Rea Beaumont
University of Toronto
Rea Beaumont is the recipient of the SOCAN Foundation / MusCan Award of Excellence for the Advancement of Research in Canadian Music. An internationally recognized concert pianist and composer, Beaumont is known for her powerful performances and beautifully curated albums that highlight important global issues, including climate change. She has premiered many works in collaboration with leading composers, including R. Murray Schafer, and her own works continue to be broadcast around the world. Beaumont is a leading authority on Canadian music, which she shares through a wide range of publications. She has received awards and grants from The Canada Council for the Arts, Ontario Arts Council, British Columbia Arts Council, SOCAN, Toronto Arts Council. www.reabeaumont.com
Exploring R. Murray Schafer’s Work in the Context of Transforming Tradition and (Re-)Tuning the World
Technological advances have increased the level of noise pollution, however the world was effectively ‘silenced’ during the COVID-19 global pandemic, as traffic and commercial flights diminished exponentially. In this framework Rea Beaumont explores R. Murray Schafer’s book The Tuning of the World that presents case studies comparing historical and modern soundscapes. Evolving from his World Soundscape Project, Schafer details sonic classifications and creates groundbreaking methodologies that encourage participants to be more engaged with their acoustic environment. Compositionally, his largest work Patria, is a series of twelve music dramas of epic proportions. Several are performed outdoors and embrace the sounds of nature. Beaumont provides a contemporary context for Schafer’s pioneering work in acoustic ecology with the possibility of people becoming more ‘in tune’ with the future auditory landscape.
