mara schwerdtfeger
Temporary Position Cycles MERGE: heavy drone building / duet voicing i can still hear the strong winds outside portraits x hb archive unrecognised interference practicing conversations autonomous objects
releases
scores promised files first gesture lunga sound archive pioneering women of electronic sound
about

Mara is a sound artist and composer creating performed pieces, and commissioned soundtracks for dance, film, and installations. Her practice explores the crossover between physical and digital environments through the use of field recording and digital manipulation. As well as working with sound, Mara's practice extends to print making, poetry, curating, and coding, frequently mixing these mediums to create works with an emphasis on world building. Informed by interactions and perspectives within environments, her work questions the coexistence and understanding between those who inhabit them. In 2019 she graduated from RMIT with a Bachelor of Design (Digital Media) and went on to attend LungA School (Seyðisfjörður, Iceland) in early 2020. She has been commissioned by SIGNAL, Avantwhatever Festival, Constellations Podcast, Open House, and Mpavillion. Mara currently works with Liquid Architecture producing their podcast series.

maraschwerdtfeger [at] gmail [dot] com
education

2020   LungA School, Seyðisfjörður, Iceland
2019   Bachelor of Design in Digital Media, RMIT
2016   AMEB AmusA Viola Performance
2015   Higher School Certificate, The Conservatorium High School, Sydney

internships

2019   Australian Broadcasting Coorporation, Melbourne
2019   Liquid Architecture, Melbourne

residencies

2021   Church St Studios, Sydney

group exhibitions

2021   Ceramix, Manly Art Gallery and Museum, Sydney
2021   Cycles, Sheffer Gallery, Sydney
2017   Double A-side, Darren Knight Gallery, Sydney

curatorial

2021   Temporary Position with Zoe Baumgartner
2021   Cycles, Sheffer Gallery, Sydney

publications

2021   Floating Apart - Symbiotic Poems
2021   Infinite Rebirth / Immortality, No No No Mag No.1, No More Poetry
2020   Resting Between - Symbiotic Poems, Seyðisfjörður, Iceland
2017   Pioneering Women of Electronic Sound Volume 1, self-published
2017   The Guide to Composers and Koalas Volume 2, self-published
2017   Liquid (lyrics from the album), self-published
2016   The Guide to Composers and Koalas Volumes 1, self-published

commissions

2020   Voicing, Constellations Podcast
2020   I Can Still Hear the Strong Winds Outside, Avantwhater Festival
2019   Unrecognised Interference, Signal Sound Commision

sound design

2021   Monorail – Osmosis, sound for installation
2020   Liquid Architecture Podcast, podcast production and editing
2020   Portraits x HB Archive with Zoe Baumgartner
2019  Handle With Care (RMIT Communication Design Grad Show), sound design for promotional videos and exhibition entrance
2017  Map (Onishi) – Lotte Schwerdtfeger, sound design for installation
2016   Polyp – Lotte Schwerdtfeger, sound design for exhibition
2016   Then I Saw a Bright Layer of Air – Sassy Park, sound design for installation

film score

2020   The Weather Diaries (dir. Kathy Drayton)
2019   Specular (dir. Veronica Charmont)
2019   Bunset Soulevard (dir. Veronica Charmont)
2018   Sensual Healing (dir. Amaya Lang)
2016   Parastas (dir. Marie-Stella McKinney) (Nominated for Best Composer at SFSFF)

dance score

2021   Remember what you heard when you weren't even listening – Arini Byng
2019   Of Space and Time – Angela Valdez
2018   Breathe – Angela Valdez

releases

2021   Akin, with Land Systems (LP - Spirit Level)
2020   Stretching (Music Company – Vector Fields Vol. 2 Compilation)
2020   Feeling (Fluxx – Fluxx Vol. I Compilation)
2019   Slow Dance (EP)
2019   Live at Wylie's Baths – Alaska Orchestra (Live EP)
2017   Missing (LP)
2017   People (1974) ft. Frank (Single)
2017   Shift (Spirit Level – Kindred Spirits: Piano Day compilation)
2016   Liquid (LP)
2016   Exhaustion/Destruction (Single)
2014   Get Lost in the Night (LP)

selected performances

2021  MERGE: Heavy Drone Building, MPavillion, Melbourne
2021  Mono-Poly, Liquid Architecture, Collingwood Yards, Melbourne
2020  MERGE: Duet with the Villa Alba Museum, Melbourne
2018 / 2020   Ambient 1: Music For Airports. written by Brian Eno. Performed by Alaska Orchestra – VividLive / Digital Season, Sydney Opera House (viola, synthesiser, electronics, and vocals)
2018 – 2020   Alaska Orchestra Live Performances (viola, electronics, vocals, synthesiser, harmonium)
2014 – 2020   Lupa J live band (viola, electronics and vocals),
2017 – 2019   Improvised performances with Tilde Joy (viola and electronics)
2019               Candy live band (viola, bass guitar, keyboard)
2017 – 2018   Braille Face live band (viola)
2017 – 2019   The Overheads live band (viola, keyboard, guitar)

remixes

2019   To Be Found – The Overheads
2018   Dearest Friend – Hemm
2016   Numb – Lupa J

mixes

2020   At Home (At Home), Music Company
2020   .wav Artefacts E5 on SkyLab Radio

features

2018   Weight of Air (feat. Leah Kardos & mara) - Tim Shiel
2017   two loners (feat. mara) – Dying Adolescence

poster design

2020   From the South, Jane Doe and the Esplanade Hotel, weekly series
2019   SOCPOP, South of the City and the Esplanade Hotel, weekly series
2019   Big Night In, South of the City and On the Fence Theatre, weekly series
2019   MOAT, South of the City
2019   Lyricism, South of the City

interviews / press

2020   Working with Sound, Australian Audio Guide
2019   Interview on Double Bounce, Triple R, Naarm (Melbourne)
2017   Spirit Level Loves



(image by Zoe Baumgartner
home page images by Lina Kori Schärf-Trauner and Zoe Baumgartner)