About
Raymond Sookram MA, BA (Hons) is a Founding Editor, Reviewer and Associate Editor (Issues 1 and 2) at Sonic Scope Journal, audiovisual scholar, lecturer, recording artist, pianist, drummer and current postgraduate student in the PhD pathway in Music at Goldsmiths, University of London.
An experienced lecturer and public speaker, Raymond is a Lecturer in Music at Samford University’s London Study Centre, teaching music theory, film music and British culture, and Guest Lecturer at Goldsmiths, University of London, teaching film and video game music. His case studies range from Spirited Away to interactive music in The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. Additionally, Raymond has chaired several sessions at conferences by the European Ludomusicology Group for Video Game Music Research.
As an audiovisual scholar, Raymond’s research delves into numerous areas concerning interactive sound and cultures – including video games – alongside categories involving televisions series, films, commercials, news programming, comics, psychology and politics. Raymond is currently researching imaginary worlds and their intersection with audiovisual media, a key focus of his PhD. He has presented the initial stages of his Paracosmic Multimedia theory at conferences, including the European Ludomusicology Group’s Ludo2019 conference, with a published video essay outlining his work.
Raymond’s academic focus has broadened within and beyond video game music to recently encompass major popular musical works and political expression in music. His research has included examinations on transmedial sound and parody of the Batman franchise within Level 2 of The Simpsons Game, Marvin Gaye’s What’s Going On, Bernard Herrmann’s film score to Psycho, the argument for politicised speech as a form of popular music (e.g. protest chanting and mashup videos of politicians’ speeches), and the role of popular music to represent character profiles in The Simpsons Hit & Run and Grand Theft Auto V.
Alongside his research, Raymond has released albums which focus on ambient soundscapes and improvisation.
Editorial and Administrative Responsibilities
Founding Editor, Reviewer and Associate Editor (Issues 1 and 2)
(January 2020 - PRESENT)
Editorial Assistant to Dr Holly Rogers and Professor Carol Vernallis
(January 2019 - PRESENT)
Twentieth Century Music textbook for Cambridge University Press (Forthcoming)
Cybermedia: Explorations in Science, Sound, and Vision (2021)
Transmedia Directors: Artistry, Industry and New Audiovisual Aesthetics (2020)
Teaching and Marking
Lecturer in Music
(January 2022 to PRESENT)
Teaching foundations of music theory, film music and British culture. Case studies include music from The Crown, music videos, speeches by Queen Elizabeth II and Winston Churchill, music by Billie Eilish, Radiohead, David Bowie, Sir Edward Elgar and Frédéric Chopin.
Marked coursework encouraging students to combine learned music and film theory knowledge with prominent locations in London, UK.
(Samford University, London Study Centre)
Guest Lecturer
(March 2022 to PRESENT)
Taught seminars, tutorials and marked student essays for Music in Film.
Taught lecture on video game music for Third Year Advanced Topics in Music and Screen Media module.
(Goldsmiths, University of London)
External Marker
(June 2021)
Marked student audiovisual works for the Introduction to Audiovisual Composition module.
(Goldsmiths, University of London)
Associate Lecturer
(September 2019 to September 2020)
Taught lectures, seminars, tutorials and marked student essays for Second Year Music in Film module.
Taught lecture on video game music for Third Year Advanced Topics in Music and Screen Media module. Created and presented as an online lecture in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
(Goldsmiths, University of London)
External Marker
(December 2019 to PRESENT)
Marked student essays and literature reviews for Year 2 Writing About Music module.
Marked student essays for Popular Music Debates module.
(The Institute of Contemporary Music Performance (ICMP))
Undergraduate Tutor
(November 2018 to January 2019)
Essay writing for undergraduate music student on emergence of glam rock in 1970s Britain.
(Goldsmiths, University of London)
Presentations and Public Speaking
Chair
(11th July 2024)
Session 3 - Performing Traditions
(Ludo2024, The Thirteenth European Conference on Video Game Music and Sound, Tecnocampus - UPF in Mataró, Spain)
Research Talk
(20th February 2024)
‘Exploring Paracosmic Multimedia and The Simpsons Game’
(Presented as part of the Music Research Series, Goldsmiths, University of London)
Chair
(23rd March 2023)
Session 2 - Non-Human Encounters
(Ludo2023, The Twelfth European Conference on Video Game Music and Sound, University of Edinburgh)
Chair
(21st April 2022)
Session 2 - Technologies of Potential
(Ludo2022, The Eleventh European Conference on Video Game Music and Sound, virtual conference)
Chair
(24th April 2021)
Session 4 - Starts, Stops and the In-Between
(Ludo2021, The Tenth European Conference on Video Game Music and Sound, virtual conference)
Conference Paper
(28th April 2019)
’Paracosmic Multimedia: Transmedia Characters and Video Game Music’
(Presented at Paper Ludo2019, The Eighth European Conference on Video Game Music and Sound)
Research Talk
(26th May 2017)
‘Exploring Bart Simpsons’ Musical Representation in The Simpsons and The Simpsons Hit & Run’
(Presented at the Fourth Westminster-Goldsmiths Symposium for Student Research)
Lecture Talk
(2nd May 2017)
‘From Parody to Brexit to President Trump: (Re)Examining Politicised Speech as Popular Music’
(Presented as part of the Music Research Series, Goldsmiths, University of London)
Creative Work
Drummer
Puny Humanz with Matt Hom and Anton Michael
Piano Improvisation
‘Moments (Live at Brunel University London)’ with Anton Michael
Piano and Strings