In celebration of World Oceans Day and Jacques Cousteau’s 100th birthday anniversary, Ocean Voices by Halsey Burgund and Wallace J. Nichols :: June 3, 2010; 7:30 pm and 8:30 pm :: California Academy of Sciences, 55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco, CA.

Ocean Voices is a collaboration between Halsey Burgund and marine biologist Wallace J. Nichols. They have been collecting voices for the past year or so from people around the world responding to a few personal questions about the ocean in hopes of spreading ocean awareness through the collective words and thoughts of the participants. Burgund has composed a 30 minute piece of music using these voices as raw material and will be performing it in surround sound with live musicians in the Morrison Planetarium at CAS.

Two of Jacques Cousteau’s grandchildren – Fabien and Céline Cousteau – will speak before each performance about the importance of ocean conservation. Halsey Burgund will perform the musical piece with his group, aesthetic evidence.

Burgund and Nichols will continue to collect more voices via the website and the newly released Ocean Voices iPhone app/ — thank you earsmack.com — and will be performing the piece in other venues. Currently, they are slated for a show in NYC as part of Céline Cousteau’s Ocean Inspiration event in the Fall and hope to do a show at the Museum of Science in Boston as well. They’re always looking for additional venues, so let them know if you have ideas!

Halsey Burgund currently works as a musician and sound artist living on the outskirts of Boston. Both his installations and musical performances make extensive use of spoken human voice recordings as musical elements, alongside traditional and electronic instruments. He collects these voices from otherwise uninvolved individuals whom he records in various locations, from museums to street corners to rock clubs.

Wallace “J.” Nichols spends his time discovering nature. He spent his youth exploring oceans and forests, as well as his own family history. Through field research, his work with commercial fishermen, and the time he spends in coastal villages, he encounters among people a common appreciation for the ocean’s beauty, abundance and mysteries.

Currently, J. works with several universities and organizations to advance ocean protection, including as a Research Associate for the California Academy of Sciences, Research Scientist at the Ocean Conservancy, Conservation Science Advisor for ProPeninsula, on a global bycatch study with Duke University and Blue Ocean Institute, and he has served as an advisor or board member of Turtle Island Restoration Network, Biosphere Foundation, Animal Alliance, Coastwalk, Drylands Institute, Oceana, and Reef Protection International.