In a busy digital world, Billy Burke loves the idea of young people exploring the real world for objects that make interesting noises.
A member of noise-collective Ulterior Noises – Billy helps young people make sound-based objects out of found materials.
So, think banging the pots and pans with a microphone attached to capture a unique kitchen symphony.
It might not be music to the ears in the traditional sense, but Billy says sound-making empowers young people to confidently engage in creative self-expression.
“It could be a mundane object, it could be a crate in the street, and you convert it to a unique object through expression,” said Billy.
“You can find an old empty gas cylinder, add a contact microphone, hit the cylinder and it vibrates, and you can create wonderful sounds.”
Ulterior Noises will mentor young people through three experimental-noise workshops which culminates in a showcase of their work at Monster Mouse Studio during Youth Week in April.
The project received funding from Inner west Council through the 2022 Grant Program, which helps support a culturally diverse, progressive and sustainable Inner West.
“The grant has been very helpful and it’s exciting to have access to this type of funding to support a lot of the things in the creative spaces, and the advice we get along the way is also really helpful,” said Billy.
In all, Council awarded 69 grants across eight funding streams including arts, community wellbeing, environment, recreation, and multicultural grants.
The workshops will run during the autumn school holidays on 17, 19 and 21 April and Billy says the approach for Ulterior Noises is strictly ‘hands-on not scroll-on’.
“Maybe they will play with a broken guitar and play with the limitations, take it further, it will be found objects put together and there is endless potential to create their own personal things.”
Ulterior Noises will have their showcase on Friday 21 April in Marrickville and viewers can expect the unexpected.
“It’s a band; we’ll make noise and music and are hoping to have 16 to 24 year-olds, high school students and university students with an artistic musical inclination,” Billy said.
Ulterior Noises had a stall at the Marrickville Music Festival and enjoyed strong support for the concept which emerged during lock-down, out of a desire for more direct engagement.
“We want to support musical confidence, for young people to be curious, to share the sounds the instrument makes and make a symphony.”
