A Q&A about an audio storytelling project with Bradford students
The Bradford Digital Creatives team sat down with me to talk about my career, my time with the Bradford Digital Creatives project so far, and why I believe digital arts can change young people’s lives.
Q: What first drew you into a career in digital arts?
A: Interestingly, it was necessity and curiosity that led me here. In my late 20s, I was dealing with severe back trouble and couldn’t sit at a piano to learn, something I’d always wanted to do. Instead, I got hold of a second-hand retro synth and began experimenting. I taught myself to read music, play keyboard and understand synthesis. I started to intuitively explore timbre, melody, harmony, scales and frequencies, and began making ambient electronic music. It became my voice when I was otherwise isolated, and I was hooked from then on! I didn’t consider myself ‘musical’ in school, so I credit the accessibility of digital technologies as key to me finding my happy place in the magic of music and the power of sound.
Q: What’s been the most rewarding part of working on the Bradford Digital Creatives project so far?
A: Working with the students has been amazing. They have so much of value to say and seemed to really enjoy the relative freedom to express their views on their own terms. Once they had learned how to use the tech and techniques I introduced them to, it was wonderful to support them to express their humanity via the technology.
CLICK HERE TO READ THE FULL INTERVIEW ON NATIONAL SCIENCE AND MEDIA MUSEUM BLOG
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