Chamber Made is redefining the boundaries of sound with Listening Acts, an immersive takeover of Melbourne Recital Centre for the Now or Never festival.
From August 22-24, the venue’s public and hidden spaces will transform into a playground of experimental audio, blending live performances and interactive installations that challenge how we perceive sound, memory, and identity.
“Listening Acts transforms everyday sounds into something profound, strange and moving,” says Chamber Made Artistic Director Tamara Saulwick. “How do we hear ourselves and each other through the layers of technology, trauma and time?”
The experience invites audiences to encounter hospital machines singing (Song to the Cell), water coolers whispering AI-generated gossip (Chit + Chat), and ancestral voices echoing through the walls (In Silence).
Three intimate live performances anchor the program, including Tactile Piece for Human Ears, a binaural headphone experience that warps acoustic reality, and sounding forms / forming sounds, which makes vibrations physically palpable.
Six free installations—from Rebecca Bracewell’s decaying accordion loops (Accordion Without Organs) to Anna Liebzeit’s suspended hair sculpture (With Ghosts)—guide visitors through a journey of sonic discovery.
Part concert, part exhibition, and entirely unconventional, Listening Acts aims to turn passive hearing into active engagement, proving that sound isn’t just something we consume—it’s something we feel. Tickets and details: melbournerecital.com.au.
