Stereo Pair 'switched on' launch event

Stereo Pair 'switched on' launch event John Crank Gardens, Brunel University London, Uxbridge

We are delighted to invite you to the launch, and ‘switch on’ of Stereo Pair: a new permanent outdoor sound installation by Artist-in-Residence Phil Coy, installed in one of Brunel University London’s loveliest outdoor spaces, the John Crank Gardens.

The event celebrates Stereo Pair (2021) – a new site-sensitive public sound installation at the heart of Brunel’s campus.

The two solid-state passive sound amplifiers enhance the ambient sounds of our Green Flag Award-winning space, from listless leaves to clicking insects. When the  speaker cabinets are added, the conical forms become active amplifiers, transforming the gardens into an egalitarian performance space.

From noon, enjoy the ambience of the garden and prerecorded music selected by Phil Coy.

From 2pm, Phil will be joined by the author, journalist and Professor of Modern Thought, Will Self, and Experimental Particle Physicist, Professor Akram Khan. Together they will delve deeper into some of the local influences that shaped the work, including Brunel's original brutalist architecture (as featured in Stanley Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange), the sonic boom of nearby airports, the HMV Gramophone factory and the invention of stereo sound. Phil Coy will be available for questions throughout the afternoon.

For the 'switch on' of Stereo Pair, Phil has selected a playlist of sound works from musicians and sound artists that draw on the rich mix of resonant histories associated with the location.

These include Blumlein’s first ever recording of stereo sound at Hayes & Harlington Station; Ruaidhri Mannion’s new composition Idir chorp agus anam conceived to celebrate the unique spatial and sonic properties of the work; and recorded work from Duane Eddy’s, Movin’ N’ Groovin’ (which was recorded in a water tank to achieve reverberation) alongside contemporary pieces such as Mary Hurrell’s StereoSkin (2017).

Do dress comfortably for the weather on the day. Shelter and light refreshments will be available in a marquee.