health
our health initiatives support physical and mental wellbeing, fostering mindful connection with the soundscape by exploring listening and our responses to sounds and silence.
Wild Workout
November 2023
Nature Nurture have created the Wild Workout, to help parents and teachers keep children fit and active, whilst also accessing the benefits of nature. A Noisy Silence produced the audio to accompany the workout, aimed at children aged two to eight. The exercises are inspired by the behaviour and movements of animals found in the UK and the music tracks support the sense of fun and movement.
Painting of Silent Space by Therese Lawlor
Oasis Garden Silent Space
September 2023
In September 2023 we supported the launch of a Silent Space in the wellbeing garden at the Royal Berkshire Hospital. The space centres around the pond in the garden, offering hospital staff and volunteers the opportunity to rest and reflect, supported by the sights, smells and sounds of nature.
how health intiatives supports wellbeing:
connection : learning : activity : kindness : presence
Wychwood Forest Soundscape
January to July 2021
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A dawn chorus recording at the beautifully peaceful nature reserve at Wigwell Nature Reserve in Charlbury. Recorded in support of the Wychwood Forest Trust which works with local communities to protect and restore the spaces once part of the historic Wychwood Forest in the Cotswolds AONB.
#soundsofourtown
May to July 2020
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The quiet of the Covid-19 lockdown, brought into focus some of the small sounds we love to hear but may have not had chance to appreciate. The ‘Sounds of Our Town’ project got local people thinking about and sharing their favourite local sounds and the way they make them feel.
Seasonal Slumberbus
December 2019
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An interactive mobile sound sculpture that encouraged passers-by to take time out of festive activities to connect with others and reflect on what the season means for them. Immersed in sound and encouraged to play with a variety of sound toys, visitors had an opportunity to take time-out to explore their deepest aspirations for the festive season. Playful ritual offers a light-hearted approach to turning these aspirations into positive intentions. Being mobile, the caravan-like 'Seasonal Slumberbus' was manned by two Dickensian-looking characters. Calming, engaging, light-hearted and playful, the Seasonal Slumberbus visited Reading's stores, cafes and businesses over December 2019.
silence | absence
September 2019
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A live arts exhibition by a range of local artists in response to the ‘silence’ of a space at the Broad Street Mall shopping centre in Reading. Twelve artists working in different disciplines as diverse as sketching, woodcut, photography, knitting, sculpture and modular synthesis fashioned work from the silence. Visitors were invited to experience the creation of the work first-hand. The day after, the work remained in situ, incomplete, as a still life, a memory of the creative processes undertaken.
#smallsilence
May to September 2019
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#smallsilence invites people to observe moments of stillness in their day, capture them in a social media-sized post and share them with others using the #smallsilence tag. The project aimed to encourage participants to engage with everyday quiet and inspire others to do the same.
Whitley Oral History
October 2018 - September 2019
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A fascinating year-long project capturing and creating digital content for Whitley Community Museum, including aural history and interactive audio and video content. Central to my work was the reconstruction of historical soundscapes of the area based on interviews and archival material.
National Tree Week
May 2017
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Recording and producing an audio installation of sound, music and poetry around Potter's Field Park in Central London to promote the benefits of trees in urban environments. Commisioned by The Woodland Trust
Hololens Experience
May 2017
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I worked with Heath Wallace, UK crafting a suite of bespoke sounds for their Microsoft HoloLens Virtual Reality experience. Using original recordings, I sculpted a range of sounds that helped the user feel at home with the experience by offering clear auditory clues and encouraging feedback.
"We commissioned Richard to create a suite of sounds for a HoloLens experience. His approach and level of commitment in researching and crafting sounds for a mixed reality environment made working with him a true pleasure. Communication and delivery was always on point, with the final results delighting stakeholders across the project. " Richard Ganpatsingh, Heath Wallace, UK.
Nature Nurture Soundmap
7th May 2016
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The Reading soundmap project involved creating numerous short sound clips that encapsulated different locations in and around Reading. Interacting with characters on a table-top map, visitors were encouraged to explore local places through sound, tapping into their curiosity in a game of 'guess that sound'. The broader aim of the project, commissioned by Intelligent Health, was to inspire local people to walk, run or cycle locally and explore the sounds of Reading for themselves. Below are a few of the sounds that triggered as characters landed at particular locations on the map: