ZHAO JIAJING
赵嘉旌



Acousmatic Compositions
Installations & Multimedia

Sound Design & Soundtracks

Information
CV
Naiad
2025
Stereo
6’04”

Naiad is an acousmatic composition that explores the hidden sound ecologies of the littoral zone—the shallow, near-shore area of wetlands—through a fictional journey from the perspective of a naiad. Created in collaboration with the WWT London Wetland Centre, the piece turns attention away from the familiar symphony of birds and insects overhead, and instead bends low to listen to the often overlooked vibrational soundscape around and beneath the water’s surface.

Using hydrophones submerged in ponds and attached to emergent vegetation, I captured a lively vibroscape—sounds only accessible through direct contact. These recordings reveal subtle conversations between amphibians, insects, and fish. They also include the crackling and fizzing of submerged plants during photosynthesis—a sound world largely inaudible to the unaided human ear. The composition adopts a minimalistic approach to preserve the natural rhythm and sonic detail of the recorded material. Abstraction is used with restraint to enhance spectral colour and shape the musical narrative.

Naiad invites listeners to inhabit alternative model of listening, attuning to the neglected micro-sonic dimension of the wetland—an ecological space felt more than heard, vibrating with submerged life and unheard presences. 



Journal



The composition begins with raw sound recorded using hydrophones attached to reeds. As the spring breeze moves through them, the reeds produce subtle, organic sonic gestures that form the foundation of the piece.
The water system in the wetlands is mostly silent, requiring experimentation with different locations to capture usable recordings.
The percussive sound that appears midway through the composition was first discovered here. It was my very first recording of the field trip, so I initially assumed it might be an electrical spark caused by my equipment. I checked my technical setup—no issues found. Later, after encountering the same sound again and again throughout the wetland park, I became convinced it must be produced by underwater creatures.
My favourite spot for hydrophone recording – I spotted a rich underwater symphony here, which is featured towards the conclusion of the composition.
Recording the sound of photosynthesis is extremely quiet and requires significant amplification. I can only hope it was a sunny day.




ZHAO JIAING 赵 嘉旌
Composer, Sound Designer, interdisciplinary Artist
jiajingzhao96(at)gmail(dot)com