arts and education
crafting engaging music and sound works that restore connection with our communities, ourselves and
our sonic imaginations.
Prince's Trust Workshops
Feb 2023, 2022, 2020 and Nov 2019
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Field recording workshops with young people on the 'Get Started with Music' programme at Readipop Studios. The workshops integrated field recording, music production and performance with careers-focused sessions and visits to local employers.
Clueseum Junk Percussion Workshops
August 2021
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On the streets of Reading with the Annual Daydream Harvest, unearthing lost sounds for Whitley's mysterious Clueseum. Junk percussion formed a bed of rhythm over which was draped other found sounds, songs and impromptu performances.
Undergraduate Field Recording Workshop
26th February 2021
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A materials session exploring approaches to listening and field recording techniques with undergraduate fine art students from the University of Reading.
Seasonal Slumberbus
December 2019
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Drawing inspiration from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol, we invited passersby to step off the high street, hop into bed, snuggle up and reconnect with the season of goodwill. Captivated by the dreamy play of lights and accompanied by a fascinating and subliminal soundtrack of clockwork whirrs wheels and well-known mid-winter melodies, visitors were free to explore a selection of sound toys that reawaken their inner child. Then, warmed by that most delightful dream, we invited them to make an advent offering for the coming Yuletide.
Flamboyance: The World Turned Upsidown
April 2019
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The Annual Daydream Harvest quietly worked away with Aspire2, Whitley Community Development Association and Schools and community to grow a rather beautiful and unique event on the streets of Whitley South Reading.
Fright Night
November 2018
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Whistling grains from climbing frames. Sinister, unstable drones from a chest freezer and the clank of heavy iron gates. Most pleasing of all, the squeals and screams of visitors walking through the installation. Fright Night with WCDA and the Annual Daydream Harvest
Flamboyance: The Spire
April 2018
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Working with the Annual Daydream Harvest collective to create music and sound for 'The Spire' event in Whitley . Students from the local John Madjeski Academy school recorded vocal phrases and contributed to the sound design through field recordings sourced at the school. All the elements were used in the four tracks used for the final event.
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.
audio blackspots
October 2019
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Audio Blackspots unveiled the disturbing soundscapes concealed amidst Reading’s network of waterways. Revealing sounds normally submerged, entombed within objects or existing beyond the reach of our senses, each stop on the tour draws attention to an audio blackspot, a site of disquieting sonic collisions.
Small Silence Primary Workshops
June and July 2019
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Small Silence primary workshops use the arts to explore elements of children's social and emotional learning. The workshops are delivered through an immersive story, where helping the characters to solve a problem engages the pupils in imaginative arts work.
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.
Paraffinalia (Festive Road)
December 2015 and 2016
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I was Musical Director for Festive Road's 'Paraffinalia' event in Milton Keynes 2015-16. In 2015, I was offered the opportunity to produce original music for the shows' fire performers and work alongside LoboTren, a community drumming group, to rehearse and perform a number of pieces to accompany the story of the Red Knight and Crow King. I was asked back in 2016 to compose music to accompany the main event a battle of knights, dragons and spirits.
The Winter Giant
December 2015
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Beautiful Creatures: Winter Giant
Writing music for the 'River Scene' of this winter spectacular. The music accompanied a giant heron and fish puppets on their way downstream to meet the lonely Winter Giant.
The Annual Daydream Harvest
2014-2016
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I have worked with the Annual Daydream Harvest collective since 2014 as musician, sound artist and performer. Early projects include:
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'Bones of a house' exhibition at Cornerstone, Sept 2016
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Milton Keynes Fringe, August 2016
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'In an artist's shoes,' Langtree School - July 2016
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Readipop Festival, Caversham - July 2016
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East Reading Festival 'Insecurity Guards' - June 2016
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Open for Art 2016 with Jelly - June 2016
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'Working the Makeshift' @Whitfest - May 2016
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RePlay, Reading Year of Culture - May 2016
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Flambouyance fire festival - February 2016.
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'Locomotion' for Jelly's 'Walking Words' - February 2016
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Interactive installations at Caversham Festival 2014 and 2015.
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Exhibition 'With Intent' at Open Hand Open Space Nov 2015.
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'ReTale' interactive installation at Jelly Arts, Summer 2015.
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Poppycock sound sculpture, June 2015.
Octopus Evolves Perspective
April 2015
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In 2015 I was invited by Matthew Foster (Creative People) and poet Becci Fernley to write and produce a piece of music for this interdisciplinary installation. The piece integrated field recordings of local spaces with music, live poetry, sculpture and visual art exploring the story.
