The Hangout: Franco Schoeman's B1DR, a revolutionary approach to music and conservation

Some people were just born to change the game. It’s wild how brave certain humans are, and how, sometimes, dreams really do come true. Especially the kind of dreams that are less about fame and fortune and more about making lives better. Not just for people either, but for animals too. Imagine that. A dream that helps elephants. A dream that can be felt by the hearing impaired. A dream that blends science, technology, conservation and music in a way I’ve never seen (or heard) before.

That dream belongs to Franco Schoeman. Musical genius, creative force, and all-round trailblazer. I’ve always known he was ridiculously talented performing as amaFranx but what I didn’t know is that he’s also been studying all sorts of big brainy things while composing and performing. He’s got those fancy letters MMus next to his name, and if you didn’t know what that means, don’t worry, neither did I until recently.

A MMus is a Master of Music. Almost like how Master Splinter is the master of Ninjutsu in the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Schoeman is a proper ninja too! I digress. 

So, it’s a postgrad degree that mixes advanced creative work like performance or composition with research and a big old thesis. It dives into musicology, music education, music technology, therapy, performance, you name it. People with this qualification often go into academia, arts management or other very official-sounding careers, and it can even lead to a PhD. See what I mean? He’s a proper overachiever.

But back to the magic. I got to witness something very special. A performance, a show, a sensory experience like no other. It’s called B1DR, which kinda stands for BEWONDER. And it really is a wonder.

Here’s the coolest bit. Elephants communicate using deep bass infrasound, which can travel over long distances and is mostly inaudible to humans. It’s like they’ve got their own private language. Franco found a way to tap into that world, to “listen in” on their frequencies, and then use that same infrasound technology in music and performance. The result? A completely visceral experience that you don’t just hear. You feel it. Literally. Through your whole body.

That’s why this project is so special for the hearing impaired. It opens up a whole new way to access music. Not through the ears, but through sensation. Energy. Vibration. Emotion. And that’s exactly what the debut of B1DR did on 8 September at the Fairtree Atterbury Theatre in Pretoria. The show, called Beyond Silence, launched during Deaf Awareness Month and was created in partnership with Whispers Speech and Hearing Centre. People with varying degrees of hearing loss were invited to attend and experience music in a brand new, immersive, full-body way. Additionally, Grace Coetzee’s visuals brought it to life so beautifully too. Inspired by animal communication, especially that of elephants, this was not just a concert. It was a feeling. 

But wait, there’s more. Franco isn’t just making incredible music. He’s using this infrasonic tech in real-world conservation efforts too. He and his team are developing “elephant gates,” safe passage corridors in Africa that use infrasonic frequencies to gently guide elephants across landscapes. This year, Franco, along with Ascendo Immersive Audio and Marc Sherratt Sustainability Architects, took this idea global. They travelled to Italy to showcase their exhibit, Talking to Elephants, at the 19th International Architecture Exhibition of La Biennale di Venezia. 

Franco says technology has given us the tools to bring infrasound into the modern world, and we’re only just beginning to discover its potential. From wildlife conservation to human wellness, from artistic innovation to therapeutic experiences, the possibilities are endless. And to that I say: yes please.

This project has the power to change lives, and quite honestly, I think it will. Music has always been a universal language, but Franco has taken that one step further. Now it’s a language elephants can understand. Now it’s a language the hearing impaired can feel. Now it’s something bigger than all of us. A reminder of what happens when passion meets purpose and art meets science.

Okay, I’ve tried my best to explain things the best way I can and how I understand it and to share my wondrous experience but I’d so love you to check it all out for yourself at www.b1dr.world

Here’s hoping B1DR hits stages all over the world. The elephants are cheering. So am I.