About the project
Sound Stories is an oral histories and community arts project focusing on interviews and recorded stories from Marlborough residents including farmers, business owners, students, families of multiple generations and newcomers to the area.
With the support of the New York Rural and Traditional Arts Fellowship, local musician and composer, Katie Down has partnered with The Marlboro Free Library and Marlboro High School to collaborate on this unique community arts project and invites anyone living in or from Marlborough to contribute their oral histories, their stories, original poems or music or anything creative to be part of the project.
The oral histories in their entirety will all be archived at the Marlboro Free Library for all to access for years to come and we hope that this will be an ongoing offering beyond the scope of the Sound Stories project.
The Sound Stories project will be realized in 3 phases:
Phase 1 - Gather as many recorded oral histories from the community as possible. We are hoping for 50 interviews by the first week of August.
Phase 2 - Creation of original sound score with parts of each of the oral histories, layered with music and sounds from the town and rual environment to create a sound collage composition for public sound walks in October.
Phase 3 - 4 guided public sound walks in October through the hamlet of Marlboro and the Marlboro Nature Trail, listening on smart phones the recordings of oral histories snippets and gathered sounds.
The project will be realized first in October and will continue again in the Spring of 2027. We will have a community celebration on October 18th at the Falcon open to everyone in Marlborough to share their story, a poem, a song, or part of an oral history in a casual and fun open mic format. Pizza and soft drinks will be provided for the community for this culminating celebration of our town!
How to get involved
We would love to work with you on this project!
Here are the ways you can be invovled:
1. Reach out to us via email at soundstoriesproject@gmail.com to receive a packet that includes an introduction to taking oral histories, a series of questions to ask your interviewees, and consent forms for both interviewee and interviewer to be recorded and for all voices to be included in the sound art project.
2. Take oral histories of your family, friends, neighbors on your phone or personal recording device if you have one and email us the sound file at soundstoriesproject@gmail.com
Or you can borrow one of our dedicated audio recorders at the Marlboro Free Library!
3. Participate on the sound walks as one of our walking guides in October.
4. Participate on the sound walks as a performing artist in October.
5. Come to the Falcon on October 18th from 5:00pm - 7:00pm for a community celebration as a guest and share an original poem, song, or story that reflects your life in the community as part of the open mic and celebration of the project.
Reach out to us with any questions at:
soundstoriesproject@gmail.com
Why Oral Histories?
The Sound of Memory
When we take the time to listen to someone, we are giving them an opportunity not only to connect to a part of themselves but to provide a space for expression of thoughts and feelings, for memories, dreams, and ideas to unfold.
Voices of the Community
Our communities are a reflection and embodiment of each individual. We can shape, change, and cherish all the ways in which people shape how a community sustains itself, develops and grows.
Our Shared History
Our community stories, bridging generations through the power of storytelling and collaborative arts will be archived at the Marlboro Free Library. We will continue to provide opportunities for the sharing of our oral histories through the library and the donated audio recorders provided by the project.
Upcoming Community Events
Upcoming Events
Sound Walk along Marlboro Nature TrailSun, Jul 19Marlboro Nature TrailJul 19, 2026, 9:30 AM – 11:30 AMMarlboro Nature Trail, Parking lot across from St. Mary's Church on 9W, Marlboro NY- Sound Walk along Marlboro Nature TrailSat, Jul 11Marlboro Nature TrailJul 11, 2026, 9:30 AM – 11:00 AMMarlboro Nature Trail, 1260 US-9W, Marlboro, NY 12542, USA
Below are the questions we ask folks during the interviews and these can be answered any way you like!
It's up to you how much you want to share. These oral histories are yours to share with your community, family and friends. The interviews will be incorporated into a sound collage with the use of snippets of the interviews along with sound and music. The interviews in their entirety will be kept with the Marlboro Free Library.
SOUND STORIES ORAL HISTORY QUESTIONS
1. Can you please tell me your first and last name in this format: “My name is…”
2. Where were you born?
3. What is the year in which you were born?
4. Where did you go to school?
5. How long have you or your family lived in Marlborough? (years, generations, months, etc.)
6. Can you share what it was like growing up in Marlborough?
7. Can you share what it’s been like to live in Marlborough if you came here from another town?
8. What is a story about a moment in your life that is significant that you’d like to share?
9. What is the most important part of living in this community for you?
10. What is your current occupation? (working, retired, farmer, cashier, librarian, artist, etc.)
11. Can you talk a little about what you do for a living or what you did if you are retired and how it has impacted your life? Feel free to share details!
12. Do you have any passions, hobbies or interests that you’d like to talk about?
13. What strikes you as a curious, mysterious, funny, or even secret aspect of Marlborough?
14. Is there a song you can recall that has meaning for you? What is the name? Would you care to
hum or sing a few bars of this song?
15. Is there a particular sound that has meaning or a strong association for you, like the sound of
footsteps, or a creaky gate on a fence, a coffee pot percolating, the sound of your family at
the dinner table, the rustle of leaves in the trees, your pet, etc.
16. What future do you hope for the community, and how might you help create it?
17. If there was something you would say to yourself in the past, whether it’s yesterday or 50
years ago, what would you say?
18. If there was something you would say to your future self, whether it’s yourself tomorrow or
fifty years from now, what would you say?
19. Is there anything you’d like to ask me?
20. Is there anything else you’d like us to know about you that we haven’t asked?