Music and sound in 37

What's your role as Composer & Sound Designer? How does music/sound contribute to the storytelling in this work?

The lines often blur between sound design and composition, particularly when one person is responsible for both roles. Different shows demand a different balance between these disciplines. In 37, I primarily see my role as a composer. However, there are moments—such as working with speaker placement, signal sends, and sound levels—where I step into the role of sound designer.

The show was previously performed at the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA) with the same director, so many decisions about where sound and music would be placed, as well as their overall character, had already been established. From my perspective, I wanted to further refine the contrasting worlds of the White football club and the traditional Aboriginal Marngrook worlds. My aim was to preserve their distinctiveness while also making them more complementary during the football matches where the two intersect.

James Henry in rehearsal. Photo: Josh Scott

What kinds of instruments/sounds have you used in this show?

Isaac Drandic, the director, wanted to represent traditional football culture through the club anthems. To achieve this, I limited my sound palette to brass and percussion—particularly the snare drum—to evoke a military vibe. These elements allowed me to create bold, rhythmic textures while also incorporating subtle, atmospheric underscoring. For the Aboriginal world, I used voice as texture alongside clapsticks to ground the sound design in cultural authenticity.

During the football matches, I found a neutral sonic territory that bridged these worlds using taiko drums and other natural drum loops and samples. At the end of the play, I introduced organic-sounding pads to complement the emotional tone of the scene and evoke a sense of spirituality. Currawong calls were also included to further tie the soundscape to the team. 

The Season 2024 cast of 37. Photo: Pia Johnson

Tell us about the music and sound in the opening moments of the show.

The opening of the show was designed to evoke the spiritual world as much as possible. I combined pads and vocals, recording the cast to create most of the vocal textures. This approach felt like a meaningful way to incorporate their spirit into the sound design. It was inspired by the set design idea where the cast and crew added their handprints to an image of a currawong in the change room.

Through choreography and direction, distinct contrasts were established between pre-match, during the match and post-match. I emphasised this through tight beginnings and endings in the football match music. Isaac played a key role in shaping these decisions, including the balance of the siren and whistle sounds. Finding the right levels for these elements was crucial to ensure they had impact without overwhelming the audience.

The Season 2024 cast of 37. Photo: Pia Johnson

Do you consciously use music/sound to manipulate mood? If so, can you give an example?

Tempo played a significant role in setting the mood of each scene and intensifying the action. Even within the same tempo, rhythmic choices shaped the scene’s dynamics. For instance, in a particular football match, Jayma was isolated on the field while the rest of the team operated like a well-oiled military unit. To reflect this, I used strong percussion when the team was the focus and reduced it when Jayma took centre stage. Using QLab, I carefully balanced unity and contrast through devamping [a technique used in sound design to allow performers to follow the timing of music] to make the scene cohesive yet distinctive in its moments.

Do you consciously use music/sound to manipulate tension? If so, can you give an example?

Tension in the show was often achieved through non-rhythmic moments. Brass and snare provided understated underscoring, where their timbres created tension without being overtly musical. Syncopation in the football match rhythms added energy and subtle tension, while dissonance and atonality were sparingly employed to heighten drama. I was mindful not to make the manipulation too obvious to the audience, often using long fades to ease sounds into the mix. This approach ensured the audience could feel the atmosphere before consciously noticing the sound, with fade durations and levels carefully calibrated to achieve the desired effect.