This Sunday Sound is early in honor of the inimitable Leonard Nimoy, who died today at 83. He was born in Boston, making him a perma-townie in my heart (and in the hearts of all townies and honorary townies in the land!). 

I have two favorite Leonard Nimoy moments:

1) Nimoy's "The Legend of Bilbo Baggins" song and music video
2) The recorded opening of the Museum of Science's Omni theater 

Back in March of 2013, I did my shamefully common covert op recording move to capture Nimoy's pre-recorded message for the Omni theater. It is phenomenal. He's an unbelievable voice talent. Listen below.

THE SUNDAY SOUND: March 1, Goodbye, Leonard Nimoy.
PLEASE take the time to enjoy "The Legend of Bilbo Baggins."

   

A couple classmates and I set out with cameras and a field recorder to do an interview. The interview subjects we planned on fell through, so I suggested we just wander around the Boston Common and see who we could find. 

The very first person we approached was this fantastic man named Bartolo Carrion from Puerto Rico, currently living in Chelsea, Massachusetts. What a charmer! I edited this vignette together so you can enjoy him, too.

THE SUNDAY SOUND: November 30, Introducing Bartolo.
Of course his favorite movie is Pulp Fiction. Why wouldn't it be?
 

Noah Canavan and I remade the infamous printer scene from Office Space. If you have somehow lived your life without seeing Office Space, YOU NEED TO WATCH IT. NOW. Or just check out the original scene. A word of warning for those with children or childlike sensitivities: there is some serious language in the original soundtrack. 

Huge thanks to our actors Daniel, Heather, and Mauria for braving the horrifyingly cold temperatures.

Of everything I have recorded over the years, this is my favorite. 

And dudes. I have recorded some THINGS.

Picture it: Colleen, on the train. She is finally on time to work, which happens maybe once a week. She is one stop away from her final destination. The doors open to let passengers off and the magical sound of a raspy, gloriously authentic male voice singing "You Are My Sunshine" floats in and reaches her ears. 

Inner dialogue: Holy crap. This is amazing. I would love to record it. I SHOULD record it. But I want to be on time to work since it never happens. BUT since it never happens, it won't matter if I'm late just one more time. Right? No, I'm being crazy. NO. YES! I need it. This is irresponsible. WHATEVER. I AM DOING IT. 

<hops off the train>

"Sir, if I give you this cash, will you start singing from the beginning?"

And then, we performed our duet. And then the next train arrived.

THE SUNDAY SOUND: November 2, You Are My Sunshine.
I would love to record an album with this dude.

   

THE ASSIGNMENT: "Record 10 seconds of image/sound every day for the first 30 days of the semester. Compile these clips into one chronological sequence. Sound should be the sync sound recorded with the image."

The point? Seeing 10 seconds of footage shot each day for a month would illustrate our personal style and what is compelling to us as filmmakers. I have to say, the assignment did its job.

THE SUNDAY SOUND: October 26, Transitions.
Forgive me if you see yourself in these shots. My filmmaking style is: CREEPER.

My production class went to the Institute of Contemporary Art a couple weeks ago to see a video installation called "The Visitors." We entered the room and were immediately confronted with nine huge screens covering the walls, with two screens of the same size positioned in the middle of the room. Each video feed had a dedicated audio channel. Musicians are shown in nine separate rooms of a farmhouse, performing together using headphones as their only connection. 

It is hard to describe, so locals, check it out if you get the chance. The ICA is free on Thursdays! Today's sonic delight was captured as I stood in the room. If you can guess what the noise is at the end, you'll win a Sunday Sound all about YOU.

THE SUNDAY SOUND: October 19, Ragnar Kjartansson's "The Vistors."
After I snapped a few photos and recorded for a while, I was informed both were not allowed. Enjoy the contraband.

