Sound I’m Particular, Geoff Sample

Geoff Sample: In the Voice of a Bird,
Elements of Augury from Tiresias to
Attenborough.

From palaeolithic shamanism to the
politics of classical Rome, interpreting
the movements and sounds of birds was
highly valued as a way of learning what
forces might be influencing the events
of our world, whether envisaged as gods,
the weather or natural laws.

Geoff Sample will follow this idea and its
flow through various Eurasian cultures in
our attitudes to, and interpretations of,
the sound languages of other species; and
on to contemporary scientific research
and listening with a bioacoustic ear.

Geoff Sample is a field recordist who has
concentrated on wildlife and natural
soundscapes for the last 30 years. He’s
the author and producer of a series of
Collins sound guides, including the
best-selling Collins Bird Songs & Calls,
contributes sound and discussion to
radio & TV (Tweet of the Day, Countryfile,
the Verb) and collaborates with
contemporary artists on installations,
exhibitions and performances
(Marcus Coates, Hanna Tuulikki,
Mike Collier).