On Listening: A Universe of Sound

Abstract

Listening, improvisation, sound, and place are four words that are central to my attitude of being an artist, a musician, and a percussionist. This article spans 25 years of experiences told through 10 short stories: beginning to improvise, buying a tam-tam, learning Music for 18 Musicians, not defining percussion, found objects, the Condamine bell, performative roots, determined indeterminacy, nostalgia, and playing the tam-tam now. Together these stories begin to examine the lived experience of one Australian percussionist grappling with the unstable, dynamic pathways of percussion.

Keywords:

• Percussion
• Listening
• Improvisation
• Acoustic Ecology

Acknowledgements

The author would like to acknowledge the support of Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University and the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre in supporting the Australian Percussion Gathering 2016, alongside Just Percussion, Yamaha, and Optimum Percussion.

Disclosure Statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on Contributor

Vanessa Tomlinson is active in the fields of solo percussion, improvisation, installation, site-specific performance and composition. She is currently Associate Professor in Music at Queensland Conservatorium, Griffith University and Deputy Director of the Queensland Conservatorium Research Centre. In addition, Vanessa is the co-artistic director of Clocked Out – one of Australia’s most important and eclectic arts organisations – and Artistic Director of the Australian Percussion Gathering (2010, 2016), Transplanted Roots: Research in International Percussive Arts (2017) and Sounding Harrigans Lane (2014–17). Over the years Vanessa has commissioned, inspired and premiered more than 100 works, worked alongside countless wonderful improvisers, and collaborated with artists across the globe.