Interview: Maya Torres on Listening to Landscapes — Presenting Sensory Portfolios (2026)

Interview: Maya Torres on Listening to Landscapes — Presenting Sensory Portfolios (2026)

Hook: Maya Torres is a sound artist and curator whose sensory portfolios have redefined how institutions commission environmental scores. In this interview she explains her approach to listening, portfolio curation and presenting work for commissioning bodies in 2026.

Q: How has your practice changed in recent years?

Maya Torres: I’ve shifted from making standalone installations to building sensory portfolios — collections of short works and field captures packaged with context, usage notes and modular stems so commissioners can audition textures quickly. The approach is influenced by cross‑disciplinary presentation trends and the idea of quiet reading spaces becoming incubators for investigative work; pieces like Quiet Rooms and Curious Minds helped crystallise the role of listening rooms as commissioning labs.

Q: What makes a strong sensory portfolio?

Maya: Curators want the ability to preview material in situ. That means bundled stems, short demo edits, contextual notes and a small set of use licenses. I also include a live preview file and a minimal scene rendering so programmers can imagine placement. Responsive image and audio pipelines are crucial; visual direction often shapes how sound is perceived — resources such as Responsive Art Direction are surprisingly useful for audio visualizers.

Q: How do you source your field material?

Maya: I walk intentionally. Slow walks, a few locations per week, and careful metadata collection. I also keep a small field kit and prioritize redundancy. For composers interested in field capture practices, guides like the Lightweight Scenery Kit are practical starting points.

Q: What are commissioners looking for in 2026?

Maya: They want clarity: what can they do with a piece, how it scales, and whether the artist can adapt textures for different contexts. They also value low friction delivery — a simple licensing page and clear descriptor tags help. It’s wise to think like a platform: if your assets can be presented with good metadata, they’ll be easier to license.

Q: How should composers think about touring commissions and safety?

Maya: Touring is a logistical challenge. Composers need modular kits, short rider expectations, and an understanding of venue safety rules. Documents on how live event safety rules are shifting in 2026 are particularly relevant for touring projects: see Live‑Event Safety Rules.

Q: Any tactical advice for presenting to galleries and festivals?

Maya: Package two listening experiences: a 5–8 minute curated walk and a palette of stems. Provide a short technical rider and a sample installation plan. If you’re showing work publicly, consider the AV and power strategies used by pop‑up organisers — the Organizer’s Toolkit is a good reference for event planners and artists alike.

Closing Thoughts

Maya: Treat every portfolio as a small exhibition. Anticipate how programmers will audition and build for those paths. Above all, keep listening.

“Curating sound is the same as curating a show: context is everything.” — Maya Torres