Compositions for the Pool
is an immersive sound experience that offers a new way of enjoying swimming while exploring the way we might be able to capture space, time and a sense of community through sound.‘Compositions for the Pool’ was a project that created a sonic portrait of a public swimming pool (Prahran Pool) in Melbourne, Australia. Involving a process of gathering field recordings from the site, creating an electronic score from the field recordings, transcribing the score to classical notation, collaborating with the local community lead Stonnington Symphony to record the notated score and uploading the score onto water proof headphones so it could be listed to while swimming in the pool.
LAAP developed this work while being in artist-in-residence at Prahran Aquatics Centre and over several weeks gathered field recordings, researched the history and talked to local swimmers about their personal experiences of the space.
The project was launched in Feburary 2019 and had over two hundred participants. Compositions for the Pool has since toured to the Sansusī alternative chamber music festival in regional Latvia for it European premiere in 2021.
Production Assistant: Matilda Berger
Music made in collaboration with The Stonnington Symphony
Musicians: Paul Boasman (Violin), David Chan (Violin/Viola), Helen Henzell (Violin), David Laity (Clarinet), Emma Ridout (Oboe) and Dennis Vaughan (Cello/Double Bass)
Photography: Morgan Hickinbotham
Graphic Design: Studio Hi Ho
Compositions for the pool has been supported by the City of Stonnington through their annual arts and cultural grants. The work couldn't have been made without the support of Prahran Aquatic Centre and St Martins Youth Arts Centre who both provided residencies.