0 Comments

On Tuesday I met with composer artist Ailis Ni Riain and writer David Gaffney to listen inside the space we are using to the sound piece they have created – the venue is an empty shop in the Pavilions shopping centre in Birmingham.

We chatted about where to position the speakers to get the best effect for the inner and outer layered sound structure that we want to create. Here’s a few more details about the project below to see why the inner and outer layers are important:

Boy you turn me is a specially commissioned sound installation for Birmingham Book Festival 2011 by contemporary classical composer Ailis Ni Riain and writer David Gaffney.

Situated in a vacant shop unit in the Pavilions shopping centre it uses a unique structure of an inner and outer layer of sound to explore the feelings and thoughts of those who used to work in this vacant retail space.

The two layers of music and text can be heard separately or at the same time by moving inside and outside of the specially created space.

Funded by Arts Council England, PRS for music foundation and Birmingham Book Festival with support gratefully received from the Pavilions and Joseph Chamberlain Sixth Form College.

Preview event – Thursday 6th October 4.30pm to 6pm at Unit 10 The Pavilions, High Street, Birmingham


0 Comments

A week to go before we, the production team behind the Boy You Turn Me sound installation, test the audio set up for the piece inside Birmingham’s Pavilions shopping centre ready for this October’s Birmingham Book Festival.

This week is all about gathering the most appropriate equipment: 8 high quality speakers, a DVD player, an amplifier and loads of cables, leads and bits and bobs are needed. Having never worked on such a techie art project before I am relying on the expertise of our sound technician Peter.

He knows loads about setting up sound installations having worked with local radio stations in Birmingham including setting them up in schools as well as festivals and live music events.

So tasked with Peter’s recommended list I am off to purchase the goods – Birmingham has some great resources for this in Superfi and Digital Village. Off I go to see what deals they can do…


0 Comments