Re:sound #110: The Quiet Show

This hour: meditations on whispering, selective mutism, and a man who records some of the quietest sounds in the world.

2009 / TCF / WBEZ, USA


This hour: meditations on whispering, selective mutism, and a man who records some of the quietest sounds in the world.

Whisper Essay
by Laura Mayer (Re:sound premiere, 2009)
A whispered meditation on... whispering.

El's Story
by Natalie Kestecher (ABC's Radio Eye, 2008)
A small number of adults in the world -- no one knows quite how many -- suffer from a rare disorder called selective mutism. They're unable to speak with anyone outside their immediate family and they communicate by writing notes, or using a keyboard or sign language. Natalie Kestecher profiles a young woman with selective mutism, who shares stories about her attempts to interact with the wider world.

Secret Worlds
by Delaney Hall (Re:sound premiere, 2009)
Chris Watson is a big deal in the world of field recording. He's created documentaries for the BBC and done sound design for David Attenborough and other wildlife documentarians. He's created sound installations all over the world and collaborated with musicians inspired by his work. He specializes in the sounds and music of nature: from the tiny, almost imperceptible sound of ants' footsteps to the thunderous groan of icebergs.

This episode of Re:sound was produced by Delaney Hall.

produced by

Laura Mayer

Laura Mayer is a journalist living in New York City. She graduated from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University and is interested in interactive audio storytelling within an online environment.

Natalie Kestecher

Natalie Kestecher (@kestecher) is an award winning writer and producer who blends documentary material, performance,fact and sometimes fiction to create stories that she hopes will resonate.


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