While I realize posting The Sunday Sound on a Thursday afternoon is mildly fraudulent, I don't want another day to pass without sharing this week's sonic snack. This one's close to my heart as it captures one of my favorite things in life: a standard night at home with Brian (see also: husband, soulmate, boyfriend, in-home entertainment, inspiration, favorite sparring partner, etc.). 

These standard nights at home comprise the bulk of our existence (perhaps a sad thought if you ponder it too long), but they're never the moments that are captured or preserved. I want more photos of couples lounging on the couch in their pajamas on Instagram! Dirty hair and a touch of B.O., holding each other as they eat junk food and watch the third episode in a row. Give me more! 

This is my way of doing that. Here's 80 seconds of a standard night for us.

THE SUNDAY SOUND: October 16, A Work Night in 80 Seconds.
Please note: Brian does not laugh this hard at barely funny sitcom tropes. It is a fabrication. A hilarious fabrication, but a fabrication nonetheless.

The Harvard Summer School Chorus recently joined with the Boston Modern Orchestra Project 
to perform two mid-twentieth century works by Lukas Foss and Aaron Copland. I got to hear the venture in Sanders Theatre of Harvard's gorgeous Memorial Hall.

I am never supposed to record these sorts of things, but of course I always do.

THE SUNDAY SOUND: August 24, Zion's Walls.
Thanks to Gael Ulrich for the invitation.

Some good news: your resident audio artist is officially heading back to school! Time for me to take on the video arts! I'm still a documentary gal, just changing up the medium. Some might ask: why on earth would you go back to school when you already have a Master of Arts?! Well, fair question. I have an MA, but I don't have an MFA! A Master of Fine Arts gives me the credentials necessary for professorships (it is a terminal degree in the creative realm). I am not 100% certain I want to be a professor, but I like having options. I start the MFA in Media Art program at Emerson College in September. I will be working full-time and attending the program full-time, so it should be... interesting?

Due to the MFA application process and work being insane (currently managing advising/registration in the Visual and Media Arts department), I have nothing of my own creation to share his week. But because I love you and your sonic appetites, I decided to share something otherwise fascinating: the sound of interstellar space!

This is a bit old (September 2013), but it is new to me. Courtesy of NASA's Voyager I. From one of my favorite websites, I Fucking Love Science: "The sounds were recorded using an onboard plasma wave instrument, which detected the vibrations of dense interstellar plasma, or ionized gas... the waves detected by the instrument antennae were simply amplified and played through a speaker." YES! Listen via NASA's video below.

Other sounds of space:

• Space Audio (University of Iowa)
  
• Black Hole Sound Waves (NASA)
  
• Spooky Space "Sounds" (NASA)
  

THE SUNDAY SOUND: March 30, The Sound of Space.
"How can space have sound? Sound travels in waves, just like light or heat does, but unlike in those mediums, sound travels in space by making molecules vibrate." - I Fucking Love Science

As I said in my previous post chronicling the gorgeous sounds of Paris, seeing Notre Dame changed my life. I saw it for the first time late at night, shortly after Brian and I arrived in France. It took my breath away and I cried. Cried! (The tears may have been facilitated by my extreme sleep deprivation, hunger, and the discovery that the promised air conditioning unit in our hotel room was "temporarily" out of order. But, it was at least partly the breathtaking beauty of this structure.)

By an amazing stroke of luck (fate!), we were also able to attend an 8am mass held in the choir loft. We were one of maybe a dozen patrons and were able to walk all through the building, including right up to the altar, in complete silence. Essentially, we had the place to ourselves. I may have already shared this story. It left me forever changed.

Today's sonic snack: my recording of the bells of Notre Dame striking two in the afternoon. I recorded this on our last day in Paris, shortly before we departed for Spain. We sat on the benches facing the front of the cathedral, stuffed full of crepes, and waited for the bells to chime so I could document their beauty. Enjoy.

THE SUNDAY SOUND: February 16, The Bells of Notre Dame.
Wanna hear the best Disney soundtrack of all time? Check out The Bells of Notre Dame. Best. Disney. Ever.