The River project is an exploration of World Music culture. This story/music
workshop spins a tale of musical and cultural discovery. It is a
fantasy-journey in which children play unusual world music percussion
instruments, encountering a variety of ideas that link world music cultures. We
look at the way music is generated from animal and nature sounds typical of
equatorial rainforests in Indonesia, Africa, South America. We explore desert
music rhythms from Egypt/Morocco, and enchanted music for Mysterious Mountains
and Magic Castles.
The River is ideal for pre-five and early primary pupils. Children both play and
listen to music. It can be presented as a one-off event or as a series of
sessions. A session can last for a full hour, during which several episodes can
be explored. This workshop has a flexible structure. A special version of this
workshop takes place over 3 half-days in which participants become more deeply
involved as participants and musicians.
One day, in a small village on the River, the residents decided to hold a town
meeting. They wanted to know where their river could take them. No one remembered where the river went, and everyone was curious! What would they find?
Within a short time they had built a good boat. With everyone comfortably seated, they started up the Rhythm Engines and set off
on their adventure to many remarkable places . . . .
15 participants
1-2 hour session, or
several one hour sessions
Maker had made the sky far too low. People were always bumping their heads
against it. It was too difficult to walk upright! Not only that, but the Maker
had created far too many languages, and no one could understand anyone else.
Communication was nearly impossible. And so we began to work together to solve the problems . . . learning songs,
music, movements and words that everyone could understand. All together, we
would need to push up the sky to a better height.
15-60 participants, 2 - 4 hours.
Adults/children, Community, ASN
Pushing Up The Sky explores community, communication and group identity, in a
story-telling, music and movement event of about two hours duration. Again we
draw from a tale told by the North American Snohomish Indians.
Village concepts translate into contemporary experience. Everyone moves,
everyone makes music.
In Journey To Shadow World, participants cross over the threshold of visibility into a world where shadows
and invisibles live. This shadow world is a different place indeed. Imagine Halloween where familiar people are a little different. The
shadow-self becomes our guide as participants dance, make music, sing songs and
tell stories to find their way home. Returning home poses challenging problems
as participants discover certain benefits to invisibility.
Animated with elements of African storytelling and Shadow Puppet traditions of
Indonesia, all aspects of the journey are unpredictable as participants make
unique story shaping decisions. The whole tapestry of events are woven together
with vibrant music from the Luminous collection of world percussion instruments
as musicians try to connect all the pieces of the puzzle.
Suitable for children who have some interesting decisions to make about
regaining and cultivating visibility.
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Ideal capacity 15-30, negotiable.
Children ages 7 - 10
Community, families
2 hours