Creating our own Carnival
An interactive, interdisciplinary concert and workshop, for children. Combining Paganini’s famous Theme and Variations for Violin with theater, movement, dance, masks and costumes
The 24 different variations on the theme of Carnevale di Venezia present different characters going to the carnival. What is so unique about the carnival of venice, is that all are wearing masks. When you put on a mask, you can be whoever you wish to be, just for one night.
Each variation is a character, a mask. The children, divided to groups by variation (each group is a variation), create their own character to match the musical atmosphere of their given variation.
During the workshop, inspired and driven by the music, the children discover the characteristics of their ‘mask’: who is it? what is the name of the character? Is it old or young? A man or a woman? Slow or fast? How does it walk? Or does it at all just dance? What ‘color’ is it? Where is it from? How does it feel? After establishing these main characteristics, the children create their own presentation of the character, as a group in the carnival.
Constantly accompanied live by Zvuv’s trio arrangement of the piece for String trio, meant to keep the musical guideline present and inspiring for the children’s creative process, they create the masks, costumes and finally group choreography, reflecting the character they’ve created from the music.
In the end of the workshop, the real carnival begins, when each group performs her variation, accompanied live by Zvuv.
This concept brings together many of the passions Zvuv is driven from. The use of a cornerstone classical piece, as a raw material for further creative activity, through which we give the opportunity for the children to come closer to classical repertoire and discover its wonders and magic’s. Through the interdisciplinary approach we take by using various art forms alongside the musical piece, we create an underlayer of deeper understanding of the music and its power, a more profound way of listening, which is not only the ‘pure’ pleasure from the musical material, but also a bridge to connect that with the messages hidden in the piece, which might escape from an untrained, young listener.
Experiencing the music not only with their ears, but also with the body, in movement, with the mind, in analyzing and evoking creative thinking, with the eyes and hands, in creating art works, keeps the children connects in all senses and leaves them with an unforgettable experience of joy from their own creations.
It is very important for us to keep everything we do as live as possible, therefore we stand also for live performance of any repertoire, and believe much in arranging and adopting the existing repertoire for our and the children’s needs.
The results of this workshop were truly astonishing. The children’s enthusiasm and excitement about the concept of creating and later making their own creation come to life on stage motivated them for a great team work, both in the social and creative sense. Gradually we saw the characters building up, coming to life with a unique identity, clearly inspired by Paganini’s variations.
The children could create a whole world around a short piece of music, which was a lively, learning and inspiring experience for all taking part.
An interactive, interdisciplinary concert and workshop, for children. Combining Paganini’s famous Theme and Variations for Violin with theater, movement, dance, masks and costumes
The 24 different variations on the theme of Carnevale di Venezia present different characters going to the carnival. What is so unique about the carnival of venice, is that all are wearing masks. When you put on a mask, you can be whoever you wish to be, just for one night.
Each variation is a character, a mask. The children, divided to groups by variation (each group is a variation), create their own character to match the musical atmosphere of their given variation.
During the workshop, inspired and driven by the music, the children discover the characteristics of their ‘mask’: who is it? what is the name of the character? Is it old or young? A man or a woman? Slow or fast? How does it walk? Or does it at all just dance? What ‘color’ is it? Where is it from? How does it feel? After establishing these main characteristics, the children create their own presentation of the character, as a group in the carnival.
Constantly accompanied live by Zvuv’s trio arrangement of the piece for String trio, meant to keep the musical guideline present and inspiring for the children’s creative process, they create the masks, costumes and finally group choreography, reflecting the character they’ve created from the music.
In the end of the workshop, the real carnival begins, when each group performs her variation, accompanied live by Zvuv.
This concept brings together many of the passions Zvuv is driven from. The use of a cornerstone classical piece, as a raw material for further creative activity, through which we give the opportunity for the children to come closer to classical repertoire and discover its wonders and magic’s. Through the interdisciplinary approach we take by using various art forms alongside the musical piece, we create an underlayer of deeper understanding of the music and its power, a more profound way of listening, which is not only the ‘pure’ pleasure from the musical material, but also a bridge to connect that with the messages hidden in the piece, which might escape from an untrained, young listener.
Experiencing the music not only with their ears, but also with the body, in movement, with the mind, in analyzing and evoking creative thinking, with the eyes and hands, in creating art works, keeps the children connects in all senses and leaves them with an unforgettable experience of joy from their own creations.
It is very important for us to keep everything we do as live as possible, therefore we stand also for live performance of any repertoire, and believe much in arranging and adopting the existing repertoire for our and the children’s needs.
The results of this workshop were truly astonishing. The children’s enthusiasm and excitement about the concept of creating and later making their own creation come to life on stage motivated them for a great team work, both in the social and creative sense. Gradually we saw the characters building up, coming to life with a unique identity, clearly inspired by Paganini’s variations.
The children could create a whole world around a short piece of music, which was a lively, learning and inspiring experience for all taking part.
