Incorporating Global and Latin American Sounds into the Classroom

Thursday, February 24, 2022 | 04:30 pm

Virtual

About:

The first part of this workshop will feature a special presentation - "Living and Learning through Sound: Developing a Sonic Epistemology". Drawing from her recent fieldwork in Costa Rica, Dr. Ana Alonso Minutti will address ways in which artists and scientists associated with the Universidad de Costa Rica, in conjunction with local activists, have developed the workbook ¡Escuchá conmigo! (2021), an invitation for kids and young adults to engage in an exercise of listening through the body to connect with nature. Having grown up in Mexico, she will address a similar project developed in her home country, Suena Mexico (2016), an illustrated book that tells a story using the yells and calls of street public services (el gas, la basura, tamales, etc.). Taking these two book projects as case examples, she will propose ways in which teachers and students can think through sound and engage in creative exercises to promote human and nonhuman connections. 

An active hiker, Ana will introduce the practice of soundwalking as yet another way of developing a sonic epistemology. By sharing her recent experience walking over 80 kms of El Camino de Santiago (Spain), she will propose doing soundwalks to create harmony between body, mind, and soul by listening through walking. Lastly, drawing from her time living in Albuquerque for the past eight years, Ana will address the ways in which the unique New Mexican soundscape has been a catalyst for her research, teaching, and composing.

Ana Alonso Minutti is a music scholar, pedagogue, writer, and occasional composer based in Albuquerque, NM. She is passionate about listening, learning, loving, and living. Currently, she’s spending her sabbatical in Spanish-speaking lands, as she had missed thinking and speaking solely in her native language.

Following Ana's presentation, participants will further explore how to incorporate sound into their classroom teaching. What does the world sound like? What does Latin America sound like? How is sound a form of resistance and sovereignty? Listen to soundscapes from around Latin America and Iberia, participate in an "ear opening" activity using South American sounds, and learn what resources are available to help you incorporate sound - including music, oral history, and podcasts - into your classroom. The resources provided are applicable across grade levels, languages, and subject areas. An educator book guide on "Hungry Listening" will also be provided and discussed.

Explore, listen, and open your ears in this hands-on virtual workshop.


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