Notes by Beatriz Ramirez-Belt
On June 22 2014, Found Sound Nation held a mobile Street Studio outside of the Bang on a Can Marathon at Brookfield Plaza. The annual Marathon consisted of eight hours of contemporary music performed by some of the world’s leading ensembles, and featuring works by some of today’s most exciting and celebrated composers. This was my first mobile studio and only my second week interning with Found Sound Nation, and I had no idea what to expect. After a morning prepping equipment and lugging over gear, we made it to the Brookfield Plaza. The studio location was perfect. We set up by a main entrance to the Marathon, complete with a beautiful view that overlooked the Hudson River. Throughout the day, we recorded a steady flow of visitors by marathon attendees, performers, families, and curious passersby, resulting in the tracks above. Some highlights of the day include a monologue on the deep significance of J.S. Bach, a group of very young friends professing love for one another, and an impromptu spoken word by composer and Bang on a Can co-founder Julia Wolfe. All tracks are free and available to download. We hope you enjoy!
Street Studio: Bang on a Can Marathon 2014 from Found Sound Nation on Vimeo.