Australian Music Centre’s Resonate site. ...continue reading "Vale Richard Meale (24 Aug 1932 – 23 Nov 2009)"

In late 2009 author Douglas Kahn gave a number of lectures in Australia. I attended the one he gave at the National Film and Sound Archive (NFSA) in Canberra on Tuesday 17 November entitled THE ELECTRO-MAGNETIC EXPANDED CINEMA.

I couldn’t find a direct link to a promo, so here is how the NFSA promoted it: ...continue reading "Music and Sound Art – the 2009 NFSA Kahn Lecture"