Rich Bitting

Listen to the Solar Eclipse

What Does a Total Solar Eclipse Sound Like?

Please join the Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology and Rich Bitting as we listen to the soundscape during a total solar eclipse.

We will leave the Fernald Nature Preserve Visitor's Center @ 1:00 PM and walk to our listening post.
Please wear comfortable shoes or hiking boots. We will walk approximately 3/4 mile on uneven gravel/dirt trails to our listening site.

Fernald Preserve Visitors Center
7400 Willey Road
Hamilton, OH 45013
(513) 648-3330
fernald@LM.doe.gov

Please bring:
• Snacks and drinks
• Folding chair
• Partial eclipse starts at 2 p.m. and ends at 4:30 p.m.
• Total eclipse begins at 3:09 p.m. and lasts one minute and eight seconds.
• The Fernald Preserve Visitors Center will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
• FREE eclipse viewing glasses will be provided to the first 400 attendees. Available in the Visitor’s Center.
• Parking will be limited to parking lots only.

Learn more about the Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology.
For more information about the Eclipse Soundscape Project, click here.

Let's listen to the eclipse!
Rich Bitting
Please let me know if you have questions.
rich@richbitting.com
513-382-1198

Photo of eclipse courtesy of NASA.

Nocturnal Soundscape - A Soundwalk

Saturday, June 17 9:00 p.m. to 11:30 p.m.

Rich Bitting, a local artist and musical composer, will be our presenter this evening. What does “earth music” sound like? Have you ever heard a frog soloist accompanied by an insect chorus? We’ll walk silently, at a leisurely pace, and share our experiences at the end of our walk. This deep listening activity will really open your ears! Bring a handheld flashlight and meet us in the program shelter next to the Visitors Center.

For more information, visit the Fernald Preserve webpage or email fernald@lm.doe.gov.

Field Recording from the 6.17.2023 Soundwalk

A Sacred Voice

"A Sacred Voice" Included in Compilation

Green Field Recordings' Compilation for World Listening Day 2022: Listening Across Boundaries

The Portuguese netlabel Green Field Recordings joins, for the 12th year, the World Listening Project, through World Listening Day, with another field recording sound compilation, under the theme “Listening Across Boundaries”.

My contribution, A Sacred Voice, is based on my recent field recording of Pseudacris triseriata maculate - Boreal chorus frog, collected in the Lamar Valley in early June 2022.

I'm honored to be one of this year's participants.

Alvaro G Diaz Rodriguez - On The Street Of A Migrant Camp In Tijuana (03:56)

Atelier Radiofónico - Vento Sobre Antena Tropoesférica (05:06)

Carlos Devizia - Third Kind Encounter In The Forest (03:54)

Carlos Santos - Coimbra, Sedimental Time (04:59)

Deep Dive Sound - The Beauty of Dusk (Rugova Mountains, Kosovo) (10:00)

Luís Antero - Coimbra, 6pm (04:19)

Mark Nazemi - Tilaran, Costa Rica (10:00)

Rich Bitting - A Sacred Voice (09:56)

Roberto Vodanović Čopor - Birds. Morning By The River (09:00)

Sara Pinheiro - This Is Not Rain (04:00)

Thomas Park - Windy, Sunday Morning In November (03:13)

Toni Dimitrov - Waves (03:10)

Credits:
Style: Soundscape/Field Recordings
Artwork: GFR (from the original WLD logo)
(cc) 2022

Listen Here

A Midsummer Night’s Soundscape

Saturday, July 9th 9 - 10:30 PM Fernald Preserve

What does earth music sound like?

Have you ever heard a frog soloist accompanied by an insect chorus? Join us as I lead a soundwalk at Fernald Preserve.

We meet at the Visitors Center at 9 PM for a brief orientation. Then we’ll walk silently, at an easy pace, for about an hour (1.5 miles) stopping briefly at about 5 listening points. At the end of the walk we'll share our experiences.

This deep listening activity will open your ears!

Bring a flashlight and wear closed toe shoes. Paths are uneven and it will be dark.

rich@richbitting.com

The Armstrong Creek

The Enduring Memory of Soundscape

One of my strongest memories of a place that matters is the Armstrong Creek, a small tributary of the Susquehanna River that flows through my family’s farm in Pennsylvania. It was the focus of many of my childhood activities: ice skating and playing hockey in the winter, swimming and fishing in the warmer weather, and family picnics on holidays and special occasions.

It wasn’t until I went away to college in Philadelphia and would return to the farm on visits, that I began to realize the healing power of the creek’s sounds. On a particular visit during an upheaval in my life, I sought the creek’s restorative council. At that time, hearing the water, was like hearing the sound of an old friend’s voice. The water’s voices, although not conclusive, seemed to be encouraging me to follow my own path.

On more recent visits, I love to sit quietly at creekside and allow myself to be mesmerized by the infinite sound of the water. Although the sound of the creek was a constant accompaniment in my youth, I heard it, but didn’t really listen to it. Now, I’m listening. Although the landscape has changed, the soundscape of the Armstrong Creek has remained timeless.

