Sound Performance | Soothing Sounds for Baby

In 1962, pioneer American electronic-music composer Raymond Scott released Soothing Sounds for Baby, three records of ambient electronic music designed to lull babies to sleep. Each record targeted a different age group—one to six, six to twelve, and twelve to eighteen months—the music getting more complex with each volume.

In conjunction with our exhibition, Duty of Care, Madeleine Cocolas and Joseph Burgess present compositions inspired by the idea of therapeutic music. Cocolas’ collage soundscape will incorporate field recordings, whale song, breathing, vintage nursery rhymes, binaural beats, the voice of Sigmund Freud, and more. Burgess’s quadrophonic composition will draw on Scott’s three-part generative structure and incorporate modular synths, live strings, and plunderphonics.

Accessibility 

We are committed to making the IMA accessible to people of all abilities, their families, and carers, as well as visitors of different ages and different backgrounds.

The gallery entrance is on the ground floor of the Judith Wright Arts Centre, on Berwick Street. There is wheelchair access and an accessible toilet with baby changing facilities also located on the ground floor, and we welcome guide and support dogs.

If you plan to attend this event and have specific support needs we can accommodate, please contact engagement@ima.org.au, call (07) 3252 5750, or ask our friendly staff on-site. Read our full access information for visitors here.⁠  

Artist Biographies

Madeleine Cocolas is a Meanjin/Brisbane–based composer who creates post classical and ambient instrumental music. Her work moves between lush soundscapes to experimental electronics, field recordings and solo piano, and her expansive and rich harmonic textures stake out territory at the heart of contemporary electronic music. Released by Room40, her album Spectral garnered positive notices from Pitchfork, The Wire, and Electronic Sound, and featured on Bandcamp’s Album of the Day.

Joseph Burgess' (aka Unregistered Master Builder) creative practice rests at the axis between textiles, motion and sound. He has contributed to projects across Europe, North-America, the Middle-East and Australia. Most recently deploying projects with Atelier Sisu (AU) and Barcelona-based Onion Labs (ES) as an animator and sound artist. Currently residing in Meanjin, he is a director of KEPK and has focused on curating long-form durational sound projects and experimental showcases. Burgess is currently undertaking a Master's by research exploring the interface between romantic-era technology and the absence of sound in modern-carpet making.