METHOD
The two laboratory sessions in February 2025 were led by classical singer Hanna Ailane from Collective Brownout and Formaat, a workshop for participatory theatre in Rotterdam.
How does the voice of one, echoe in the voice of a collective one? Drawing from everyday life— we examined how individuals interpret and/or amplify each other's voices to negotiate encounters and relationships and potentially form collectives. What is a “collective voice” and how can we create and navigate it?
Methods included Games for actors and non-actors (Augusto Boal) exploring participatory performance for collective reflection. Field recordings in the city and listening sessions examined urban soundscapes and questions of amplification. Vocal games and singing circles explored how voices listen, respond, and negotiate alignment or resistance to each other's presence.
The sessions were hosted at Formaat, Rotterdam.
THEORY
Voice, as a fundamental form of human expression, transcends mere sound production—it is, above all, an action. The act of using one’s voice is inherently political, as it shapes and reveals power relations, positioning individuals within social hierarchies. By analyzing how we use our voices, both individually and collectively, we can gain profound insights into dynamics of power, inclusion, and exclusion.
Christopher Small’s concept of musicking (Eidsheim, 2015) marks a significant departure from conventional musicology by emphasizing that music is not simply a product but a process involving all participants—performers, listeners, and organizers. This expanded view highlights that every vocal act contributes to the social environment in which it occurs. Voice, therefore, is not a static object but an action that shapes relationships and social structures.
Political co-creation further illuminates how voice functions as action. The collaborative creative process relies on participants’ abilities to listen, negotiate, and express themselves, often revealing underlying power relations. As articulated in Co-Creation in Theory and Practice (2020), successful co-creation requires acknowledging tensions between participants and fostering mutual trust. The act of voicing within such environments is not neutral—it embodies the negotiation of agency and authority.
Social movements also demonstrate the political nature of voice through collective vocal practices. The ‘human microphone,’ a tactic used in Occupy protests, exemplifies how voice operates beyond the dichotomy of action and representation. Deseriis (2013) argues that participants in the Mic simultaneously occupy the roles of medium and addressee, transforming the collective voice into both a method of communication and a form of embodied political action.
In music composition, James Saunders’ exploration of Group Behaviours as Music (2020) extends this perspective by applying social psychology and decision theory to collective musical processes. His work illustrates how group behaviors can be recreated and observed through sound, offering a lens into power dynamics within controlled environments. The choices individuals make within these group compositions mirror the negotiations of power and agency that occur in broader social contexts.
How do we listen, respond, and align with or resist each other’s presence? What happens when we shift our focus from what is being said to how it is being communicated? And what does this reveal about whose voices are heard, silenced, or amplified in different settings?
