Sounds and Songs of the Waves
8th – 14th June 2024, Oban – Oban, £795 – FULLY BOOKED
On this adventure we will reveal soundscapes above and below the waves, exploring singing and listening as a way to connect with our dynamic coastal environment.
Led by folk singer and harpist Georgie Buchanan and sound artist and acoustic ecologist Rob Mackay we will learn songs from the rich maritime tradition, use hydrophones to reveal the hidden voices of marine creatures and take inspiration from our natural environment to write our own songs.
Georgie is a unique singer and harpist on the contemporary folk scene. Inspired by ancient mythology and a strong connection with the natural world she crafts emotive landscapes with her music.
“Gorgeous”
– Guy Garvey, BBC 6Music
An experienced vocal leader Georgie is passionate about inspiring the voices that are within all of us. She wrote several of the songs from her debut album ‘Wise as a Fool’ on a voyage to the Outer Hebrides with Sail Britain and she will be bringing her travel harp on board!
Rob is an award-winning composer, sound artist and performer. He loves to share his fascination with the world around us through creative field recording. His work has been performed in 18 countries (including several performances on BBC Radio 3, BBC Radio 1 and Radio France).
More recently he has enjoyed work as a radio broadcaster, including the programme ‘Flight of the Monarch’ for BBC Radio 3, and produced ‘Island of the Seals‘ a programme in which he visited the now abandoned island in Scotland that his great-grandfather and grandfather lived on.
He is currently Chair of the UK and Ireland Soundscape Community (UKISC), an affiliate of the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology.
He has played, written and produced in a number of bands including the Welsh Hip-Hop collective Tystion, Welsh Afro-tropical collective Drymbago, and he also plays and sings with the Georgie Buchanan Folk Collective. He will be bringing his flute, guitar and sound recording equipment on board!
In this unique week we will explore the ways in which listening can enable and inform our connection with the natural world. We will delve into singing as a way to have fun, connect with each other and embody and process these rich experiences.
No experience of singing or sound exploration required – all levels are welcome!
The trip will begin at 15.00 on Saturday 8th June at North Pier Pontoons in Oban, and will end at 12.00 on Friday 14th. The crew will send details with exactly where to find Merlin on the day.
The trip fee covers the cost of the boat, crew, all equipment and training you’ll need onboard, as well as your food and a cosy bunk onboard. Not included is your travel to and from the start/end points of the voyage and any expenses ashore, although these tend to be very limited out in the wilds!