Hey, Hear That?

Imagine urban centre at rush hour: there's the din of traffic, construction noise, a plane taking off and a garbage truck reversing. Now imagine taking a wordless walk by the trees and buildings in your neighbourhood.

Hildegard Westerkamp, a local composer and musician, is one of many artists who encourage developing a new relationship with the industrial and natural sounds around us. A pioneer in the field of acoustic ecology since the 1970s, Westerkamp has been leading "soundwalks" at international festivals and conferences for many years. Last month, Vancouver New Music presented two free soundwalks led by Westerkamp and other artists, providing an opportunity for participants to listen more intently to the unique sounds of their community. The events highlighted people's interest in developing a new relationship with urban sound.

According to the City's 2005 "SoundSmart" brochure, noise is an "inescapable part" of living in the Lower Mainland. And most residents would agree that the constant hum of traffic, airplanes and industry is an inevitable by-product of a rapidly growing population. But while local laws can regulate and restrict construction, vehicle and household noise somewhat, many individuals feel overwhelmed by the noisy intrusions into their lives and can do little other than strapping on different sounds in the form of an iPod or installing double-glazed windows in their homes to escape the stressful urban jungle. But many people want a new approach.

Listening

Similar to walking meditation, soundwalks are silent, slow journeys. "The simplest form of a soundwalk is when you decide to go on a walk and you do nothing but listen," says Westerkamp, speaking from her home in Vancouver. "And basically it's a decision that you make. You make up your mind that you're going to listen."

By focusing attention specifically on sounds in the external environment, Westerkamp argues that listening becomes a conscious act. "What happens in a soundwalk is that your other senses get heightened as well," she says. "And so, on some level, the soundwalk is almost an excuse to be in a heightened state of awareness."

As a musician, Westerkamp calls soundwalks "compositions" consisting of an eclectic, unpredictable mix of everyday sounds, where car engines, footsteps, and bird song are all part of the experience. But is one type of sound more pleasing to the ear than another? "No way," says Westerkamp. "It's not that simple to say that natural sounds are good and urban sounds are bad," she says. "Once we open our ears to the environment, there's information in there that we're not just aware of."

Sound activism

Originally developed in the early 1970s by R. Murray Schafer, Westerkamp and others at SFU's School of Communication, soundwalks are now a popular component of many international music and art events. But the techniques used in soundwalks were originally designed to spark discussions about landscape, community and the environment. Opposed to the proposed second runway at Vancouver Airport and increasing noise pollution in the Lower Mainland, Westerkamp and her colleagues invited city councillors and members of the GVRD to participate in soundwalks in the 1970s in order to discuss environmental issues and the need for stronger noise by-laws. "At the time, I was a bit of an anti-noise activist," recalls Westerkamp. "So, to me, it was all a kind of an activist tool."

Today, Westerkamp admits that she's still concerned about the audible noise level residents of Vancouver are exposed to on a daily basis. "On clear nights, the city has a roar," she states. "Density in Vancouver has increased, traffic has increased and that is audible everywhere...We don't know what quiet is until all the electricity is shut off and the traffic stops." In particular, Westerkamp critiques the audible air-conditioning systems in large high-rises "The amount of noise that comes out of buildings like that is enormous," she says.

In Westerkamp's opinion, these rising noise levels are not merely an annoyance. "The danger in urban cities is that our ears are numbed, because so much is presented to them all the time," she notes. But while it may be impossible for us to ignore the sounds we hear on a daily basis, Westerkamp hopes that participating in a soundwalk may help us approach our city in a new way. "Whether it's in Vancouver or anywhere in the world - being on a soundwalk puts you into the moment in a way that is always renewing and re-reenergizing," she says.

Cecilia Greyson is a freelance writer based in Vancouver.