On Sonorous Seas

Mhairi Killin introduces the podcast series with the story of the ‘North End Whale’ on Iona and how it led to a 10-day sea voyage, and an exploration of the cryptic worlds of whales and the military.  Find out what happened in late summer 2018 when 118 beaked whales stranded across the shores of the Hebrides, Ireland, Iceland and the Faroes, and how this event relates to military activity in the seas around the UK.  Hear about the Mull based Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust and the amazing ecology of the seas around the west coast of Scotland, and the human and non human sounds that are hidden in these beautiful waters.

Mhairi meets Glasgow composer Fergus Hall, and they talk about his composition for On Sonorous Seas, his creative process and the acoustic material collected by Mhairi when she was at sea with the Hebridean Whale & Dolphin Trust, which Fergus used in the composition. You’ll hear about Fergus’ background in music and his ongoing love of watery things.

Iona artist Mhairi Killin meets Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust director Alison Lomax and Jenny Hampson of HWDT to discuss the amazing ecology of the seas around the west coast of Scotland, and how the work of the Trust, in collaboration with the public, has created 20 years of data on cetacean behaviour in these waters. The conversation will cover all aspects of the Trust's work, how it feeds into Government policy, and how you can get involved in their conservation programme. Hear about their citizen science research trips on board the survey vessel, Silurian; the Whale Track App; the award winning Whale Trail project, and the HWDT research into the impact of the NATO exercise, Joint Warrior, which takes place twice a year in the seas around the Hebrides, on cetacean behaviour.

Do Artists listen Differently from Scientists? In fact, do we all listen differently from each other, and how does this affect our perception of the world and our shared understanding of it? What happens when we can hear sounds but are separated visually from their source? For example, when listening to the sonic underworld of the sea via a hydrophone. Close your eyes and lose yourself in the sonic underworld of the Hebridean seas, listen to dolphin whistles and snapping shrimp and hear about the concept of Deep Listening, pioneered by composer and musician, Pauline Oliveras 

Mhairi meets Alasdair Whyte, musician, writer, singer and academic from Mull and hears all about local place names, songs and stories relating to the seas around Mull, Iona and the Hebrides.

An episode in Gaelic, with a bonus track in English.  Mhairi meets Alasdair Whyte, musician, writer, singer and academic from Mull and hears all about local place names, songs and stories relating to the seas around Mull, Iona and the Hebrides.

Am bi luchd-ealain ag èisteachd ann an dòigh eadar-dhealaichte o luchd-saidheans?  Gu dearbha, am bi gach neach againn ag èisteachd ann an dòigh eadar-dhealaichte o chèile agus, am bi sin a’ toirt buaidh air mar a chì sinn an saoghal agus mar a thuigeas sinn e?  Bidh sinn ag èisteachd gus brìgh a thoirt às an àrainneachd againn agus tuigse fhaighinn; agus, a thaobh na h-eanchainn dheth, ’s e ar cluasan a dh’innseas dhuinn far am bu chòir dhuinn coimhead: mar a tha fhios againn a-nist, bidh an cortex lèirsinneach a’ cleachdadh fiosrachadh o ar cluasan a thuilleadh air ar sùilean is sinn a’ coimhead air an t-saoghal.  Mar sin, bidh ar n-eanchainn a’ cur fuaim gu feum gus tuigse fhaighinn air an rud air a bheil sinn a’ coimhead; ach gu dè thachras dar a chluinneas sinn fuaim is sinn sgarte on tùs: mar eisimpleir, dar a dh’èisteas sinn ri fuaimean domhain na fairge tro hàidrea-fòn.

In this final episode, Mhairi talks with Dr Denise Risch from the Scottish Association for Marine Science. Denise is a marine mammal ecologist who studies underwater sounds and sonic marine enviroments to investigate how marine species use and are impacted by sound. During the conversation Denise plays a number of marine animal sounds and explains why sound is such an important sense, and vital for survival. Human sounds are also talked about, and how this anthropogenic noise is rapidly becoming a major threat to the ecology of our seas.