Touch.30 | Two Installations for Sounding City: Public Sound
Sounding City: Public Sound, Kortrijk, Belgium, 28.04.12 - 13.05.12
Opening on the 28th with a presentation of the work of Chris Watson by Mike Harding and a live performance by Jana Winderen.
Chris Watson - installation inspired by "After the Deluge (Na de Zondvloed)" by Roelant Savery @ Broel Museum
Jana Winderen - installation - "The Moat" & live performance
Unfortunately Chris Watson cannot be present for family reasons, so his work will be presented by Mike Harding from Touch.
Touch.30 Live at Kingston University | May 3rd 2012
May 3rd Touch.30 live at Kingston University
Improvisation and Digital Arts Festival
Market House, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey UK
Live:
Philip Jeck - www.philipjeck.com
BJNilsen - www.bjnilsen.com
Chris Watson - www.chriswatson.net
1500-1700 Touch Seminar: Mike Harding chairs a panel with the artists
2000-2200 Touch.30 Live
http://www.idaf.co.uk/
THIS EVENT IS SOLD OUT
Tidal Talk from the Rockpool
BBC Radio 4, 1st May 2012 11pm
The first of three nautically themed tales by Lynn Truss, written for and performed at the BBC More than Words Festival.
Periwinkle: Bill Wallis
Hermit Crab: Geoffrey Palmer
Contributor: Chris Watson
Sound recordings by Chris Watson
Producer Sarah Blunt
Radio Times Pick of the Week:
Chris Watson wins for The Wire (Radio 4) "Radio Personality of the Year" BPG 2012 Award
Broadcasting Press Guild Award for The Wire
The Guardian reviews the broadcast:
Sunday 2 January, 2011
13.30-14.00
Chris Watson visits The WIRED Lab project in Australia, which is inspired by the work of biomedical scientist and composer Alan Lamb, who has long been fascinated by the extraordinary sounds created when the wind and the weather interact with telegraph wires or fencing cables stretched across the landscape. Here, Chris not only meets Alan and his colleagues Sarah Last and Dave Burraston to find out more about the history and evolution of their work with wire structures, but also records for himself the music of the wires.
Presenter Chris Watson
Producer Sarah Blunt
The Ice Mountain
BBC Radio 4, Friday 20 April, 11.02am
Haunted by the sinking of RMS Titanic one hundred years ago, this fictional soundscape tells the story of an iceberg and its journey south after calving from a glacier in Greenland.
Narrated by Adjoa Andoh
Sound recordings by Chris Watson
Producer Sarah Blunt
Bang Goes the Theory | BBC1 Monday 19th March 2012
2/8. The team asks if modern life is damaging our ears. Jem records a centipede's footsteps.
The team asks whether modern life is damaging our ears. Dallas explores how safety-conscious scientists are putting the noise back into driving, Liz learns to like the sound of being sick, and Jem sets out to record the sound of a centipede's footsteps.
The programme is produced in partnership with the Open University.
Chris features in the film recording insects inside an anechoic chamber at the University of Salford.
You can see a clip from the programme here.
Chris wins the RTS CENTRE AWARD
This award goes to the person, team or organisation whose work has made an outstanding contribution to any aspect of the industry — through broadcasting, production or technical sectors within the region and beyond. Their work, either in front of the camera or behind the scenes, should have made a significant and lasting impact on audiences and viewers in the North East and the Borders — and on a wider stage. The judges are keen to invite nominations from as broad a spectrum of talents as possible. Evidence of recent exceptional achievement(s) should be included. Nominations for the Centre Award were sent in confidence to the Chair of the Judges.
The Judges said:
Tonight's recipient is described as "one of the most modest, unassuming people you will ever meet." That counts a few of us out!
Our winner is one of the world's foremost wildlife sound recordists, whose major credits include productions like THE LIFE OF BIRDS (which won him a BAFTA in 1998), THE BLUE PLANET, THE LIFE OF MAMMALS and more recently the sensational FROZEN PLANET.
He started his career at Tyne Tees TV in the 1980's, and was soon developing a passionate interest in recording the sounds of wildlife, which led to major innovations in recording natural sound in often difficult, dangerous and challenging environments; an enrichment of sound recording techniques in the industry generally, and raising the bar in the understanding of the sounds of the natural world.
Although wildlife has always been his main focus, he's also expanded into experimental sound-work — for example the sound installation he created for Constable's 'Cornfield' at the National Gallery in London.
Our winner is known for his generosity in sharing and explaining his techniques, and his commitment to the importance of training and inspiring others.
