Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology

Next month!! Saturday, June 20 at noon — sound artist will lead a soundwalk exploring the transitory sounds along the 606 (Bloomingdale Trail) at Julia de Burgos Park, 1805 N Albany Ave. Participants will listen to passing bikers, walkers, and rollerbladers, observing how their individual moving soundscapes create a constantly shifting counterpoint with the urban and natural soundscape. Participants can also create their own temporary soundscapes using provided radios or smartphones, adding to the trail’s existing sound world.

RSVP at the link in our bio to register!

soundwalk

Moonlight Sound Workshop at Crabtree Nature Center

June 6 @ 6:30 pm – 8:30 pm

In partnership with the Forest Preserve District of Cook County , the Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology (MSAE) and Wandering Paths, LLC invite participants to a free trail listening excursion at Nature Center. Led by MSAE, the walk will explore the sounds of local habitats and the many forms of life they support through attentive listening. Free (Registration Required). https://mwsae.org/event/moonlight-sound-workshop-at-crabtree-nature-center/

Dear MSAE community,

A friendly reminder that today, May 15, is the deadline to submit an Expression of Interest for the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology's Call for Contributions: Acoustic Ecology Futures, the second volume of Acoustic Ecology Review.

The editors welcome diverse contributions that speak to the future of acoustic ecology, including scholarship, creative practice, experimental methods, audio papers, video essays, documented performances, installations, and other forms of creative and critical work.

The call invites contributors to consider how acoustic ecology is responding to contemporary environmental, cultural, social, and pedagogical concerns, and how listening practices may help us imagine more ethical, sustainable, and just futures.

Details about the call, submission themes, formats, and the EOI form are available here:

https://wfae.net/call-for-contributions-acoustic-ecology-futures-aer/

Please consider submitting an EOI today, and feel free to share this with others whose work may be a good fit.

WFAE - World Forum for Acoustic Ecology | Call for Contributions: Acoustic Ecology Futures (AER) We are excited to invite submissions for the second volume of Acoustic Ecology Review, themed “Acoustic Ecology Futures.” This edition seeks to explore the vitality and evolution of acoustic ecology as it continues to mature and expand in interdisciplinary contexts.

Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology (MSAE) is excited to announce our 2026 Summer Soundwalks In The Parks, marking the 10th annual partnership with the Night Out In The Parks and .

Between June and September, everyone is invited to explore the art of soundwalking in 6 different public parks. Led by artists and special guests, these soundwalks guide our listening awareness across the natural and cultural dimensions of Chicago. Join us for community and contemplation as we consider and share our auditory perspectives.

Featured teaching artists:


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Find the full schedule at the link in our bio to our website, where you can learn more about each artist, and stay up to date with the latest information on meeting locations, accessibility, and rain dates. We’re looking forward to rediscover Chicago through listening—deeply, joyfully, and in community!

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MSAE is pleased to partner with the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres to present the inaugural Great Lakes Listening Series.

This experimental listening event presents multichannel sonic artworks in a cinema setting using 5.1 surround sound to create an immersive listening experience. This first edition features works responding to the natural, ecological, political, and cultural complexities of the Great Lakes region.

The program includes works by Dominic Bonelli, Darren Copeland, Neil Gravander, Kate In, Kelly Kirshtner, Regina Martinez, Christina C. Nguyen, Karthik Pandian, and John Shiga.

Artists will be in attendance, followed by a Q&A moderated by Joshua Minsoo Kim of Tone Glow.

Curated by Tom Dixon and Matt Feldman.

Great Lakes Listening Series at Union Cinema | Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology Great Lakes Listening SeriesTuesday, May 5, 2026, 7:00 PMUWM Union Cinema, Milwaukee MSAE is pleased to partner with the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee Department of Film, Video, Animation and New Genres to present the inaugural Great Lakes Listening Series. This experimental listening event pr...

NEW DATE!! Due to a high chance of rain, we have to reschedule our soundwalk this weekend. The new date is next week, Sunday, April 19th. Event details remain the same. We hope you can still join us!!!

Inaudible Cities: A Hybrid Soundwalk Between Here and Now, There and Then

Explore hidden city sounds merging past and present on a cool hybrid soundwalk with interdisciplinary artists, Jacek Smolicki & Sharkey (Sara) Zalek!

RSVP: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/inaudible-cities-a-hybrid-soundwalk-between-here-and-now-there-and-then-tickets-1985461436604

Join us for Inaudible Cities, an exciting in-person soundwalk that blends the present with echoes from the past. Explore the hidden sounds of the city as you wander, bridging here and now with there and then. Perfect for curious ears and adventurous souls eager to experience urban life in a whole new way. Don't miss out on this unique auditory journey!

Inaudible Cities connects the most immediate with temporally and geographically distant soundscapes. Equipped with special audio receivers, participants will follow an itinerary that is partly defined yet largely open to spontaneous encounters. As everyday urban details—water fountains, switchboards, ventilation shafts, sewers, and cobblestones—are processed in real time, they transform into sonic manifestations of the classical elements: earth, water, air, and fire.

Using a customized set of microphones—including geophones, contact microphones, hydrophones, and electromagnetic detectors—Smolicki will gradually capture these familiar sounds, weave them together, and use them as portals to soundscapes of fragile environments documented during his fieldwork on the Pacific West Coast, in the Arctic Circle, at Canaveral National Seashore, and beyond. Participants will be equipped with receivers and headphones through which this slowly evolving composition will be streamed.

The different strategies of working with field recording, transmission, and processing of both immediate and pre-recorded soundscapes will be discussed after the walk.

25 spots will be available. Please bring wired, over-ear headphones (some will be provided).

This Giving Tuesday, The Midwest Society for Acoustic Ecology (MSAE) invites you to renew or begin your membership for 2026. Your support strengthens a network of artists, educators, researchers, and listeners working to deepen public engagement with sound and place.
MSAE is a volunteer-run, member-supported nonprofit. Your participation ensures we can continue producing public programs, supporting community-led sound projects, and advocating for listening as a vital cultural and ecological practice. Join or give now at the link in our bio!

By becoming a member you receive:

    •    Professional development opportunities
    •    Networking with regional and international practitioners
    •    Event announcements and priority invitations
    •    Eligibility to propose or lead MSAE programs
    •    Collaboration opportunities across our Midwest network
    •    Inclusion in our Member Directory
    •    Discounts and early access for select programs
    •    Connection to the World Forum for Acoustic Ecology (WFAE)

With Forest Preserve District of Cook County – We just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