On Air - On Site : 48 Hours of Radio Art

Aired on May 24th 03:00 CEST 2025
Auscultation Points
Genre: Soundscape Composition
Duration: 15 min
Rich debuted his Soundscape Piece, Auscultation Points, at the University of Pennsylvania’s Ecotopian Tool Kit workshop in June 2024. Auscultation Points refers to the different points along the human body where doctors listen (or Auscultate) to the patients internal organs to diagnose the overall health of the individual.Originally recorded at the Morris Arboretum and Gardens in Philadelphia, PA this soundscape, in much the same way, acts as an audio diagnosis of the overall ecosystem of the Arboretum.Over several visits, Rich used various microphones and recording techniques to capture sounds from plants, animals, and bodies of water. He then returned to his studio to layer and heavily manipulate the field recordings through digital and analog means. The result is a soundscape that reflects the hidden unheard beauty of nature while highlighting human encroachment and the potential losses if we don’t change our ways. The soundscape acts specifically as an audio diagnosis of the overall ecosystem of the Morris Arboretum & Gardens, but also encourages the listener to immerse yourself and reflect on the parts of nature that we typically hear, along with those sounds we cannot hear without assistance. These unheard sounds play a larger role in the health and stability of the ecosystem than we often realize.Curated by the University of Pennsylvania Department of Environment Humanities, the Morris Arboretum and Gardens, and the Ecotopian Toolkit Program 2024Special thanks Brian Nowak-Thompson, Megan Hernandez, and Bethany Wiggin

Featuring:

Richard Hamilton

Rich is the co-owner of Dragonfly Audio Post, and an award-winning sound designer, mixer, and film/tv composer with over a decade of experience. He has mixed and sound designed for commercial clients such as Google, NASA, and Verizon. He has also mixed, scored, and provided sound design for many feature films, shorts, and documentaries. He has also created soundscapes that have been featured in art festivals worldwide, including the Megapolis Sound Art Festival in Philadelphia and Radiophrenia in the Centre for Contemporary Art in Glasgow, Scotland. Rich’s debut album Deus Ex Machina, exploring the sonic collision of mystical experiences and dystopian technology, was released in December 2024.

https://www.dragonflyaudiopost.com

https://richardhamiltonmusic.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/richhamilton89

The 2025 edition will be broadcast online from 8 pm on May 23 to 8 pm on May 25 (CET)