Improvisation, electronic music and video performance and passion are truly the ingredients for Happiness. On Friday the 1st of July I had the privilege of hosting a workshop that brought two inspirational musical forces together.
Tralala Blip from Lismore in NSW Australia are an amazing electronic ensemble led by Randolf Reiman. The groups participants have a range of disabilities but their performances as a premier electronic music ensemble have led them to open the prestigious Liquid Architecture Festival of Art and sound at Brisbane Powerhouse and be invited to tour Germany later this year.
The Down Syndrome Association of Queensland has had a long association with QUT and Sweetfreedom Inc when producing the award winning music video My Life My Voice. DSAQ Music therapist Kate Fletcher leads two choirs of DSAQ members on the north and south side of Brisbane and is currently recording a CD of the members own songs.
‘If music be the food of love.’ could not have been a better summary of what happened at this workshop 20 + people gathered together including parents carers and musicians in a hive of activity in OD417- a QUT music computer music technology lab. We began the workshop with a brief introduction and then had a Subway lunch and informal chats between participants. Then we got down to work. A few were a little shy to begin with but laughter and smiles. bright colourful images projected and curious electronic instruments with flashing lights and tactile interfaces melted the shyness and evoked an amazing atmosphere. The formulae was simple. Tra la la Blip showed how they improvised with sounds and manipulated the sounds with samplers and triggered them with controllers. They performed then invited participants to join them singing using the microphone with processed sounds and samples. Great laughter erupted around the myriad of wonderful vocal sounds DSAQ young people made with beatboxing and just plain funny noises that were turned into electronic masterpieces by TLB. Then the singers, songwriters and poets stepped up. A new electronic version of my life my voice was performed as an improvised collage of voice and grooves and sonic textures. A version of Johhny B Goode sang to a techno improvisation with stunning timbres and grooves. And then the beautiful lyrics expressing love for parents and siblings touched us all. A room full of smiles. Engagement with all kinds of things, the music, the instruments and most of all each other. Many thanks to the parents and young people for such a wonderful day. Thanks to the Admin staff of QUT John & Rhonda who helped us make the day such a success. Thanks too to John Ong who helped with sound engineering and setup of the equipment. We are looking forward to beginning our own electronic bands in Brisbane under the mentorship and inspiration of TLB and Randolf and Kate. The goal is a two location dance party release at the end of 2011. Watch this space for DIScovering Ebilities.