Guest Presenter: PETER SALMON
Winner: CHRIS WATSON
Silence | Harvest Films, Dublin
Chris has contributed sounds to the Irish film, Silence (Harvest Films, 2012)
UPCOMING SCREENING
Jameson Dublin Film Festival | Thurs 23rd February 2012
Lighthouse Cinema 1, Smithfield, Dublin | 8:45pm
A Journey South | Leeds 7th March 2012
Chris Watson - A Journey South
Old Broadcasting House, Leeds, England 7th March
6:00pm : Drinks, snacks & chats
7:00pm : An Introduction by Mike Harding of Touch
7:10pm : A Journey South, with Chris Watson
8:30pm : Q&A
9:00pm : Close
***This event is now sold out***
Touch.30, in conjunction with the Oates100 Campaign and nti Leeds present an audio-visual journey to the South Pole with Chris Watson.
As part of the team for the David Attenborough BBC series "Frozen Planet", Chris travelled to Antarctica to record the ambient sounds, the wildlife, the water - even the groaning of a glacier as it moves. Chris talks about his experiences there and brings the remotest continent to life with his stunning recordings.
Chris is is one of the world's leading recorders of wildlife and natural phenomena. His recordings are used in TV, Radio and Film including contributions to the award-winning re-release of "A Great White Silence", originally filmed during Captain Scott's ill-fated expedition to the South Pole.
For Touch he edits his field recordings into a filmic narrative released on CD & Vinyl, such as his latest release "El Tren Fantasma"; viewed by one reviewer as "a benchmark in field recording not to mention a map of the soul, an insight into the human condition and a key to dreams".
Chris has characterised his work as "putting microphones where you can't put your ears" - come along to experience the incredible surround-sound results for yourself. This is part of a series of events intended to commemorate Captain Lawrence “Titus” Oates, who sacrificed himself 100 years ago in an effort to save the lives of his fellow explorers during Captain Scott's attempt to be the first to the South Pole.
Generously hosted by nti Leeds at Old Broadcasting House with equipment loaned from Leeds Metropolitan University, this is a unique event to commemorate a true Leeds hero.
This is now sold out
Directions and parking: www.ntileeds.co.uk
All profits go to: Help For Heroes
Upcoming radio shows | BBC Radio
NATURE: James and the Giant Redwoods (part 1)
BBC Radio 4, Tue 14 Feb 11.02, rpt Thur 16 Feb 21.02
James Aldred has long dreamt of seeing the world’s biggest trees, but their location is a well-kept secret, and then James is introduced to Michael Taylor, the man who found Hyperion, the world’s tallest tree, and so begins an adventure to the Giant Redwood forests of California in search of the some of the biggest living organisms on the planet, and an incredible climbing challenge. Additional sound recordings by Chris Watson. Producer Sarah Blunt
NATURE: James and the Giant Redwoods (part 2)
BBC Radio 4, Tue 21 Feb 11.02m rot Thu 23 Feb 21.20
James Aldred encounters some of the world’s biggest trees in The Grove of Titans and a childhood dream comes true when he’s not only taken to see Hyperion, the world’s tallest tree, whose location is a well-kept secret, but also gets the chance to climb it. Additional sound recordings by Chris Watson. Producer Sarah Blunt
Painting in Sound | BBC Radio 4 6.02.12
Wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson spends much of his time listening and recording the sounds of the natural world. When the National Gallery invited him to create a sound piece inspired by a painting of his choice, he chose Constable's 'The Cornfield'. This was the start of a creative and exciting project, which also involved students from Ravensbourne College of Art and Design and other professional musicians and sounds artists. The project began with audio guides for paintings selected by the artists, and then later developed into an evening event involving a live sound mix in the gallery to accompany a tour of the paintings with an art historian. NATURE uses these events to explore how painters use a range of techniques to excite the viewers senses; not only the visual sense, but the senses of smell, touch and perhaps most poignantly, hearing. The programme also explores how sound installations and sound guides may help some viewers, especially people who might feel intimidated by paintings, to engage with these works of art.
Producer Sarah Blunt.
Inside Out | BBC TV Interview
You can watch an interview with Chris using BBC iPlayer here
Inside Out is a regional magazine with Chris Jackson. We follow Darlington football club's battle to survive, and meet the man who put the sound to David Attenborough's Frozen Planet.
This programme is available to view until 8pm February 6th 2012
Alder Hey
"Last year I interviewed sound recordist Chris Watson on the subject of noise for a piece exploring the use of birdsong at Alder Hey Children’s Hospital in Liverpool..."
