Two Examples of audio essays are included here. They both come from undergraduate courses taught at UNC-Chapel Hill.

Musicality of the Moment This project began when the author started recording snippets of musicians playing in public while studying abroad in the city of Prague. It explores the ways that audio can capture aspects of culture. Rather than weaving multiple layers of sound effects together, the piece takes a more limited approach, bringing emphasis to the voice and the music being discussed in the essay.

Home This essay blends personal experience with storytelling as a way of explicating the concept of home. The piece uses a number of audio samples to create a sense of atmosphere. It also uses sound effects to punctuate moments in the narration.

To get a sense of some of the composing decisions associated with this kind of project, you can also examine a video reflection that covers the process.