- Observe how nature does things and infuse it into your composition, whether it’s rhythmical, harmonic or the feeling of motion.
- If you have a block, you should try to take some of your musical elements to
the extreme, then back to a fitting level
Re-tell how the last year of pandemic has felt for them by means of a musical dialogue as individuals, musicians, family members, partners, citizens etc. By opening their ears and hearts, and trusting each other, they will respond to each other's musical phrases. Did the duo partner just express deep sadness, longing or perhaps excitement because of her/his catharsis on life and its existential questions in times when "everything stopped"? How will the duo partner react; words of comfort, approval, or maybe disagreeing and indicating to something else?
It doesn't have to be necessarily a dialogue/call and response kind of performance. A response or expression can be manifested through words/monologue/sentences or sounds too, not just the instrument.
The duo members think about 2 songs each (preferably not too complex) which they like, e.g. something from each ones country folk repertoire or similar. The other member chooses 1 out of his/her partner given songs and they make an improvised arrangement of the songs (think easy and leave space).
One of the two improvises a small rhythmic phrase (4 beats, for instance) and the other responds with another 4 beats. You can repeat this as long as you like. It is as if the first person is asking questions and the second is answering them.
Each person separately (20 min?):
1. think about one piece know well (maybe that you can play) that really inspires and moves you.
2. go through the piece mentally, listen or play informally some sections and Individuate a
maximum of 4 key characters, emotions or moods it creates. Take your time to have them as vivid and nuanced as possible.
3. go through the key feelings mentally and see how they relate to each other to create a
narrative. Write it down in a clear and consequential way.
Duo together, the whole section to be done in turns :
1. Explain your partner the narrative of feelings/characters you found, so they understand and connect with it as you do.
4. Now it’s the time to let go of the piece you both have been inspired! Take only the emotional framework and fill it in with your common artistic outcome. you recall the same narrative of moods with your own creation.
Use different and uncommon ways to play your “instrument”. You might want to copy the sound that the other person is creating or you could think of one certain sound you would like to imitate together.
Donʼt forget to play with soul and emotions!
Can you think of different 'scenes' from which your performance is composed? And what is the thread throughout these scenes?
- It made me feel grateful and honored to be part of this conservatory with its great musicians and this project
- For me it was dream, I could picture a story in my head.
- It reminded me on the feeling that you fall asleep on the beach, the sound of the ships and waves.
- It was interesting to see how they could speak with each other and how these two quite different instruments could relate.
- I realized that the visual aspect is part of the performances’ effect, too.
- Difficult, where and how to start, should we play our genres?
- Take space to explore!
- Have a nice talk with you peer, and see where differences and common ground is
- It was a real rollercoaster, a story, like a painting.
- The fun they added to the show was great fun for the audience.
- What touched me the most that everything was completely unexpected.
- The music was suggesting depth and a physical setting that could trigger your imagination.
- It was like a story of sensations, almost like physical sensations for the listener.
- I found it great to get something that is totally unexpected every time again.
- The story everybody experienced will be very different.
- It was like a dream with short pieces of stories going on to the next.
- It was great to hear the feedback and that our ideas were heard and understood.
- It was very interesting how the two mediums mixed.
- I liked that you committed to acting and speaking, I was impressed by how it was curated.
- I like that everything is so different from each other. Now having seen three (performances) I have so many ideas and it is very inspiring.
- Hearing two perspectives of two very different instruments combined was great.
- We agreed on bringing music we both know from our background, and then try to compromise a bit so that the other can join on the others piece.
- For another opportunity, with more time, I would like to learn more about jazz in order to fit in more.
- One brought sheet music, but I did not understand the rhythm, I learned that
- Stay in your own expertise, switch orders who has the lead a bit depending on the repertoire
- Have a script, with cues so you always know where you are, a structure
- The music was like an image, like travelling; I am impressed how everybody is so creative but different
- Taking one idea and making the most out of it
- There came a point of complete fusion between the two of you; some moments were really cinematic
- It was amazing, I think I am going to love electronics.
- It was the perfect match,
- Once I saw his This Is Me video I wanted to work with him, he had the same. It all developed very naturally.
- It was almost magical, he had a lot of things that I was lacking in making music; we did not talk about concept, just focusing on the sound and playing. It was flowing, I followed him, he followed me.
- I have never been involved in a collaborative project like this one, where you could get the thoughts of the viewers afterwards. It means a lot. I appreciate every single one of you.
- I can’t read a single chord; he dragged me in the best possible way into a more structured way of playing. We were in status, in middle ground - I was pushing him, he was pushing me
- We would create a story without knowing what the story would be.
- So great how different we all are in this group.
- It was like you were cooking in front of us.
- I didn’t see that with the previous performances,
- It was nice to see that you had a lot of fun, made me having fun, too. Interesting, that you played more music from your own cultures I guess, that is something we did not hear before.
- It kept going, you never stopped, always played something new. The performance was a choreography, too.
- I liked the fact that I never knew what was coming.
- Next time we calculate the time better,
- We connected the most when we talked about our music or traditional music.
