Last week started badly when I fell down the stairs at home and ended up in A and E. It was just a bruised back in the end but I got some pretty beefy painkillers. I was so disappointed as I was supposed to be filming at an Autism-specific sixth form college the next day. It felt like I was going to fall behind with my project, that I’d never get enough footage, that my show in May would be a disaster!
All I could do for days in my codeine-induced haze was post the odd call out for help on Twitter and on groups in Facebook.This is what I wrote:
“Hello all! Do you play an instrument (any standard)? Or do you have an object that is so important to you that you have given it a name or gender?
I’m researching the ways that we interact/ communicate with a variety of objects and will be filming these interactions to create an audio-visual orchestra. This will be called the Joy Orchestra. There will be an open workshop to explore these themes in March followed by a screening at the Welsh College of Music and Drama in May.
If you would like to take part DM me or contact me on [email protected]
All participants will receive a piece of art work.”
I’m amazed how coherent it sounds as I was pretty sideways. I was even more amazed and so delighted by all of the responses I got! It’s so humbling that people are really excited by the idea of the project and keen to be involved and help out, especially as there’s only budget for tea and the odd pint in return!
I’ve met up with a wonderful tutor, Ceri Tippets, at the Welsh College who is keen to help with sound. I’ve met up with Chris Young of AcouChristo, a sound artist also interested in working with found (or in my case searched for) sounds. And I’ve just come back from seeing the fabulous BBC National Orchestra of Wales play some fascinating contemporary music by Poul Ruders and Pelle Gudmundsen-Holmgreen, and it looks like I might be able to connect with them in some way too!
What was especially great about seeing the BBC Orchestra of Wales this evening was it reminded me of the way an orchestra moves like one beast, elbows raise together, eyes fix on the conductor at the same time, I will need to remember that in my videos. I also think I’d like to record that space in between movements when everyone has a cough and a wriggle in their chair and the uninitiated might nearly clap.
Loads of other people have responded too: a Ukelele player happy to be filmed, a lady who has a medical device called Flash and a TV called Stevie to name a few! So my terrible week has been transformed into a really exciting start!
Please feel free to comment or get involved! Looking forward to writing more soon and getting some images on here!
