Hildegard Westerkamp

**Hildegard Westerkamp** is a trailblazing composer and environmental sound artist whose work turns everyday noises into mesmerizing sonic adventures. Born in Germany and based in Canada since the 1960s, she’s a key figure in the *World Soundscape Project*, a movement that treats soundscapes as living ecosystems worth preserving. Think of her as a sonic ecologist—she’s spent decades recording bustling cities, whispering forests, and bustling markets (like her piece *Into India*), blending these field recordings into immersive compositions that make you rethink how you listen.

Her releases, like *KLAVIERKLANG* (a playful exploration of piano textures) and the politically charged *Harangue I*, showcase her knack for transforming ordinary sounds—typewriters, traffic, voices—into hypnotic, thought-provoking art. Beyond her music, Westerkamp is a passionate educator and advocate for “deep listening,” encouraging folks to tune into the soundscapes around them. Her work isn’t just about music; it’s a gentle nudge to notice the hidden symphonies in our daily lives.