weaving Voices 01.04.2025 issuu - Flipbook - Page 29
in groups; making space for conductor games; creating two versions of
your loop (e.g. a theme and a solo variation); establishing a common key
or scale for the piece to make it more harmonic; choosing words from a
specific topic (e.g. your names, favourite food, slang words and so on).
Aha! moment: You do not need real singing in order to get into a groove
– playing around with words and rhythm in a really simple way is perfectly
enough to create a cool and enjoyable atmosphere.
CIRCLE SONG
Description: Choose a well-known song – this could be anything from a
Mozart aria to a nursery rhyme to Poker Face – or any melody you like (or
make up) and sing the tune over and over. The choir voices spontaneously
create new parts/background vocals to go with the tune while listening to
it repeatedly. The new composed parts may not necessarily be melodious
in nature – they can be percussive or atmospheric too.
Aha! moment: What can be more glorious than singing a simple tune
round and round again and experiencing the change that happens along
the way?
See also Circlesongs by Bobby McFerrin.51
CONDUCTOR GAME
Description: This is a free improvisational game, where everything is
completely left to the individual imagination. You will need a ‘conductor’
to direct the choir (anyone is capable of doing this), using any kind
of movement or gesture. The choir members will try to translate the
movements of the conductor into sound as accurately as possible.
Interpretation is completely individual and free, just make sure you react
as quickly as possible to the changes in movement. The choir can be
divided into smaller groups during the game and a ‘sub-conductor’ can be
assigned to them. The conductor can hand over the directing to someone
else at any point, allowing everyone to have a go at leading.
Aha! moment: As a conductor, you w
ill have the chance to experience a solo role, even if it means pushing
your own limits – when directing is passed on to you, you must accept
and give it a try. When you do and the choir follows your movements, the
experience of their full attention and your freedom to do whatever you like
can feel empowering. As a member of the choir, the wonder is in the 100%
focus on the person in front of you, tuning in to every small move they
51 Circlesongs - Bobby McFerrin (2023) Bobby McFerrin. Available at: https://bobbymcferrin.com/circlesongs/
[Accessed 22 Jun. 2024].
make, giving in to their will with sounds or silence. There is no bad or ugly,
there is only the expression of what you see in the movements. It is truly
liberating.
Example: Conductor Game by Soharóza and Bélaműhely. 52
(It is also possible to develop a toolbox of signs alongside the abstract
conductor moves: consensual signs that can be used for more specific choral
improvisation exercises. See also Soundpainting 53 by Walter Thompson or
Vocal Painting 54 by Jim Daus Hjernøe.)
FOREST DIVE
Description: This is a perfect exercise for focusing on the internal sounds of
participants if you have access to a natural environment nearby. We ask the
group not to speak or make any sound at the beginning. We silently leave
the room with the guidance of a leader (the only person allowed to speak),
who may stop at some point and ask participants to start listening to, and
feeling the environment. Use the eyes, ears and skin to deeply connect to
the outer world. We slowly walk into a designated space in the forest in
silence at a slow pace and form a circle. The leader needs to soften the tone
of their voice, since all senses are refined now. The task is to take a good 10
to 30 minutes (depending on the available time of the group) to go and find
a spot in the forest alone, and to observe something as closely as possible.
It can be a tree trunk, a spot on the soil or movements of animals. Note
every little detail, become an expert of that space. After the given time,
the leader puts participants in small groups (3-4 people) and asks them to
create a short performance of their experiences, but without speaking. No
verbal sharing is allowed. When the groups are ready, we gather in a circle
in silence, and the groups show their performance (if consented to by each
member). When they share, the audience can choose to collaborate by
copying the movement and sound. After the sharing, we all return back to
the room, slowly, silently and mindfully.
Aha! moment: This game is a perfect tool for grounding a group of
people individually and as a whole as well. It requires a great deal of selfdiscipline and trust, but with that in hand, it can make a lifelong impact
on participants. Experiencing collective silence can build a deeper
understanding of unspoken connection and offer a new way to perceive
music in general.
52 Bélaműhely Soharóza Karmesterjáték 2015 (2016) YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bd8fruG34iE [Accessed 22 Jun. 2024].
53 Soundpainting - The Art of Live Composition (n.d.) Soundpainting. Available at: http://www.soundpainting.
com/ [Accessed 22 Jun. 2024].
54 The Intelligent Choir (n.d.) The Intelligent Choir. Available at: https://theintelligentchoir.com/ [Accessed 22
Jun. 2024].
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