If you attended the performance of Bat Night Market during LIFT 2024 back in June, you may have noticed (or even heard) some “bat chatter” and background sounds as you immersed yourself in our futuristic, Taiwanese night market…
This year, we were proud to collaborate with the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, where 15 early-career Composers and Sound Designers from its BMus Film Music course (Electronic and Produced Music Department) had the opportunity to design original soundscapes used throughout the performance space during the world premiere at the Science Gallery London.
This cohort of students entered a commissioned process for the very first time in their careers, working alongside a live brief set by lead artists Kuang-Yi Ku (Taipei/Eindhoven) and Robert Charles Johnson (London).
Earlier on in the summer, we sat down with Bronte Tucker, the lead Sound Designer for this collaboration and a current fourth year composer at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Catch the interview with Bronte below and find out more about this unique collaboration and what it was like for her and the other students to hear the soundscapes live for the first time within the performance!
How did it make you feel to hear the soundscapes for the first time?
Walking in and hearing how the sounds were applied was an incredibly special and proud moment. The process of recording and designing the soundscapes was a real joy. At times, sound design doesn’t always get the attention it deserves from audiences, but having our work present and highlighted throughout the project made us all feel really valued.
One of the most special aspects for me was seeing everything come to life at the installation itself. The way sound interacted with the space and the audience created an immersive atmosphere that felt both magical and transportive. Walking through the market, hearing my work blend seamlessly with the environment, gave me a real sense of pride and felt so rewarding. It was a reminder of how powerful sound can be in shaping experiences, and I left the project feeling inspired to continue pushing creative boundaries in future work. Being part of something that brought so many unique voices together was truly unforgettable.
What experience would you take from this collaboration with LIFT?
Working on this project with LIFT was my first-time designing sound for an installation space and I learnt so much. LIFT’s Production team and the lead artists were brilliant in constantly communicating with us and offering feedback at every available opportunity. It was such an interesting subject matter, and I would definitely be open to working with artists and speculative designers in future projects and collaborations.
How did you find the balance between leading on the sound design and your own personal studies?
At Guildhall, we have been lucky enough to have training that involves so many diverse, external projects which often overlap, so we have learnt how to handle multiple responsibilities all at once. Moreover, this experience creating sound design was beneficial to enrich my academic and professional portfolio of work going forwards, which I can present to future employers.
How did you feel the soundscapes influenced the atmosphere experienced by the audience?
I felt that the soundscapes really helped to put another layer onto the immersive and interactive feeling that audiences experienced. The sounds added another depth and dimension which I felt enhanced the emotional impact of the event, helping to evoke specific moods and drawing the audiences into the narrative.
Could you explain more about the steps you took to interpret the brief provided by LIFT, either individually or collectively as a group?
For myself, as there were many different areas to consider, the direction varied quite a bit. Developing the sound design for the games, I reflected the artist’s vision to highlight the futuristic elements that were in keeping with the whole theme of the project, so I was inspired by 8-bit style gaming sound effects. I also wanted to make it as interactive as possible in that the higher you score, the more layered and fuller the sound design would be. Whereas for the animation, the sound briefs were extremely detailed from the artists which was incredibly helpful for us as a group of sound designers, forming a strong basis for the concepts of the individual sections which would be heard by audiences throughout the performance space.
How did you arrive at the final soundscapes?
I first began experimenting with some of the brilliant bat recordings provided to us at the beginning of the project, particularly because this was a huge and influential factor of the sound designs heard via headphones during the performance. During moments when audiences were experiencing the tastings, I wanted to incorporate a sense of dining into the soundscapes, so I recorded sounds relating to this, such as cutlery and plates moving, which then formed a percussive element, combining these sounds with the bat ‘chatter’ to create a consistent soundscape. Communication with the artists and with LIFT was brilliant and several rounds of sound versions/drafts were heard and reflected upon before the finalised product was delivered which met all parties’ artistic visions.
How would you summarise your experience of working on this project with LIFT and the lead artists?
It was an incredibly enriching experience, offering me a lot of artistic freedom to interpret the briefs from the creative directors. Their feedback was always clear and supportive, which made the process even more enjoyable. The project also brought together students and creatives from different backgrounds, resulting in a vibrant and diverse showcase of work. I loved being able to experiment with new ideas, exploring different soundscapes and textures that complemented the visual elements of the installation.
Explore more about Bronte
@brontetuckercomposer
Images of Bat Night Market
