Discovering Florence Through Sound

In this 4-week class, we will let our ears be the guide that takes us through Florence. A city known historically for its great visual Art and Architecture, we will instead listen to the city?s sounds to discover the unfolding present. To ask ourselves: What is the soundscape of Florence? How do the sounds of the city represent it? What is Florence?s sonic portrait? How does architecture affect what we hear? Is it important to document a place aurally?

Through interactive lectures, students will learn about the history of sound in the arts and the acoustic history of Florence. Those studies will be partnered with the technical skills of learning how to record and edit audio files. We will wrap up the class with a performance of the many sound pieces and collages recorded during our time.

Students will need: Some type of portable digital recorder. The Zoom H1 or Tascam DR-05 are two inexpensive options. At the very least a smartphone with voice recording capabilities. A pair of headphones and a USB flash drive.