Tomáš Šenkýřík

Sound map of South Moravia

Tomáš Šenkyřík came from the field of music, but today he often moves in interdisciplinary circles, which is especially true for his field recordings of the sounds of natural and landscape environments. He presents his work though music CDs, lectures, on the internet or gallery installations. Primarily his recordings come from the surroundings of his home town Židlochovice and from the region of South Moravia. His ambition is to capture the sonic identity of these places and how they are being transformed. In addition to his musical perspective, he also deals with the natural or environmental levels of the place, when, for example, the gradual disappearance of frog chorus signals the destructive drying out of a habitat; or the increasing intensity of a bird’s song is a reaction to higher levels of anthropogenic noise. These interests are also reflected in his work as vice-mayor of Židlochovice, where he emphasises ecological and environmental issues, such as water retention in the landscape.

Šenkýřík is a member of several associations. Under the name Skupina, a group who records and publishes its own and others’ field recordings, and focuses on sound phenomena of the interconnections between the cultural and natural spheres. In addition, he is a member of the international CENSE, a network of artists working in this and related genres. Šenkýřík’s interdisciplinary activities contribute to the knowledge of the region, its ecology and problems, education, and caring for the place.