Composition and Digital Media
This session has been developed with the goal of introducing students to the fascinating world of communal composition, music technology, sound design, improvisatory practices and interpretation of animated scores; where creativity, team group alliance, and musical sensitivity are core elements for a unique moment of exploration. Inspired in the famous “In C” by Terry Riley during the gathering, participants will be invited to create an improvisatory moment overlapping the two: an electronic component digitally designed collaboratively in class, on top of an acoustic spontaneous element, that will be the result of the performance of students when improvising pattern-like sounds emerged of the reading of a video animated score.
On the one hand, to create the digital electronic sounds, students will be requested to provide everyday sounding objects which will be recorded in class, for later being manipulated to our sonic needs while learning how to interact with computers and sound design in a delightful, entertain and artistic sonic exploration. On the other hand, we will develop a background drone-like texture made out of recorded-in-class samples of our own voice and musical instruments. To succeed on the performative section of the final piece, we will get familiar with the concept of animated scores by performing some samples, as well as designing our own according to the sounds collected, performance levels, and the total number of performers.
For the presentation portion of the session, we will perform for the audience our animated notated score in a ludic and collaborative composition. A computer software will present a live-generated visual part for performers to improvise in the moment while giving musical meaning to graphic moving shapes, randomly changing colours, flashing elements, and such. Also, the sounds created previously in class will arbitrarily cohabit with players, everything landing in our home-made electronic drone and organized by a pulse stream that for moments will resemblance an ostinato. The result will be a cacophony of acoustic and electronic textures, emerged of a collaborative session within humans and computers.
Stringendo
The daily Stringendo sessions provide a variety of activities involving all campers with emphasis on outdoor games (weather permitting).
Led by the camp counsellors, these activities are designed to promote social interaction among campers through physical activity and teamwork.
Aural Skill Labs
This session is intended to introduce the basic rudiments of music through play. Through puzzles, music games and workbooks will develop their understanding of topics such as pitch, meter, scales and intervals. The delivery of course content will be tailored to string players conceptually and will include orchestral terms and bowing terminology.
Graded levels will be assigned by proficiency in music theory and age. Group activities will be conducted by student leaders and supervised by an instructor.
Intended to provide an introduction to the fundamentals of music these sessions will help students to develop into a complete musician by enhancing their ability to perform with musical understanding.
Chamber Ensembles
The Chamber Ensemble sessions will offer campers opportunities to study selected repertoire under an instructor’s guidance. Campers will be placed in chamber ensembles according to their playing abilities and age. Campers will be invited to contribute in the group decisions concerning all aspects of performance, including: tempi, dynamics, phrasing, blending, articulation and style.
Playing chamber music promotes collaboration. In Chamber Ensembles students will be encouraged to explore different viewpoints and open-minded receptivity to multiple ways of interpretation as campers co-create a performance. They will be encouraged to learn constructive ways to express ideas and suggestions to peers, and learn to receive feedback from peers in constructive and productive ways.
Dynamic Hearing
Students will experience daily listening sessions intended to promote appreciation of a wide range of musical ideas and expressions.
Through an in-depth guided analysis of selected repertoire, students will be encouraged to develop their own response to novel musical idea, and explore a variety of ways to express their response. Students will be encouraged to express their responses through a variety of media: Dance, Drama, Visual Representation, and Musical Performance.
At Stringspiration, students will be encouraged to participate in activities that involve acting and storytelling as a means to develop interpretive skills. Later, they will be encouraged to represent the story in actions. The group will discuss how their interpretation would affect performance, choice of tempo, forms of delivery, dynamic, accents and mood.
The Dynamic Hearing sessions are fun and playful activities that aim to encourage students to be open to a wide range of expressive possibility and to cultivate an awareness of individual expression and to foster the delivery of original interpretations in young musicians.
Masterclasses
Masterclasses provide an opportunity for students to improve their playing and performance, learning from a recognized and prominent performer.
In a masterclass, selected students will perform and receive instruction from the visiting artist in a public class. The auditing students observe and are encouraged to consider ways in which the instructor’s advice can be applied to their own playing and technique. The masterclass setting allows many students to benefit from the experience, perspective and detailed instruction of a master performer.
There are two ways to participate in a Masterclass:
1. Performer: students may elect to prepare a work to present for the visiting clinician. They will then receive a session of personalized instruction from the clinician. Due to time constraints, it is possible not all performers will be selected to present a piece. Performers will be selected to ensure a variety of pieces, styles and abilities can be presents, to improve the learning potential for all students.
2. Auditor: students will have the opportunity to advance their knowledge and skills through observation of their peers and the clinician’s comments. Students will be encouraged to respond buy considering ways in which the clinician’s comments, concepts and technical instructions can be applied to their own performance.