- We did not know what to do before. We just decided to play and to see what was going to happen.
- I had so much fun, I wanted to do it again and again. I have never done something like this before.
- The visual aspect really added to what makes it interesting.
- Do not organize and practice perfectly. See what happens when you connect with each other.
- My advice is to be flexible. Let other things happen and be open for other ideas.
- Beautiful audio-visual experience. I found myself in movie like scenes. It was nice how you guys played with the role of who played what!
- I really like the different places / spaces /colors you created. It was very vivid.
- I like seeing that ideas of other duo’s come back in a other/new way.
- I like the aspect of getting inspired by the other’s ideas.
- Perfect soundtrack for a video game that I definitely would play. You were really a perfect team.
- I am a big fan of Sonology and art of sound since this project. This combination was gold, it was amazing.
- The way you interacted was really balanced. It did not feel like you prepared it in one day. It was spontaneous but very balanced.
- I felt like each one of you had their own space to show their specialty. It was an imaginary journey you carry us into
- A word that describes it very well is imaginary. The music takes you to certain places or spaces.
- You discover places and sounds, you get intrigued watching it.
- We wanted to see which images would come up to other people’s minds when we played it.
- We did not really practice the piece from the beginning to the end until the first take.
- Search for flexibility, be in balance.
- It was impressive to hear what the group visualizes while hearing it (our work).
- It was good to get a bigger picture to see which way we could go and have some contact points in our musical taste!
- We had a lot of ideas and had a very honest discussion about it. It was very organic.
- Once we would get excited with the same ideas then we would use them.
Duo 4: jazz piano & sonology
The duo played a beat-based set of electronic music. The piano added improvisations on top of live electronics, drum machines, and sound effects, while using camera effects on props as a dramatic tool.
Without talking too much, we trusted our gut feelings and started playing.
We did a few takes to record a short performance with only one thing in mind - creating a world of sound and building it up by using all the things we have.
Duo 1: jazz guitar & baroque trumpet
The duo performed one long tune with several parts, using some existing compositions as well as improvising. They put the range, sound and character of their instruments in a central position.
We started playing from the first moment, try to find the sound of our duo.
We wanted to create a little journey of moods and characters.
Duo 3: jazz drums & classical violin
The duo chose a poem to create the script for their program using several existing compositions, which they arranged for violin, drums and electronics while combining these with storytelling. Some parts were improvised and some parts used electronics and live effects.
First, we agreed upon using music one of us already knew and then try to make a piece for drum and violin for it. Then we sought for some funny poems in which we could incorporate our music.
Duo 5: jazz vocals & Art of Sound (guitar)
The duo combines different ideas in their performance including folkloric music, dance and lyrics followed by an instrumental playground, using multiple instruments, and creating loops and layers of sounds and rhythms. They finish the performance in a dreamy and open way with harp sounds combined with guitar effects and soundscapes.
After the first part we started being free on the instruments creating different loops and dancing around.
We decided to create something based on the traditional music of our countries and based onthe idea that we loved the variety of instruments in the room.
Duo 2: jazz double bass & art of sound (piano)
The duo presented a theatrical performance including free improvisations, existing compositions, and storytelling crossfading into each other. Different atmospheres were created with the use of several (unconventional) instruments like percussion, bass, piano and live electronics.
We figured that we had a lot in common, musically and in the way we perceive arts, and with a stream of ideas we already had the full concept of our piece by 12 o'clock.
We started working out our ideas on our instruments, starting with the order of the animals in the food chain, and which instruments work best for which animal.
Duo 6: classical piano & art of sound
This duo created a exciting journey using electronics on the grand piano while going in and out of classical compositions and improvisations, using phrases for loops, deformed parts with sound effects to create abstract clusters as well as dreamy soundscapes.
We stumbled upon some initial ideas, sketched out a brief storyline and brainstormed which musical triggers we’ll use to change the direction of the piece.
* The videos were supposed to be seen by the participants only. Due to that the recording quality did not have to be representable. Later the researchers decided, together with the participants, that the artistic results are interesting and should be shared after all.
E. Description of the Group Project presentation
The performance starts off with an usual camera angle, text and atmospheric soundscapes set the tone of what is about to come. The piece continues by going in and out of classical compositions, partly improvised parts, soundscapes using effects and loops, storytelling transitions, jazz- and pop compositions as well as original compositions of the group’s members.
The story line is called ‘the seasons’, and is divided in 4 musical parts, supported occasionally withshort text interludes. For each part the musicians are involved in various combinations, where each one is both playing within her or his own specialty (comfort zone) as well outside of it. Classical (or baroque) trained musicians improvise on chord changes or grooves, while students of the jazz department or Art of Sound join existing classical compositions. In addition the instrumentalists use extended techniques to create new and alternative sounds on their instruments, interact with their peers from Sonology or Art of Sound, constantly adding sound effects to the music. Several participants play additional – not their main – instruments, use their voice for text or singing in order to add extra layers.
After 31 minutes of shifting fragments of music filled with storytelling and sound effects played by interchanging participants, the group ends their performance with a self-written chorale which has the effect of uniting the group at the end.