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soundscapes of the connecticut river valley

Soundscapes

Ethnographic & Documentary Projects by Students at Amherst College

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Category: Recent projects

Two people kayaking in the connecticut river with the shadow of a serpent like monster under the water

Echoes of Connie (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Monster, 2024 Projects, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

The Connecticut River holds many secrets, but none as enduring as Connie, the mythical sea serpent said to dwell in its depths. This film follows three students as they explore the river’s soundscape, uncovering how folklore and community keep the legend alive in the currents of memory and tradition.

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Landscape of the pioneer valley at twilight, with a few tree tops poking out at the sky from the forest

The Magical Hour: Hunting Sound in Western Massachusetts (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Hunting, 2024 Projects, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

During the Magical Hour, hunters quietly wait in tree stands for a chance to harvest their quarry. Sound conceals and alters reality, and hunters engage in a heightened state of deep listening. Upon returning home, they feed hungry bellies with venison and hungry ears with stories.

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An image of a radio dial with green distortion on the bottom, and red distortion on the right side

Magic Wire (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Projects, 2024 Radio, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

Though most of us are unaware of it, radio surrounds us — a constant stream of communication taking place just beyond the threshold of human hearing and sight. By spending some time with amateur radio operators, the film asks us to tune-in to the inaudible. You might be surprised by what you hear.

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Black and white photo showing the bunker entrance hidden within a hill

“Nothing Interesting Here”: Cold War Bunkers and the Sounds of Near Apocalypse (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Bunker, 2024 Projects, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

Only six miles from the Amherst College campus, a Cold War bunker is “hidden in plain sight” under a grassy mound on Bare Mountain. Our project invites listening viewers to re-imagine past sounds of near apocalypse in the present.

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Lou Sorrentino smiling at the camera, prepared to strum his guitar

Sing What Words Can’t Say: Lou Sorrentino, a Musician and Healer’s Tale (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Music Therapist, 2024 Projects, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

Lou Sorrentino’s life is a testament to transformation, and now he heals others through music, giving them vibrations of hope when they thought none remained.

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Detail of a woven prayer rug showing the Haaj, with the Kaaba in the center

Sounds of Faith: A Story of Quranic Reciters in the Connecticut River Valley (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Projects, 2024 Quran, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

How does the timeless art of Quranic recitation connect generations to foster faith and identity in Muslim communities of the Connecticut River Valley?

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People holding gravestone puppets come together around a gravestone with yiddish text painted on

Tu Epes! טו עפּעס! : The Making of a Yiddish Puppet Parade (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Projects, 2024 Tu Epes, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

Our humble corner of Western Massachusetts is one of the Yiddish capitals of the country. This project highlights a collective that tirelessly builds a better tomorrow, motivated by a bold reclamation of their diasporic culture.

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Three improv musicians playing assorted instruments are saturated in green neon light

All My Friends Suck at Music: Free Improvisation at and around Hampshire College (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Improv, 2024 Projects, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

Our film documents the not-often offline free improv community of Hampshire county. More than an act of documentation, this film asks you to engage with artists in your community.

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Black and white crowd shot of a mosh pit with energertic dancers in mid air

Goth Girl Field Trip: Hardcore Ethos, Electronic Palette (2024)

December 11, 2024 admin 2024 Goth, 2024 Projects, PROJECT MAIN STORY, Recent projects

Goth Girl Field Trip (GGFT) began two-and-a-half years ago as a free rave on the bank of the Connecticut River in Southern Vermont. Since then, the music label, collective, and community has become a staple in the Western Massachusetts electronic and digital hardcore scenes.

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