Culture In Quarantine - Sounds Of Silence

Episode

Title

First
Broadcast

Comments

Connections

20200817

From a remote corner of a Dublin park, Irish pianist Michael Gallen transcribes the surrounding birdsong.

When cities were abandoned and roads were left empty, musicians began tuning in to the silence of the lockdown world. What sounds did Michael hear in the void? How connected did he feel at a time of great isolation?

Composer and presenter Soumik Datta captures the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers to discover their Sounds of Silence' during the global crisis. In the first episode of this five part series for BBC Radio 3, Michael guides us through the hum of the earth at his home in Albert College Park, Dublin.

Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta

Executive Producer: Clare Freeman

Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado

A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3

Commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine and support by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England.

Locked down in Dublin, an Irish pianist tunes into the songs of birds around him.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Conduit

20200818

Washing her wigs and singing the traditional songs of her ancestors in a basement in Birmingham - that's where we find opera singer Abigail Kelly during her lockdown.

In the second episode of Sounds of Silence', the British-Jamaican soprano questions the colour of her voice and its connection to her heritage. But what are the sounds she's hearing in the void? And how is she reflecting on the memories of her past, the silence of the present and her expectations of the future?

Composer and presenter Soumik Datta captures the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers across the UK, to discover their sounds of silence during the global crisis.

Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta

Executive Producer: Clare Freeman

Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado

A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3

Commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine supported by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England.

A soprano discovers the colour of her voice in a basement in Birmingham.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Human

20200819

A British beatboxer wrestles with the silence of his mind during the global crisis. In the third episode of Sounds of Silence', SK Shlomo reveals his journey exploring mental health - an ongoing battle he's reflected on throughout the lockdown pause.

This five-part series sees composer and presenter Soumik Datta capturing the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers across the UK, discovering their sounds of silence during the global crisis of 2020.

Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta

Executive Producer: Clare Freeman

Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado

A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3

Commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine and supported by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England.

A beatboxer wrestles with the silence of his mind during the global crisis.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Seeds

20200820

A cellist plants the seeds of her future, searching for regeneration in the Scottish Highlands. Su-a Lee gives us a tour of her temporary home near the Old Spey Bridge in Moray. But what will her future look like with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra? How will the orchestral world adapt after the global crisis of 2020?

Composer and presenter Soumik Datta captures the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers across the UK, to discover their Sounds of Silence' during the global crisis.

In the fourth episode of this five-part series for BBC Radio 3, Su-a considers the secret to regeneration and staying adaptable throughout the seasons of change.

Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta

Executive Producer: Clare Freeman

Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado

A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3

Commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine and supported by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England.

A cellist plants the seeds of her future in the Scottish Highlands.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Mantra

20200821

How can we harness the power of the breath with mantra meditation? Singer Jahnavi Harrison reveals the divine origins of sound in kirtan music. But how will a musical genre built upon collective gatherings survive after the global crisis of 2020? Jahnavi reveals how kirtan is slowly adapting during the lockdown pause to embrace modern technology.

Composer and presenter Soumik Datta captures the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers across the UK, to discover their sounds of silence during the global crisis.

In the fifth and final episode of Sounds of Silence, from a field in Hertfordshire we discover the mystical powers of combining music, silence and the breath.

Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta

Executive Producer: Clare Freeman

Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado

A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3

Commissioned for Culture in Quarantine and supported by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England.

Unlocking the power of the breath with mantra meditation during the global crisis.

Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.

Episodes

Episode	Title	First Broadcast	Comments
01	Connections	20200817	From a remote corner of a Dublin park, Irish pianist Michael Gallen transcribes the surrounding birdsong. When cities were abandoned and roads were left empty, musicians began tuning in to the silence of the lockdown world. What sounds did Michael hear in the void? How connected did he feel at a time of great isolation? Composer and presenter Soumik Datta captures the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers to discover their Sounds of Silence' during the global crisis. In the first episode of this five part series for BBC Radio 3, Michael guides us through the hum of the earth at his home in Albert College Park, Dublin. Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta Executive Producer: Clare Freeman Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3 Commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine and support by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England. Locked down in Dublin, an Irish pianist tunes into the songs of birds around him. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
02	Conduit	20200818	Washing her wigs and singing the traditional songs of her ancestors in a basement in Birmingham - that's where we find opera singer Abigail Kelly during her lockdown. In the second episode of Sounds of Silence', the British-Jamaican soprano questions the colour of her voice and its connection to her heritage. But what are the sounds she's hearing in the void? And how is she reflecting on the memories of her past, the silence of the present and her expectations of the future? Composer and presenter Soumik Datta captures the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers across the UK, to discover their sounds of silence during the global crisis. Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta Executive Producer: Clare Freeman Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3 Commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine supported by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England. A soprano discovers the colour of her voice in a basement in Birmingham. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
03	Human	20200819	A British beatboxer wrestles with the silence of his mind during the global crisis. In the third episode of Sounds of Silence', SK Shlomo reveals his journey exploring mental health - an ongoing battle he's reflected on throughout the lockdown pause. This five-part series sees composer and presenter Soumik Datta capturing the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers across the UK, discovering their sounds of silence during the global crisis of 2020. Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta Executive Producer: Clare Freeman Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3 Commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine and supported by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England. A beatboxer wrestles with the silence of his mind during the global crisis. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
04	Seeds	20200820	A cellist plants the seeds of her future, searching for regeneration in the Scottish Highlands. Su-a Lee gives us a tour of her temporary home near the Old Spey Bridge in Moray. But what will her future look like with the Scottish Chamber Orchestra? How will the orchestral world adapt after the global crisis of 2020? Composer and presenter Soumik Datta captures the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers across the UK, to discover their Sounds of Silence' during the global crisis. In the fourth episode of this five-part series for BBC Radio 3, Su-a considers the secret to regeneration and staying adaptable throughout the seasons of change. Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta Executive Producer: Clare Freeman Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3 Commissioned for BBC Culture in Quarantine and supported by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England. A cellist plants the seeds of her future in the Scottish Highlands. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.
05	Mantra	20200821	How can we harness the power of the breath with mantra meditation? Singer Jahnavi Harrison reveals the divine origins of sound in kirtan music. But how will a musical genre built upon collective gatherings survive after the global crisis of 2020? Jahnavi reveals how kirtan is slowly adapting during the lockdown pause to embrace modern technology. Composer and presenter Soumik Datta captures the thoughts of instrumentalists and singers across the UK, to discover their sounds of silence during the global crisis. In the fifth and final episode of Sounds of Silence, from a field in Hertfordshire we discover the mystical powers of combining music, silence and the breath. Presenter and Producer: Soumik Datta Executive Producer: Clare Freeman Sound Mixed by: Camilo Tirado A Soumik Datta Arts production for BBC Radio 3 Commissioned for Culture in Quarantine and supported by The Space Arts, BBC Arts and Arts Council England. Unlocking the power of the breath with mantra meditation during the global crisis. Essays from leading writers on arts, history, philosophy, science, religion and beyond.