Sound education is a fundamental field of study in contemporary music pedagogy, as it contributes to the development of auditory perception and attentive listening skills, fostering a deeper connection between learners and their sonic environment (Tinkle, 2015). At the same time, folklore, as a living cultural memory, provides a rich sonic archive that can be integrated into sound education, enabling students to explore the relationship between sound, history, traditions, and the natural environment through experiential practices. Within this framework, digital multimodal narratives emerge as an innovative tool that combines sound, image, and interactivity, creating enriched and immersive learning experiences (Robin, 2008; Walzer, 2016). The integration of interactive technologies allows for the personalization of the experience, enabling each participant to explore sound in ways that align with their individual needs and preferences.

This presentation showcases the design and practical implementation of a series of audiovisual interactive narratives that bring together folklore, sound education, and digital technologies. This project incorporates field recordings and video footage from the Sitia Geopark, traditional musical instruments, and folklore-based storytelling elements of the region’s cultural heritage, creating a multisensory environment for experiential learning. The narratives are designed to function as a bridge between oral tradition, contemporary technology, and sound education, with a strong emphasis on the natural environment and acoustic ecology.

The narratives utilize technological tools such as interactive interfaces and multichannel sound design, allowing participants to engage with the sonic content through movement-based interactions. The inclusion of multimedia elements, such as visual stimuli, dynamic environmental soundscapes, and traditional compositions, enhances immersion and fosters a multisensory, experiential engagement. The aim of this application is to cultivate auditory perception and listening awareness through an interactive approach that strengthens the connection between participants, their acoustic environment, and their cultural identity.

This presentation will focus on the design and implementation of these narratives, from the initial concept to their final realization, highlighting the pedagogical, technical, and aesthetic choices that shaped the final outcome. It will also present examples of how these interactive narratives have been applied in educational practice and explore their potential for adaptation to other cultural and pedagogical contexts. Furthermore, it will examine how the use of soundscapes and interactive sonic elements contributes to the development of a new form of auditory literacy, enhancing learning through sensory and immersive experiences (Ceraso, 2014).

• Music and sound education experiences, values, and practices

Konstantina Stavropoulou is a sound artist and music educator based in Athens. Her artistic practice focuses on field recordings, sound design for theater, acoustic augmented reality, and audio documentary production. In 2024, she was awarded the "ENS Louis Lumière – French Institute of Greece Scholarship for Emerging Documentary Sound Creators" at the 26th Thessaloniki Documentary Festival for her works "Sounds & Whispers, Human Roots" and "O Kolombros." In parallel, she designs and conducts sound education workshops for children and adults in collaboration with institutions such as the Foundation for Research & Technology – Hellas (FORTH) and Aristotle University of Thessaloniki.

She holds a bachelor's degree in mathematics from the University of Crete, a diploma in piano and advanced music theory, and a master's degree in music pedagogy from the Department of Music Studies at the Ionian University, where she is currently a PhD candidate. Her research interests span from the application of contemporary digital and interactive sound technologies in the cultivation of aural perception to the study of spatial sound and its influence on the emotional state of the listener. She is actively engaged in both sound art and academic research, aiming to bridge artistic creation with socially beneficial applications.