SoundWalks
The Digital Analysis of Chant Transmission Project has developed a series of SoundWalks through the DACT App (available on Google Play and the Apple App Store). Something like an interactive exhibit, these walks generally include a series of 9-12 installations, often with posters featuring images of manuscript fragments that display medieval liturgical chant notation.
If users are in the app with their “location” turned on, as they approach one of the posters an iBeacon or a GPS signal triggers the app to start playing a recording of an individual or a group singing the music that is on that specific page, or in the case of storytelling in other contexts, the user will hear sounds or speech related to that point along the SoundWalk.
The images and recordings for the SoundWalks can be seen and heard in the app at any time, even if a user is not in the geographical location of a SoundWalk, and thus, the SoundWalk contents are accessible to a wide range of users. Although intended as a mobile, interactive encounter with chant images and sound, there are no barriers to accessing this material (besides having a smartphone and an Internet connection) and, so, it could potentially be used solely within the app for teaching at any level (elementary to university), as a supplementary audio-visual feature in a presentation, or as a resource that succinctly introduces a community of nearly any type to the sights and sounds of medieval chant.
For questions, or to inquire about hosting a DACT SoundWalk in your neighbourhood, please contact:
- DACT Project Director Jennifer Bain
- “Chant Out Loud” Team Lead Kate Helsen (Western University)
- DACT Project Manager Debra Lacoste
Upcoming
Launching on Treaty Day, October 1, 2025
Mi’kmaw SoundWalk
Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Graham Marshall, singer and storyteller; Walter Denny Jr., singer
Produced by Jennifer Bain (Dalhousie University) and Marcia Ostashewski (Cape Breton University), with Ulises García Figueroa, audio recording engineer, and app content management by Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University).
October 18, 2025
Mi'kmaw SoundWalk: Live Performance as part of Nocturne LINK
Graham Marshall (Membertou First Nation)
Kjipuktuk/Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Co-organized by Jennifer Bain (Dalhousie University) and Marcia Ostashewski (Cape Breton University).
2025
September 21, 2025
Singing Musical Fragments: C.A.M.E.L.O.T. Waterloo
St. Jerome’s University, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
For the DRAGEN lab’s C.A.M.E.L.O.T. medieval and archeological conference.
Curated by Kate Helsen. Produced by Olivia Jin (Conrad Grebel University College | University of Waterloo), Kate Steiner (Conrad Grebel University College | University of Waterloo), and Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University).
June 9–11, 2025
Singing Musical Fragments: Waterloo
St. Jerome’s University, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
For the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Medievalists.
Curated by Kate Helsen (Western University). Produced by Kate Helsen, Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University), Kate Steiner (Conrad Grebel University College | University of Waterloo), and Olivia Jin (Conrad Grebel University College | University of Waterloo).
June 9, 2025
Reception and Launch of SoundWalk: "Singing Musical Fragments – Waterloo"
St. Jerome’s University, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
For the annual meeting of the Canadian Society of Medievalists.
Presented by Kate Steiner (Conrad Grebel University College | University of Waterloo) and Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University).
May 22–25, 2025
Singing Musical Fragments: Waterloo
Department of Music at Conrad Grebel University College, University of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada
For the annual meeting of MusCan (Canadian University Music Society)
Curated by Kate Helsen (Western University). Produced by Kate Helsen, Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University), Kate Steiner (Conrad Grebel University College | University of Waterloo), and Olivia Jin (Conrad Grebel University College | University of Waterloo).
May 8-10, 2025
Singing Musical Fragments: Kalamazoo
International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
Curated by Kate Helsen (Western University). Produced by Kate Helsen, Jennifer Bain (Dalhousie University), and Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University).
May 8, 2025
Launch Session: “Singing from Manuscripts: Introducing the Kalamazoo SoundWalk
International Congress on Medieval Studies, Kalamazoo, MI, USA
Presented by Kate Helsen (Western University), Alison Altstatt (University of Northern Iowa), and Anna de Bakker (McGill University); with co-organizers Jennifer Bain (Dalhousie University) and Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University).
2024
November 4, 2024 until the end of the Fall academic term
Chant-Alive SoundWalk: Montreal
McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
In association with an exhibition of manuscripts and fragments from the Library’s Rare Books and Special Collections and a concert by Ensemble Scholastica.
Curated by Kate Helsen (Western University). Produced by Kate Helsen, Anna de Bakker (McGill University), Jennifer Bain (Dalhousie University), and Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University).
April 6, 2024
Singing Musical Fragments: Halifax
Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Presented as part of DACT Workshop 18.
Curated by Kate Helsen (Western University). Produced by Kate Helsen, Jennifer Bain (Dalhousie University), Debra Lacoste (Dalhousie University), and Anna de Bakker (McGill University).
