SERRA SANTA
An artistic creation by Ana Margarida Ferreira
GOAT Community Festival | Fraguinha, São Pedro do Sul
July 2nd to 7th, 2025
Inspired by the eternal legend of Saint Macarius, “Serra Santa” is a sound piece that aims to explore the impact of this tale on the atmosphere of the surrounding villages.
Throughout the piece, you can hear the bleating of sheep and lambs, footsteps on uneven ground, wind, and other ambient sounds that help define the spatial location of the sound action. These elements are occasionally accompanied by vocal layers and sound interventions that suggest a human presence linked to spiritual or community practices.
The piece itself, constructed from archival material provided by Binaural Nodar – Associação Cultural, makes use of field recording techniques, layering, and sound repetition. The sound narrative maintains a constant rhythm, avoiding large dynamic contrasts or abrupt cuts, and opts for a prolonged and continuous listening to the environment and its minimal variations.
“Serra Santa” proposes an attentive listening to a territory, where sound functions as a vehicle of memory, belief, and presence.
ARTISTIC AND TECHNICAL CREDITS:
Author: Ana Margarida Ferreira
Editing: Ana Margarida Ferreira and Andreia Mota
Sound recordings: Celine Direito, Dennis Báthory-Kitsz, Elizabeth Rua, Inês Costa, João Gil, José Gomes, Laurry Malainho, Lina Martins, Luís Costa, Marta Duarte, Nely Ferreira, and Tatiana Rocha
Binaural Nodar is a cultural organization supported by the Portuguese Republic – Culture | Directorate-General for the Arts.