Part of a larger sound art residency at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, this work-in-progress etude is an analysis and repurposing of sounds documented in the 140 year-old building's west stairwell. This liminal space is home to many resonances, both active and dormant. The challenge of this project was to understand a portion of the affordance of this space by activating sounds in peculiar ways. I would thump on the railings, remove transients of resonating metal, perform on a cymbal at various floor levels, and process these moments to reveal their subtle intricacies. It’s about hearing what is not often heard, and listening deeper than what is typical in a space such as this.

This performance, recorded on April 19, 2024 in Fredericton, NB, Canada, was part of a series of audiovisual events in Canada, Denmark, and Sweden to share our recent works from Quiet on Kökar as well as some pieces from our debut album Blood & Breath. This particular performance was made possible through being invited to participate in Connexion ARC's 40th Anniversary Programming and the generosity of the Charlotte Street Arts Centre for providing the beautiful space to make this happen. Thanks so much to Counting on Downstairs and Emily Kennedy for also sharing their sounds on this bill. It was a beautiful evening in which many new friends were made.

“What sound does a building make? And how can these sounds be used to aid in the composition of new music? These are just a few of the questions sound artist Charles Harding plans to explore when he begins his residency at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre (CSAC) later this summer. “

• Grid City Magazine

Our participation in the Sound Art Lab Residency in Struer, Denmark, from May 24-31, provided Trajectories with an incredible opportunity to engage deeply with the local soundscapes, collaborate with fellow artists, as well as utilize top-tier facilities and equipment. Our primary project focused on the early-stage development of three new electroacoustic compositions, formed through collaborative exercises inspired by Sound Art Lab's facilities and the surrounding environment. Additionally, we were invited to participate in an artist talk and a public performance, showcasing material developed during our time at the Åland Archipelago Guest Artist Residence in Finland in October 2023.

A concert series celebrating the latest season of The Greville Tapes Music Club featuring some absolutely incredible music-making folks! I had the pleasure of collaborating with my lovely friends in Pallmer and Keeper E. last August to create 3 new pieces of music on a compilation that also includes DenMother, Dumpster Cub, Wolf Castle, and The Olympic Symphonium. Over several days in the middle of April we all played shows across the maritimes to showcase a beautiful spirit of creation and collaboration, facilitated by the kindest of people. It was so lovely to meet new friends and make incredible to new memories at these shows!

In mid-February 2024, Trajectories, a collection of electroacoustic composers consisting of my dear friends Connor Cook, Malte Leander, as well as myself, performed our Canadian debut set. We were very fortunate to be invited to perform selections from our 2023 album Blood & Breath as part of 2024-25 programming hosted by Montréal’s Codes d’accès, a series for emerging composers of contemporary classical and electroacoustic fields. It was an absolutely beautiful night at the legendary Montréal venue La Sala Rossa, a place that has seen some of the world most exciting performers. It was such a gift to be able to perform this type of music in that space and I will never forget it. The sonic elements of this night were supported by visuals from our recent residency on Kökar, Åland, Finland in October 2023, blending our past creative efforts with our current trajectory, no pun intended.

The album Quiet on Kökar was conceived of during a recent artist residency undertaken on the small island of Kökar in the Åland Archipelago in Finland, experimenting with a variety of recording set-ups and collaborative compositional techniques, following ideas of the non-anthropocentric positioning of the artist, both at the time of recording, composing and performing. 

Hellsö by Charles Harding released via Patient Records