Sounds of a weekend in Madison

Sounds of a Weekend in Madison

Project Reflection

Madison, Wisconsin encompasses a multitude of activities for its residents to enjoy. For our project, we recorded a soundscape of a weekend in Madison to document the popular melodies; familiar yet often overlooked by its residents. Similar to those captured by the narrator and her husband in Lost Children Archive, we strove to accurately capture sounds both concrete and obscure, like “Documentarians.” Revisiting the recordings enlightened us on the “echoes” of our city, the sounds that have been heard for centuries but go unnoticed in our day-to-day lives. When reviewing the tapes we often heard details that were ignored when recording. As Luiselli asserts in the subsection “Document,” “Listening is slower than looking.” We often notice more when strictly listening than when we have images to distract our eyes. By listening, one can more comprehensively contemplate all the conflicting aspects individually, dissect what, at first listen, is a muddled drone. The purpose of this project is not only to document but to encourage listeners to appreciate the mysteries of sound in their hometown and recognize the individual experiences amid such a large city. From now on, whether you’re traversing down a bustling city street, or unwinding on one of Madison’s many hiking trails, take the opportunity to close your eyes for a moment and consider the network of the sounds that make up home.

Madison Soundscapes

Headphone users- volume may vary!

Soundscape recording with nature environment music.Outdoors forest noise record with microphone.flat vector illustration.

Home

Indoor Farmers’ Market

Our homes are sacred places, whether that be for getting ready, relaxing, practicing hobbies or any other aspect of life. We documented our homes this weekend because that is where every day starts and ends, and the beginning and ending of a story are often the parts we find most compelling.

From the moment you enter Madison’s winter indoor farmers’ market you are flooded with sounds of chatter and laughter. You escape the brisk winter air into the warmth, able to enjoy a warm cup of coffee and pastry. The market is held at Garver Feed Mill,a historic industrial building repurposed as a communal gathering place.

Arboretum Hike

The Arboretum is well known to Madison residents as a beautiful hiking spot to see wildlife of Madison, go for a scenic bike ride or just sit and absorb the sounds. Appreciate the soothing harmony of birdsong, the wind stirring the prairie grass and tree leaves, and the gravel crunching beneath your feet.

State Street

Henry Vilas Zoo

Downtown Madison is a popular hangout spot for Madisonians of all ages. You can explore state history at the Madison State Capitol, go gift shopping, grab refreshments at a variety of coffee shops, and dine at culturally diverse restaurants. The city has numerous educational destinations including museums, theatres, and music venues all in a walking distance from downtown.

Madison’s Henry Vilas Zoo, bordering the Arboretum and Lake Wingra is a staple pastime for Madisonians of all ages. Hear the ring-tailed lemurs screeching in the Primate House, the macaws chattering in the Aviary, and the lions roaring at their spectators. After looping around the zoo, take a trip the scenic train, or ride your favorite animal on the lively carousel.

Meet the Documentarians

Hadley Russell and Saffron Zahorik-Schultz are juniors at Madison West High School. Both enjoy spending their free time reading, hiking, cooking, and listening to music. Saffron plays soccer for the Madison 56ers and Madison West. She participates in clubs including March for our Lives, HOSA, and Newspaper. Hadley spends most of her time dancing, but she also loves to be involved with school groups such as Environmental club and Key club. Saffron and Hadley enjoy exploring Madison together and found the documentarian lens made for a fascinating weekend.

Hadley and Saffron both thoroughly enjoyed reading Lost Children Archive and enjoyed creating a project blending their personal lives with the events of the story.

Thank you for your time!

-Saffron and Hadley

Textured Imperfect Vintage Psychedelic Wind

Saffron documenting sound in the UW Arboretum