The Museum of Zoology is undergoing a major refurbishment and is due to re-open in 2016. A major part of the building works is the construction of a new, glass foyer to house the iconic, 21m long Finback Whale skeleton.
The Ocean Song project aims to combine natural sounds from the ocean with voices from the public recorded at 20 different workshops. The workshops begin this Saturday (November 15) at the Polar Museum in Cambridge and continue throughout 2015.
Award-winning sound artist Chris Watson (known for his work on David Attenborough’s Life series) will lead participants through a surprising world of sound from under the ocean’s waves; from limpets grazing on rocks, to the songs of whales. Then, with the guidance of voice teacher and community choir leader Rowena Whitehead, participants will explore their own voice and the sounds one can make to create a symphony of the oceans; adding voices to the soundscape of the sea that will accompany the museum’s Finback Whale in its new home.
The workshops will run at venues throughout the region and there is no requirement for participants to be singers. Voices from the community will be recorded and combined with natural sounds of the sea, including recordings of the ocean at Pevensey, to create an atmospheric soundtrack for the new installation. The recording will also be available to hear on the Museum’s website.
The Finback skeleton has been in the Museum’s collection since it was purchased by public subscription in 1866. It was stranded in Normans Bay, Pevensey, Sussex in November 1865, and drew large crowds before being put on display at Hastings Cricket Ground and eventually sold.
The Ocean Song project gets under way this Saturday at The Polar Museum where Chris Watson and Rowena Whitehead will explore the sounds of the sea, and participants will be encouraged to create an ocean symphony with their own voices.
Dr Rosalyn Wade, Interpretation and Learning Officer at the Museum of Zoology, said: “This is a chance to discover the amazing diversity of sounds under the ocean surface. These include some of the loudest sounds on the planet, sounds used as weapons, and the incredible impact of vibrations in seawater. Members of the public will hear the noises made by limpets as they graze in rockpools, stridulating shrimps and humpback whale singing.
“The Finback Whale skeleton at the Museum of Zoology is such an iconic and inspiring specimen, it is wonderful to be able to create an atmosphere fit for such a creature, and to give a new experience to visitors to the museum. I’d like to encourage as many people as possible to take part and add their voice to the sound of the sea.”
The workshops are free and open to all (aged eight and upwards). Places are limited and booking is required. To book a place, email umzc@zoo.cam.ac.uk. After the launch workshop, further workshops will take place from January – June 2015, and the sound installation in the Whale Hall will open in autumn 2015. Progress on the project will be published on the museum’s dedicated blog: www.oceansongproject.wordpress.com
The project is supported by the Heritage Lottery Fund and a Grant for the Arts from Arts Council England. The launch workshop is part of Curating Cambridge: our city, our stories, our stuff; five weeks of culture and creativity across Cambridge, presented by the University of Cambridge Museums.
Members of the public are being asked to contribute to a symphony of the seas as part of a project to create a soundtrack for the new Whale Hall at the Museum of Zoology.
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