ID#: 177

Echoing Cities (2024) ; 7:00

by Ziwei Yang

Senzoku Gakuen College of Music

 “Echoing Cities” is a soundscape composition that weaves the unique soundscape of two cities into a sonic map through sound collection, processing and reconstruction. In Tokyo, Japan, I captured multiple dimensions of urban life. The Shibuya crossing is the vortex center of sounds: multiple languages intertwining in the air, the rumble of ground tramcar and the loudness of stereo advertisements constitute the grand soundscape of the city.  While stepping into the alley, the texture of sounds shifts: the friction of handcarts, the hum of ventilation fans and private conversations in phone booths form another layer of urban texture soundscape. Meanwhile, the bamboo wind chimes and sweeping sounds at Sensoji Temple inject an unexpected sense of Zen into this bustling metropolis. In my hometown, Zhuzhou, Hunan Province, China, the sound collection focused on more tangible everyday scenes. The broadcasts at the high-speed railway station, the rhythm of hammering silver in pedestrian streets and the conversations of my grandparents with the cooking sounds in the kitchen are not only the soundscape symbol of the city, but also the carriers of profound emotional memories. Through the collection, layering and reorganization of sound materials, this work showcases the different sonic characteristics of two cities: Tokyo presents a dense, multi-layered sonic fabric, while Zhuzhou reveals a more fresh, clear and rhythmic sound texture. This contrast and interplay of soundscape not only presents the sonic ecology and cultural symbols of two cities, but also explores the multi-dimensional connections between sounds, memories and emotions. When different soundscape echo, permeate and transform in this work, listeners can experience the fluidity of space and the overlap of time and feel the pulse of the two cities and personal memories in this sonic journey.