Listen to an audio recording that I made on a recent visit to the Armstrong Creek

„Wahlverwandtschaft“

German for Chosen Family

The gallery for contemporary art KW / RANDLAGE from Worpswede in Germany has invited NEON KUNST to be part of the exhibition concept „Wahlverwandtschaft“ which is german for Chousn Family. We have sent out a call to our chosen family asking them to each send us a photo of their work. Unlike the currently standard digital exhibition formats on the Internet, we will transform the artists‘ contributions into an analogue exhibition. The submitted images will be printed out and exhibited as color photos in postkard size. In this way, all works are presented on the same level and from an entirety similar to a group photo of our chosen family.

For us, chosen family is about nurturing and expanding friendships with openness and coriosity. Neon Kunst is a place that has valued and cultivated this openness from the very beginning. In these strange and uncertain times, our connections and celebrating our diversity are more important than ever. With this exhibition we would like to stage our community artistically and celebrate its power. We want an extended family without borders.

I am honored to participate in this exhibition.

Participating Artists: Ángeles Alarcón - Bill Allen - Lotte Marie Allen - Lindy Annis - Andy Aquarius - Noise Armada - Ignatz B - Roland Barth - Fredie Beckmanns - Rich Bitting - Berthold Bock - Frank Bölter - Laure Boer - Peter Boue - David Braithwaite - Raving Mad Carlos - Ricky Castro - Isabel Cavenecia - Breeda CC - Ediciones de Cero - Christine Cheung - Dan Dansen - Ole Debovary - Götz Drope - Tanja Ehmann - Manfred Eichhorn - Yvonne van Eijden - Fatima and Hantsé - Dzahid Filipovic - Das Frenk - Manfred Fuchs - Gita Fuori - Lady Gaby - Patrick Gaden - Octavio Garabello - Ingo Gerken - Salome Gersch - Beat Gipp - Ronald Gonko - Eleonora Goroh - Jan Gottschalk - Reinhold Gottwald - Elke Graalfs - Florian Grove - Friederike Hammann - Joanna Harvey - Marc Hasselbach - Kenta Hayashi - Wojtek Hoeft - Stephan Homann - Franz Hugo - Nicholas Immaculate - Henrik Jacob - Uwe Johnas - Kaddi & Tom - Doreen Katerbau - Aurelia van Kempen - Heinz Kernebeck - Werner Kernebeck - Gustav Kleinschmidt - Andreas Knäbel - Robert Knutson - Karen Koltermann - Cal Kowal - Takuya Kurihara - Eike Laeuen - Rosa Landers -Robert Lange - Vasja Ris Lebaric - Itamar Lerner - Andy Leuenberger - Pastor Leumund - Julia Lipinsky - Jenny Löbert - Antonia Low - Philip Luddite - Frauke Menzinger - Manfred Michl - Maitane Midby - Regina Mielich - Stefan Mildenberger - Minna - Akimbo Moonchild - Timo Moors - Alice Morey - Tarik Mustafa - Nele - Crystal Neon - Silvia Nettekoven - Nettmann - Netzeauswassser der Villa Kuriosum & Swoosh Anatta - Gertrude Neuhaus - Sara Noubani - Jano Nym - Bárbara Oliveira - Kenji Omori - Panpirat - Txus Parras - Mark Patsfall - Jean Peut-etre - Olivia Pils - Susann Poenisch - Thorsten Prothmann - Arian Rassoul - Oliver Rednitz - Maria Salangina - Maike Sander - Toby Saunders - Noa Schaub - Danja Schilling - Felicitas Schreier - Anton Schwarzbach - Olivia Wilhelmine Seiling - Spunk Seipel - SHOXXX - Caren Sielaff - Carlos Silva - Elisabeth Sonneck - Juwelia Soraya - SP38 - Nicola Staeglich - Michail Stamm - Anne Katrin Stork - May Lan Tan - Marciana Timmermans - Miss Tobi - Peter Torp - Dorit Trebeljahr - Jana Troschke - Wolfgang T roschke - Marie S Ueltzen - Vauleben - Katia Vonna Beltran -Theo Vonwood - Florian Wagner - Carola Wedekind - Wer Da - Barbara Westermann - Lorenz Wiedemann - Lale Willan - Gisela Wrede - Merina Yamada - Jo Zahn - Sibylle Zeh - Leon Zuodar

Eröffnung: Do.07.10.2021 16 - 21 Uhr

Weitere Termine:

Fr.08.10.2021 15 - 19 Uhr

Do.14.10.2021 15 - 19 Uhr

Do.21.10.2021 15 - 19 Uhr

Finnisage: Fr.22.10.2021 15 - 19 Uhr 16 - 21 Uhr

Die Veranstaltungen finden unter den gültigen Corona Regelungen statt.

https://randlageart.de/neonkunst.html

Three Sandhill Cranes @ Brookville Lake, IN

Sandhill Cranes Near Cincinnati?

The World? Moonlit

drops shaken

From the crane’s bill.

