This workshop was designed to expose the children to the rich world of electro-acoustic text pieces.
With using their own texts, my aim was to show them the playfulness and the many creative possibilities inherited when using verbal language in a non-ordinary manner. How text, in which we use every day, can expand to further dimensions beyond the simple, one layer meaning of words. Therefore, discovering the expression hidden in pronunciation, tone, texture of voice, emphasis etc. These are characteristics creating the texture called speech. When unfolding phrases, sentences and words, many profound opportunities occur, allowing the possibility of music to happen: expression, dynamics, accents, micro melodic motives, rhythms and many more. All of which exist and are in use in our daily life and common verbal communication, however, due to our habit of specific focus on the word and its meaning, we often tend to miss these special sounds inhabited deeply in our regular communication.
The workshop is based preliminary on physical comprehension of expression, thus embodying expression in body movement. Once established, text is added, transferring the movement expression into verbal expression. The path from this point on to music making is clear and obvious for the children.
During the workshop, the children create their own texts, in groups, connecting fragments from texts they brought from home, to which they feel connected.
The workshop involves exercises in movement combined with speech, much team work, musical games in small ensembles and as a choir, creative writing and finally composing, when the groups compose their own text pieces using the text they wrote.
At the end of the workshop, each composing group is recording her own piece, according to the score they made.
From their recordings, I later edited the electro-acoustic text pieces, using only the recordings themselves without any external effects.
The process revealed unexpected creativity and comprehension abilities from the children. Though the concept of text pieces being abstract and hard to hold on to, it was finally a fun, natural, yet still challenging and fascinating task, or even - game for the children.
With using their own texts, my aim was to show them the playfulness and the many creative possibilities inherited when using verbal language in a non-ordinary manner. How text, in which we use every day, can expand to further dimensions beyond the simple, one layer meaning of words. Therefore, discovering the expression hidden in pronunciation, tone, texture of voice, emphasis etc. These are characteristics creating the texture called speech. When unfolding phrases, sentences and words, many profound opportunities occur, allowing the possibility of music to happen: expression, dynamics, accents, micro melodic motives, rhythms and many more. All of which exist and are in use in our daily life and common verbal communication, however, due to our habit of specific focus on the word and its meaning, we often tend to miss these special sounds inhabited deeply in our regular communication.
The workshop is based preliminary on physical comprehension of expression, thus embodying expression in body movement. Once established, text is added, transferring the movement expression into verbal expression. The path from this point on to music making is clear and obvious for the children.
During the workshop, the children create their own texts, in groups, connecting fragments from texts they brought from home, to which they feel connected.
The workshop involves exercises in movement combined with speech, much team work, musical games in small ensembles and as a choir, creative writing and finally composing, when the groups compose their own text pieces using the text they wrote.
At the end of the workshop, each composing group is recording her own piece, according to the score they made.
From their recordings, I later edited the electro-acoustic text pieces, using only the recordings themselves without any external effects.
The process revealed unexpected creativity and comprehension abilities from the children. Though the concept of text pieces being abstract and hard to hold on to, it was finally a fun, natural, yet still challenging and fascinating task, or even - game for the children.
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