Workshop with sound artist Stephen Vitiello

This workshop encourages a sonic appreciation for the natural environment and an ear for sound manipulation. We will use the Shakerag campus as our starting point. Participants will take part in listening exercises, outdoor and indoor sound recordings, and audio processing, towards production of a sound work, be it a short electronic composition, an installation, or performance. The workshop will aim to create an environment for both newcomers as well as experienced practitioners.
Stephen Vitiello is a sound and media artist whose work emphasizes how our experience of space is affected by sound. Many of his works utilize field recordings that he transforms or enhances. In Whispering Corners (GCT Mix), 2002/2007, Stephen remixes field recordings made at Grand Central Station in 2002. According to Stephen, the sound was captured “in the aftermath of 9/11 [when] there was still a police and military presence…. At one point, you can hear a police dog barking.” To create the piece, Stephen took advantage of Grand Central Station’s “rhythmic and ambient textures,” referencing the beats and melodies of pop music. Currently Stephen is an Associate Professor in the Department of Kinetic Imaging at Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia.
For more about Stephen, visit www.stephenvitiello.com.