Great Smoky Mountains Artist in Residence (2018)

In August 2018, I was selected to be an Artist in Residence for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park near Gatlinburg, Tennessee. In addition to traveling around the park and collecting natural sounds with my recording device, I interacted with visitors and tuned them in to the natural soundscape of the park.

Rocky Top

I created a music video for the classic Tennessee song “Rocky Top” across multiple locations in the park.

In August 2018, I was an Artist in Residence at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. During my time there, I filmed a music video for the classic Tennessee song "Rocky Top" across multiple locations in the park. Here is a little bit more from my residency: https://www.andyjarema.com/great-smoky-mountains-artist-in-residence-2018

The Aftermath

This is my collaboration with the artist Alyssa Coffin. See the full project here.

Nature Beats

Using the computer program Max/MSP, I have created a "patch" (custom piece of software) that allows me to use the sounds I have captured in the Smokies as a beat generator. Below is an example of me using the software.

This is a step sequencer made with Max/MSP. Instead of using typical percussion sounds, I am using environmental sound samples that I have recorded (using my Zoom H4) at Great Smoky Mountain National Park and a few other national parks. My keyboard is doing a time/pitch shifted sample of some flutes from Igor Stravinsky's "Orpheus".

Below are some "Nature Beats" that some young visitors to the park created themselves during a visitor engagement at the Oconaluftee Visitor Center on August 11th, 2018 and at the Sugarlands Visitor Center on August 18th, 2018.