• The planet's not dying. Our place and our version of it may be dying. So how do we deal with that? How do we accept and live with the knowledge that our version of it is dying. It's not something to panic about in the sense that the whole thing's going away, hopefully. We don't know, but I think that notion of living with grace, living without fear, trying to live without anxiety, because those are just places where we flounder, shut off and develop toxic escapes.

(photo of Kenneth Newby by Linda Ofshe)

I first met Kenneth Newby in 2023 at the infamous Lunch Lady Vietnamese street food restaurant on Commercial Drive in Vancouver. 

We mostly talked about a book he recommended to me, Learning to Die : Wisdom in the Age of Climate Crisis by Robert Bringhurst & Jan Zwicky, which was transformative for me.

Kenneth is a fellow new music composer and sound artist with whom I shared many ecological concerns including aspirations for the role of art in this era of environmental decline.

So, I invited him to have a conversation, my second last of this 5th season, where we have been exploring how to  'prepare for the end of the world as we know it and creating the conditions for other possible worlds to emerge’.

Kenneth now lives in Victoria. We recorded our conversation in his backyard on September 23rd, 2024. We talked about his journey as a composer and musician, from childhood lessons, experiences in blues bands through to interactive music systems, Indonesian gamelan music and psychedelic experiences, among others.

During our exchange, I was thankful that he shared examples of some of his creative projects that integrate storytelling, ecological awareness, and collaborative solutions about societal and environmental issues. It’s good to hear about both theory and practice. 

For example, I was interested in Kenneth's work on the harmonic series as a fractal structure and how he connects it to ecological concepts and ways of being. 

• My approach has been typically to look at the inner life of a sound, try and tease it out and create some kind of soundscape, a composition that's made out of those inner materials and so I was hugely influenced early on by Cage's notion of silence and sound and Schafer notion of the soundscape and an acoustic ecology.

You’ll also hear some of Kenneth’s music in between 3 sections of our conversation. 

First is Aria - Ocean of Storms, an excerpt from his ‘Seasonal Round’ project created in collaboration with poet Robert Anthony, which is composed of raw, time-stretched, transposed birdsong. 

You’ll also hear Howe Sound, a composition featuring birdsong, a frog chorus and transformed excerpts from Maurice Ravel’s Sirènes movement of his Trois Nocturnes as well as excerpts from Crépuscule for Barbara written for harpist Barbara Imhoff.

Kenneth recommends the following books and film:

• The spell of the sensuous : perception and language in the a more-than-human world by David Abram
• Woman in Nature : The Roaring Inside Her by Susan Griffin
• Fantastic Fungi

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Sections of the episode (generated by AI and reviewed by Claude Schryer)

Introduction

Claude introduces Kenneth and reflects on their previous meeting. They discuss their shared backgrounds in music and philosophy, setting the stage for a deeper conversation about art and the ecological crisis.

Kenneth’s Musical Journey
Kenneth shares his early experiences with music, starting with piano lessons and moving through various musical influences. He recounts pivotal moments in his life, including his time at the Creative Music Studio in Woodstock, which ignited his passion for electronic music.

Cultural Exploration and Learning
Kenneth discusses his fascination with Indonesian music, particularly the gamelan traditions, and how immersing himself in different cultures has shaped his understanding of music and postmodernism. He emphasizes the importance of cultural relativism in appreciating diverse artistic practices.

The Ecology of Sound
The conversation shifts to the relationship between music and ecological issues, exploring how sound can reflect and address the ecological crisis. Kenneth introduces the idea of the harmonic series as a fractal structure, connecting it to ecological concepts.

Art and Environmental Awareness
Kenneth reflects on the impact of his music and the broader role of artists in raising environmental awareness. He discusses the challenges of making a significant impact through art while acknowledging the importance of collective efforts in the artistic community.

Community Engagement in Art
The discussion turns to the importance of local community engagement in artistic practices. Kenneth shares insights from his projects that focus on situating art within the community, emphasizing the need for relevance and connection in contemporary art.

Facing Complexity and Change
Kenneth addresses the complexities of the current ecological crisis and the fear associated with change. He discusses the role of psychedelic experiences in fostering a deeper connection to nature and how they can help individuals navigate the uncertainties of the future.

Literary Inspirations and Recommendations
As the conversation nears its end, Kenneth shares his favorite books and films that explore ecological philosophy and the interconnectedness of life. He highlights the importance of literature in shaping our understanding of nature and our place within it.

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END NOTES FOR ALL EPISODES

Hey conscient listeners, 

Thanks for your presence. Season 5 of this podcast is now completed. I'll be back with season 6 on art and culture in times of crisis and collapse (see trailer for details) sometime in 2025. 

Background on the conscient podcast 

I’ve been producing the conscient podcast as a learning and unlearning journey since May 2020 on un-ceded Anishinaabe Algonquin territory (Ottawa). It’s my way to give back and be present.

In parallel with the production of the conscient podcast and it's francophone counterpart, balado conscient, I publish a Substack newsletter called ‘a calm presence' which are 'short, practical essays about collapse acceptance, adaptation, response and art’. To subscribe (free of charge) see https://acalmpresence.substack.com. You'll also find a podcast version of each a calm presence posting on Substack or one your favorite podcast player.

Also, please note that a complete transcript of most conscient podcast and balado conscient episodes from season 1 to 5 is available on the web version of this site (not available on podcast apps) here: https://conscient-podcast.simplecast.com/episodes.

Your feedback is always welcome at claude@conscient.ca and/or on conscient podcast social media: Facebook, X, Instagram or Linkedin. 

I am grateful and accountable to the earth and the human labour that provided me with the privilege of producing this podcast, including the toxic materials and extractive processes behind the computers, recorders, transportation systems and infrastructure that made this production possible. 

Claude Schryer

Latest update on November 6, 2024