Throughout July 2024 and February 2025 I had the privilege in participating in a residency at the Charlotte Street Arts Centre in Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada, exploring the sounds and stories of the renowned 140 year old community arts hub. Throughout my residency, I had the opportunity to document an array of environmental sounds from the building—creaking floorboards, resonant stairwells, the rhythmic energy of dance rehearsals, and the subtle shifts of seasonal atmospheres. My aim for this residency was to develop a cohesive collection of compositional etudes that reflect various areas throughout the building as well as its overall resonance, encourages deep listening and sensory awareness. My creative process reimagines the built environment as an instrument, revealing the interplay between architecture, memory, community, and sound.

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.

“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!

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

"Quiet on Kökar" is an electroacoustic performance by Trajectories that was developed while attending the Åland Archipelago Guest Artist Residence program, held on Kökar, Åland, Finland. Created during the three-week residency in October 2023, the compositions are crafted from sounds collected on the island, reflecting on its ecology, human impact, and local life. This performance, rooted in the island's serene environment, offers a unique auditory exploration of Kökar's natural and cultural landscapes, emphasizing environmental awareness and the interplay between humans and nature.

This performance video was recorded live on Kökar, Åland, Finland by members of Trajectories Collective while embarking on the Åland Archipelago Guest Artist Residence program hosted by Kökar Kultur.