Natalia Mamcarczyk

What did you do before joining dBs?  

I spent a few years at dBs, throughout different roles. Technician, administrator, admissions advisor, lecturer, so all those are part of my present and past.

Other than that, I did quite a few radio shows, DJ'd around Bristol, and worked at bars and events. If you rewind the wheel of time a bit more I completed a degree in European Studies (with focus on Eastern Europe and Scandinavia), and Social Science.

Why did you first get into immersive audio?

I was fascinated by expanding possibilities of recording and designing soundscapes. Immersive Audio technology allows for sharing of very intimate listening audio experiences, allowing for the participant to be taken to the place the sound creator instigates. I remember experiencing Ambisonics for the first time, recorded and played by Chris Watson, during a sound artist residency in French Pyrenees. From the moment I heard the envelopment of the space we just experienced, coming out of the surrounding speakers, I realised I needed to be able to work with this format.

Any special areas of interest?  

My main research interest is within understanding human and musician response to immersive audio tools. With it being such a fantastic format for artistic communication, it still presents a lot of challenges on interactivity.

Beyond that I’m fascinated by creating narratives within sound by the use of pre-existing voices, amplifying their meaning with noisy sound design and a lot of distortion. I like music and sound to challenge the human condition, and ask questions that fall beyond the comfort zone.

What do you love most about what you do?

There is something quite special in giving already talented young people the tools to discover and push their creativity. I’m just showing students the different methods and areas that they can explore. That’s the scary bit. Once I see them pick these pathways up and take their projects into new grounds, it provides an incredible level of satisfaction and (hopefully for them) empowerment.

Tell us about your proudest career moment?

Playing a live AV show at the Cube at one of the Young Echo nights. It was certainly one of the most fulfilling performances, surrounded by fantastic, inspiring artists, and in a very special venue.

I was a keen follower of Young Echo’s aesthetic, which I found to align with my own imagination of what sound and music should be. A collective of musicians who create the very magnetic relationship between themselves and the audience, a very unique ecosystem for sound to occur. Having the chance to express myself very freely in such a live music environment felt very special to me.

What do you get up to outside of your role at dBs?

I’m a fan of hiking and coastal walking. You can sometimes spot me in the countryside, balancing the weight of a field recorder and camping gear in my backpack. Hiking and recording don’t always go hand in hand, but the results can be very satisfying, especially when capturing remote locations.

Aside from that, I work on a variety of workshops and experiences that can bring immersive audio closer to our communities and audiences, and work on related research projects.

Tell us something our students may not know about you?

I fancy starting a punk/noise band. Any drummers around (synth drummers are more than good enough!)?!

Apart from that, I’m a traditionally trained pianist and improvisor. Regretfully, I don’t play enough (from the lack of piano ownership in the UK), but I’m always keen to help with music theory.

Also, I’m obsessed with the (conceptual) idea of time travel and related subjects. It might be, because I have too many projects on the go, and not enough days in the week to complete them…

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