- Eihei Dogen

13th Century

In Japan the crane is a revered and mystical bird that symbolizes good fortune because of its fabled thousand-year lifespan. In actuality cranes have a life span of 20 to 30 years in the wild, but this doesn’t make these large, elegant birds any less magical. Watching a swoop of sandhills arriving at the roost at dusk is a truly unique experience.

Sandhill cranes are thought to be one of the oldest living avian species on earth. They are found throughout most of North America. Their range is south to Mexico and Cuba, and as far west as Siberia. Migratory subspecies of sandhill cranes breed in northern continental U.S., Canada, Alaska, and Siberia.These large birds, which can stand four feet tall with a wingspan of five or six feet, are on the increase in Ohio. Small numbers of breeding sandhill cranes have been present since 1985, and the Ohio Department of Natural Resources reports that the population has grown over the last few years as new habitat is being developed.

Sandhills migrate through each fall on their way to winter in the South. Then in spring they return north to start nesting preparations. Their nests are built on the ground in a mound of vegetation. Two young are usually born each year and stay with their parents for about ten months. When they reach sexual maturity at about 3 to 5 years old, they find mates of their own.

Sandhill cranes are monogamous and mating pairs frequently perform dancing displays during courtship. Cranes leap and frolic while circling each other and calling back and forth. They often do these dances when courting but can occasionally be seen performing with their partner year round. Cranes sleep at night standing on the ground. They generally prefer to stand in shallow water, often on one leg, with their heads and necks tucked on their shoulder or under one of their wings. In the breeding season they sleep at or near to their nests so they can guard their eggs or chicks.

Sandhills seem to be the most vocal when they return to the roost at dusk. The call of the sandhill crane is a loud, low-pitched trumpeting. This call is produced by the crane’s unique anatomy. Since their windpipe is much longer than that of most birds and it loops down into the bird’s sternum, they are capable of producing a distinctive array of sounds.

Cranes are so vocal because they have a highly developed communication system that functions to keep the family together, to signal danger, and to reinforce the pair-bond. Their unison call is a duet done by a breeding pair in which the male has a one-note call, and the female a two-note call.

Sandhills may be seen and heard in our area during the fall, winter, and early spring, but the best time is during their fall migration from early October through late December. Here are three locations to view Sandhills:

—Brookville Lake mudflats on north Treaty Line Road, west of Liberty, Indiana south of SR 44, directly west across the lake from Whitewater State Park. This is a 1 1/2 hour drive from

Cincinnati.

—Whitewater Memorial State Park , 1418 S State Rd 101, Liberty, IN 47353 - from the Silver

Creek Boat Ramp or the State Park Cabins looking west. This is about an hour drive from

Cincinnati.

—Jasper-Pulaski Fish & Wildlife Area , 5822 Fish and Wildlife Ln, Medaryville, IN 47957. This is the best option for viewing thousands of Cranes during their fall migration although it is a 3½ hour drive from Cincinnati.

My recent soundscape composition Sandhill Cranes in the Dusk, is based on a field recording made at the Brookville Lake mudflats this past October. Try listening at a moderate volume over good speakers or headphones.

* This article first appeared in EarthCare a monthly newsletter publication of Mount Auburn Presbyterian Church, edited by John Tallmadge and Julia Malkin.

Listen

2020 Riverbox Challenge

New artwork inspired by the Riverboxes public art collection

Dublin Arts Council has collaborated with 20 artists to create new artworks and wellness-based activity prompts inspired by Riverboxes, a series of artist-made vessels discreetly hidden in Dublin parks. Each Riverbox vessel contains a unique artist-made stamp, journal and environmental information to help visitors connect to Dublin's scenic places.

To support community wellness, Dublin Arts Council has commissioned three artists to create prompts to inspire participants to draw, listen, move and reflect upon each new artwork and its natural surroundings.

Journey around Dublin to discover the original Riverboxes and the new artwork inspired by the collection. This project is part of Dublin Arts Council's Art & Wellness initiative, which deeply explores how art can nurture personal and community well-being.

CHALLENGE BOOKLET ARTISTS

Experience journaling in nature with prompts from Jenny Patton, a writer, wellness coach, Senior Lecturer at The Ohio State University and Dublin resident. A daily journaler, yogi and meditator, Jenny brings a wellness focus to her classrooms and workshops.

Become inspired to creative response from visual artist Hilary Frambes, an award-winning central Ohio-based artist, muralist and community art educator.

Try exercises for listening and reflecting from field recordist Rich Bitting, a composer and listener residing in Cincinnati, Ohio who specializes in creating soundscape-based audio compositions, concert music, visual artworks and sound art installations.

I'm very pleased to have been included in this interesting and challenging project. If you are in the Dublin, Ohio area be certain to check out the Riverboxes and the Riverbox Challenge!Arts Council.

Download Challenge Booklet

East Fork SP Dawn Chorus 6.11.20 5:33AM

Field Recording

Here's a recent field recording of the dawn chorus at East Fork State Park in Ohio. It was a moderately windymorning, but the wind died down before sunrise. The frogs were very vocal before sunrise, becoming more quiet with the sunrise.

* Please listen via headphones or conventional speakers (computer speakers will not handle some of the content or allow it to be audible)