What does your city sound like?
What does your city sound like?
With the help of augmented reality (AR), Brisbane residents and visitors can now experience the city through sound with only their phones, their feet and a pair of headphones.
City Symphony, co-created by UQ’s Associate Professor Eve Klein, has been launched in Brisbane as part of the World Science Festival’s Curiocity Brisbane.
It's the first artwork in the world to combine AR game music with places in the community.
Dr Klein, from UQ’s School of Music, said the immersive music experience combines community engagement with interactive world-building, utilising sound to create connections to place.
“This exciting interactive mobile app, City Symphony, streams a personal cinematic soundtrack while you stroll through Brisbane’s streets and landmarks, revealing a world of audio based on your location,” Dr Klein said.
Developed in partnership with Queensland Music Festival, the augmented reality artwork overlays all of Brisbane CBD, featuring hundreds of local artists and community members.
City Symphony was created by Dr Klein in collaboration with Ravi Glasser-Vora, an engineer, coder and videographer currently studying mathematics and statistics at UQ.
Dr Eve Klein
“We have worked with writers, actors and musicians to create a soundtrack for Brisbane,” she said.
“You can literally step inside and remix the music of artists like Kate Miller-Heidke and The Ancient Bloods.
“You can walk alongside a refugee, hear about meeting a first love, and share in secrets people tell Maiwar, the Brisbane River.”
Other musicians, artists and storytellers featured in the exhibition include Hope D, David Hudson, Anisa Nandaula and Kathleen Jennings.
Running from 24 June–24 July, City Symphony’s interactive technologies are different for each user.
“We take real-time information from a person’s mobile phone and combine it with environmental data to generate unique music and story experiences for each listener,” she said.
The City Symphony mobile app is free to download.
Dr Klein said the music and stories encourage people to explore Brisbane City, hear local music and meet people with different life experiences. They encourage audiences to be curious about Brisbane and its people.
“Brisbane City is treated like an open-world game space to encourage people to meet someone different from themselves and feel more connected to this place we all share,” she said.
“This is a choose your own adventure, so all you need to do is download the app, pick a spot on the map, put your headphones in and start.
“With your phone and your feet, you walk the city and discover Brisbane's stories, sounds and songs.”
Dr Eve Klein
Dr Eve Klein
The City Symphony mobile app is free to download.
The City Symphony mobile app is free to download.
Users of the City Symphony mobile app can choose to explore 9 pathways and sites around the city.
The app takes users to sites of cultural significance, including gathering places, green spaces, art pieces and natural features.
Iconic Brisbane locations such as the City Botanic Gardens, the Goodwill Bridge and Queen Street Mall are among the sites featured.
Brisbane residents and visitors can also take part in guided tours that will take them on a journey through each site around the city.
Curiocity Brisbane, presented by the Queensland Museum Network, is also hosting creative workshops, seminars, tours and mini-trails around Brisbane’s South Bank and CBD.
The City Symphony app is free to download on the App Store and Google Play.
More information is available on the City Symphony website.
Media: Dr Eve Klein, e.klein@uq.edu.au, +61 (0) 435 258 262.
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