RTS NORTH EAST & THE BORDER CENTRE | 12th January 2012
The magnificent pictures that our specialist cameramen produce for the BBC Natural History Unit’s stunning wildlife documentaries are a high point of UK television. But, as always, the pictures are pretty useless without the sound that goes with them. CHRIS WATSON is one of the world's leading location sound recordists, with a remarkable portfolio of work including ‘The Frozen Planet’, ‘The Life of Mammals’ and ‘The Life of Birds’.
On January 12th the RTS, in association with Newcastle University, is promoting an evening event with Chris that will demonstrate the lengths he goes to capturing the remarkable sound of the natural world - or as Chris puts it, ‘putting a microphone where you can't put your ears’.
For more details of this un-missable event, go to www.rts.org.uk/netb. The event is free, but registration is essential through our Eventbrite booking service.
The Poetry of Radio | The Colour of Sound
The Poetry of Radio
The Colour of Sound
By Seán Street
To Be Published 6th February 2012 by Routledge – 146 pages
This book explores the idea of the poetic in radio and sound as well as the concept of pure sound as poetry, both historically and within a contemporary perspective, examining examples of makers and works internationally.
Chris Watson at Bluecoats | Liverpool 27th January 2012
Gina Czarnecki exhibition until 19 Feb '12
A retrospective exhibition by this award-winning artist, featuring new commissions and other works being shown in the UK for the first time. Daily 10am - 6pm.
Fri 27 January 7.30 – 9.30pm
Chris Watson - Quarantine:
Founder member of influential Sheffield based music group Cabaret Voltaire, Chris Watson is one of the world’s leading recorders of wildlife and natural phenomena. Here Watson presents the UK premiere of new album El Tren Fantasma and a live performance of his sound score for Quarantine, a video work by Gina Czarnecki.
Free but booking required
Chris Watson Sound Quiz on Springwatch | BBC2 26th December
Chris Watson's sound quiz for Springwatch (BBC2 tonight at 7pm). Answers tonight!
Stimulus Respond
Chris has responded to the latest edition of "Stimulus Respond - 13 Chaos". You can find out more here
On the Radio 2012
NATURE: Soundings from Antarctica
BBC Radio 4, Tue 3 Jan 11.02, rpt Thur 5 Jan 21.02
Soundings from a frozen landscape: A powerful and emotional journey in sound; above, below and within Antarctica’s landscape of ice with contributions from the team who made the BBC series Frozen Planet. Sound recordist: Chris Watson, Producer Sarah Blunt. You can read a review in The Guardian of this broadcast here.
NATURE: The Water Boatman’s Song
BBC Radio 4, Tue 10 Jan 11.02, rpt Thur 12 Jan 21.02
Writer Paul Evans accompanies sound recordist Tom Lawrence on a journey in sound across Pollardstown Fen to hear the extraordinary sounds of an underwater orchestra of aquatic insects. Additional sound recordings: Chris Watson, Producer Sarah Blunt
NATURE: The Ghost Roost
BBC Radio 4, Tue 17 Jan 11.02, rpt Thur 19 Jan 21.02
More than ten years ago, sound recordists Chris Watson and Thor McIntyre-Burnie recorded the sounds of tens of thousands of starlings when they came into roost for the night in the derelict remains of the concert hall on the West Pier in Brighton. Today the West Pier no longer exists, having been destroyed by storms and fire, what remains are the sounds of a Ghost Roost. Producer Sarah Blunt
NATURE: Emma Turner; a life in the reeds
BBC Radio 4, Tue 24 Jan 11.02, rpt Thur 26 Jan 21.02
Drawing on extracts from her book, ‘Broadland Birds’, NATURE tells the remarkable story of Emma Turner, a pioneering bird photographer who lived for many years on a houseboat in the reed beds at Hickling Broad. It was here that she took a remarkable photograph which provided evidence that Bitterns which had been driven to extinction in Britain in the late 1800s were breeding in Norfolk once again. Wildlife sound recordist: Chris Watson, Producer Sarah Blunt
NATURE: In search of the Tiger’s Roar
BBC Radio 4, Tue 31 Jan 11.02, rpt Thur 2 Feb 21.02
Chris Watson leads a team of wildlife sound recordists to Corbett National Park in India, in the hope of capturing the sounds of the forest and the roar of a Bengal tiger. Producer Sarah Blunt
NATURE: Painting in Sound
BBC Radio 4, Tue 7 Feb 11.02, rpt Thur 9 Feb 21.02
When the National Gallery in London invited wildlife sound recordist Chris Watson to create a piece inspired by a painting of his choice, it was the start of an innovative project exploring how paintings can be interpreted with sound. Producer Sarah Blunt
Review of El Tren Fantasma in The Quietus
You can read a review by Luke Turner in The Quietus
