After living in suburban Toronto (Ontario, Canada) for most of my life, my partner and I decided to move to a rural area 22 km west of South River (Ontario, Canada) in March 2014. It is an area of the near North that is familiar to my partner, but one that represented a significant life change for me. Being interested in the sounds of the natural environment for most of my life, the adjustment to this rural location has been an easy one.

In … while working and walking I have combined recordings made while working outdoors or walking around at different times throughout the year of 2015. Some key moments include the cat trying to pounce on a squirrel, burning brush, wind, water dripping in spring, the neighbour’s pigs feeding on food scraps, and ice sounds from the lake. It has been my experience that many sounds pass by without being noticed while I am in the process of completing different tasks. This piece is an attempt to capture and savour those fleeting moments. The everyday soundscape is richer than I often realize.

[iv-17]

… while working and walking was realized in 2015-16 and premiered on March 18, 2016 during the Darren Copeland and Friends concert produced by New Music Edmonton at the Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Edmonton (Alberta, Canada). The work was commissioned by New Music Edmonton with support from the Canada Council for the Arts (CCA).

Premiere

• March 18, 2016, Now Hear This 2016: Darren Copeland and Friends, Holy Trinity Anglican Church, Edmonton (Alberta, Canada)