The very first expedition undertaken by the TBA21-Academy on its explorer vessel – the Dardanella – took Academy fellows and new participants to the northern coast of Iceland, on the edge of the Arctic Circle.

It marked the beginning of a long-term collaboration between the two sound artists Jana Winderenand Chris Watsonand TBA21-Academy. With this field-recording trip the Academy laid the grounds for its commitment to sound art and the acoustic environment of the oceans as well as its focus on the development of an ambisonic sound system.

Jana Winderen captured and preserved the sounds fish and their environments for her project Silencing of the Reefs as well as the sounds of cracking ice.
Chris Watson initiated his Deep Blue Notes project that is an investigation and celebration of the sounds and songs of the oceans. During this expedition to shores of Northern Iceland, he recorded the songs of the Blue whale.

Both projects were scientifically supported by marine biologist and Director of the Husavik Research Center, Dr. Marianne Rasmussen and Prof. Tony Myatt, back then Director of the Center for Music at York University, as the sound expert who gave technical guidance to the projects while starting the development of underwater ambisonic recordings.

The Academy activities on board of the M/Y Dardanella were documented by a professional photographer.