The conference was designed by Randy Thom and Erik Bauersfeld to bring together artists working in various acoustical media: Radio drama, film, music. video, theatre, music. The main purpose was to hear and discuss the aesthetic and creative uses of sound, in particular new sound art. Several major artists were invited to give an extended presentation, and all artists present had an opportunity to introduce and play their work, with discussion from the other artists present. The main goal of the conference was to introduce new aesthetic possibilities for sound design in all the arts. American presenters were joined by others from England (BBC) Germany (WDR), Australia & New Zealand.

The project was funded by the National Endowment for the arts and The Goethe Institute of San Francisco. It took place, August 29-30-31 1989, at Lucasfilm's sound and technical studios at Skywalker Ranch in Nicascio, CA. Each session was recorded and archived, with assistance from Conference Producers Eva Soltes & Susan Stanford. Our special thanks to Don Drucker, with the National Endowment for the Arts, for consultation and support in realizing this conference. Below is a report of the procedings by San Francisco arts reporter, Steven Winn.

The following lists the guest artists and titles of their presentations. Further information will be given as we audition and edit the original recordings.

 

Tuesday Aug. 29, 1989

AM		Shaun MacLoughlin		BBC Features and Drama
PM		Helen Thorington		New American Radio
PM		Ben Burtt		Hearing is Believing
				(Film Sound)

 

Wednesday Aug. 30, 1989

AM		Richard Beggs & Randy Thom		Film Sound (a discussion)
PM		Bernie Kraus		Enviromental Sound
		Pauline Oliveros		Sound Environments
		Margo Adler		Documentary and Docudrama
		Jay Allison		Excerpts & Discussion

 

Thursday Aug. 31, 1989

AM		Klaus Schöning		The Language of Sound
				A history of acoustic art with
				excerpts from American and
				European radio
AM		John Cage		John Cage creates a Hörspiel
				using the auditorium, I-Ching
				dice, Lucasfilm equipment,
				and his voice
		Klaus Schöning		A Discussion
		and John Cage

 

 

The following is a report on the conference sessions by San Francisco Chronicle arts critic, Steven Winn: It Was All Sound and a Little Fury