BAR-CEL-ONA, by Ekho<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
On the 12th of June,<\/strong> Magda Polo<\/strong> (professor at the University of Barcelona and founder and director of the Ekho group) presents BAR-CEL-ONA at the S\u00f3nar+D 2025 festival <\/strong>to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the Freesound platform. The piece, created using artificial intelligence, electronic music, and soundscapes from the open-access platform, advocates for a dissident<\/em> form of listening \u2014 as formulated by Magda Polo \u2014 a listening through difference, emphasizing how<\/em> we listen rather than what<\/em> we listen to.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Using the sounds of the city, the Ekho group proposes a new sonic narrative, a sound portrait that goes beyond postcards, monuments, and urban clich\u00e9s. “BAR,” “CEL,” and “ONA” symbolize the social spaces of streets, squares, parks, as well as the poetic horizons of the acoustic material that inhabits Barcelona, the sky, and the sea. The use of AI in the piece reveals hidden patterns that will be unveiled on the premiere day. Furthermore, as is always the case with Ekho’s works, the audience will take part. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The work not only celebrates twenty years of the Freesound platform \u2014 born, fittingly, in Barcelona \u2014 but also challenges dominant auditory hierarchies. It is an invitation to listen to what is normally marginalized, through an artistic and political practice aimed at the sensory transformation of both the individual and society.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The Ekho group, led by Magda Polo, also includes Adrien Faure<\/strong>, Toni Costa<\/strong>, and Nerea Mart\u00ednez<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n More information: ARA news article<\/a> (in Catalan), S\u00f3nar+D event page<\/a> Soundsystem for Silence is an immersive installation inspired by the emergent patterns of nature. Using a constellation of \u2018living\u2019 sound sources, the installations sets in motion tiny fluctuations that cascade into complex shapes and movements. Aural worlds continuously emerge, evolve, disappear. Balancing between chaos and equilibria, the installation offers a new way of listening.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Celebrate 20 years of Freesound with us! We source all our sounds from this worldwide, collaborative platform \u2013 based in Barcelona. Congratulations <\/em>Freesound.org<\/a>!<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Soundsystem for Silence is supported by Creative Industries Fund NL and the Phonos Foundation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The exhibition will be open to the public from the 13th to the 29th of June<\/strong> at Can Framis museum<\/a>, of Fundaci\u00f3 Vila Casas<\/a>. More information: https:\/\/www.fundaciovilacasas.com\/en\/a\/soundsystem-for-silence-de-myubio<\/a> Myubio Collective \u2013 Artist Statement<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Myubio is the transdisciplinary sound art collective of spatial sound designer Ricky van Broekhoven<\/strong>, creative technologist Nikolai Gillissen<\/strong> and electroacoustic composer Rutger Muller<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n The collective asks: is nature a composer? Can music emerge spontaneously from unpredictable mechanisms? Nature\u2019s systems are in continuous flux. How does it transform chaos into patterns and rhythms?<\/p>\n\n\n\n Myubio reflects on this form of intelligence with installations that simulate emergence by fusing algorithms with soundscape ecology taxonomies.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Dear Freesounders, As part of the 20th anniversary celebration program, there are two very exciting events that will take place next week in Barcelona, so be sure to check them out if you are around. The first event consists of … Continue reading
<\/p>\n\n\n\nSoundsystem for Silence, by Myubio<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
UPDATE: here is a teaser video of the installation deployed at Can Framis: https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=nb9JtRZZ-jk<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/blog.freesound.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/SSFS-promo-1024x540.jpg\")
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