Mandy-Suzanne Wong writes: “Often sound artists explore the relationships between sound and space or environment; sound and technology; sound and listening”. My current practice as a sound artist centres on the relationship between sound and words. My current practice includes “soundscape compositions”, “field recording”, “ambient music”, “soundwalks”, “sound design” (Wong, 2013) and songwriting.
Sound is something I exist and have existed significantly with throughout my life. A kind of centre point which my life and its cycles revolve around and which is also all around me.
I also think of Hiroshi Yoshimura, who wrote in the liner notes for his environmental music album ‘Surround’: “If Surround can be listened to as music that’s as close to air itself, allowing us to enter each listener’s sound scenery, or as something that exists within a new perspective, expanding the middle ground between sound and music, and transforming it into a comfortable space, it would be much appreciated.” (Yoshimura, 1986). (My italics)
The way that sound exists in space-time, whether to be experienced through Pauline Oliveros’ practice of ‘deep listening’, or to be a part of the background of one’s life as Yoshimura intended is one of the primary attentions of sound artists. The way in which we listen to everyday sounds and how we relate to this “middle ground between sound and music” is a large and notable part of what sound art is.
References:
Wong, M.-S. (2013). ‘Sound Art’. [online] Available at: https://www.oxfordbibliographies.com/display/document/obo-9780199757824/obo-9780199757824-0106.xml [Accessed 1 Oct. 2025].
Yoshimura, H. (1986). ‘Surround’. Available at: https://hiroshi-yoshimura.bandcamp.com/album/surround
Oliveros, P. (2005), pg 10-12. ‘Deep Listening: A Composer’s Sound Practice’. Available at: https://www.agosto-foundation.org/sites/default/files/upload/oliveros_pauline_deep_listening_a_composers_sound_practice_2005.pdf