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Description
Aim of the project is to invite children and youth to create adventurous/experimental music and to learn to listen to it and to the world of sounds around us in general. Adventurous music is particularly favourable to creation as it is a field not primarily defined by rules, but by imagination. Project consists of a LISTENING MODULE and CREATION MODULE (as it is also depicted in its name - LYRA). First element of the listening module will consist of two selected artists creating music based on two tales (Latvian and Norwegian) and then presenting it to audiences of children (and adults) in Latvia and Norway.Audiences will be introduced to the stories and then they will have a chance to hear them through music, thereby generating musical imagination.Second element of the listening module will consist of listening workshops aimed at perfecting children''s listening skills both in Latvia and Norway. Third element of the listening module will involve “Skaņu mežs” and “Insomnia” jointly selecting a short musical program from existing experimental works that can be suitable and exciting for youth/teenagers.First element of the creation module will consist of teenage youth being invited to technical workshops for music-making where local and international electronic music instrument-makers will guide them in the music-making process.As part of the second element creative mentors (professional artists) will transfer their student''s newly-acquired skills into new musical works.Third element will consist of children/youth being asked to assist in a new arrangement of a classical avant-garde music piece by a known composer–by inviting children/youth choir, or involving young instrumentalists–both trained and unskilled.Works will be presented at Skaņu mežs festival in Riga, Latvia and Insomnia festival in Tromsø, Norway.Project will take place with guidance of educators, musicians and instrument makers.
Summary of project results
Aim of the project was to invite children and youth to create adventurous / experimental music and to learn to listen to it and to the world of sounds around us in general.
The LYRA project addressed the lack of opportunities for young people and kids to explore and engage with experimental and innovative music, which is an inherently playful and joyful field and, therefore well-suited also for kids and youth. It addressed this lack both centrally (in Riga and Tromso where partners are based), and in periphery, Daugavpils and Liepāja. It also boosted intergenerational cooperation. LYRA aimed to inspire curiosity, creativity, and innovation and provide access to professional mentorship in a niche but quickly expanding musical field. For the adults involved, it provided ample training and experience field in relation to an audience most had rarely properly worked with – kids and youth. The project happened in outskirts of Europe, thereby benefitting those regions, and, as said, also made outreach to smaller cities outside of Riga, in the case of Latvia.
Activities implemented:
- Workshops and mentorship sessions for children and youth led by experienced experimental musicians.
- Collaborative sessions where children and youth composed and performed original works.
- Public performances showcasing the outcomes of the project.
- Creation of recorded materials documenting the artistic process and final compositions.
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- 2 professional music and video works based on tales created by Latvian and Norwegian artists for children and youth and presented at festival Skanu mezs (in Latvia) and Insomnia festival (Norway);
- workshops for children and youth in Latvia and Norway about music creation and listening;
- 2 music pieces by professional musicians prepared for children and youth and presented at festival Skanu mezs (in Latvia) and Insomnia festival (Norway);
- created musical programme for youth for festival Skanu mezs (in Latvia) and Insomnia festival (Norway).
These activities provided young participants with:
- Hands-on experience in experimental sound.
- Access to guidance from established professionals.
- A platform that encouraged them to try and present their creative ideas.
- An opportunity to connect with an audience and music community.
For adult participants, the project was important because it:
- Stimulated their creative development by bringing them outside of their zone of comfort.
- Expanded their networks and opportunities for international collaboration.
- Provided new skills and insights into how to approach experimental music.
- Offered an artistic perspective that pushed their creative boundaries.
There was also outreach to youth outside of Riga as several educational activities took place in Daugavpils and in Liepāja.
The main results of the project:
- A cohort of young participants developed insight into experimental music, which can be a highly creative and inquisitive realm. A few select of those might have had a formative experience there.
- Increased visibility for experimental music and related arts among new audiences as the performances and workshops brought in connection with experimental music not only children and youth but also their families and other people.
- Promoted experimental music in the periphery of Latvia by organising workshops in Daugavpils and Liepāja.
- Boosted skills for organizers, artists, and other participants to work with children and youth.
- Created new works of art that have already gained interest beyond the confines of the project.
- Established connections between artists and other professionals engaged in the project.
- Boosted intergenerational cooperation
Difference the project made for its end beneficaries:
- Young participants gained awareness of a field of unrestrained and inquisitive creative expression.
- Possibly gained awareness and confidence in their creative abilities.
- Learned valuable collaboration and performance skills.
- The project broadened their understanding of experimental sound as an art tool and a means of self-expression.
- For adult participants, the project was not only an opportunity to share their expertise but also an opportunity for professional enrichment. It expanded their creative tools and possibilities and let them contribute to the cultural ecosystem in meaningful ways by collaborating with and creating for a younger generation.
The situation improved as a result of the project:
- Awareness and possibly appreciation of experimental music among participating children and youth and audiences that they directly or indirectly brought.
- Participants now have improved understanding for artistic process and potential careers in sound or other creative realms. Benefits also pertain to adult participants and mentors as they have had a chance to work with and develop a better understanding of a younger generation/ -s.
The importance of the project:
- It served as a guide to experimental music for children and youth who otherwise would not have had such experiences, especially those in the cities of Daugavpils and Liepāja.
- Contributed to the evolution of experimental music by opening it to the next generation of potential culture operatives.
- Laid the groundwork for possible future artistic and educational collaborations.
- Possibly created a ripple effect by inspiring participants to explore and innovate further.
- Engaged with the geographical periphery in Latvia, aiming for a more equal playing field in contemporary culture.
- Organized cross-generational collaboration that might have created a better understanding between representatives of different generations.
Summary of bilateral results
The bilateral partnership enriched the project artistically and creatively and brought expertise from partners in Norway in the form of educational events. It must also have happened in the opposite direction by bringing Latvian artists and workshop leaders to Tromso. Artists got introduced to one another, and audiences learned of artists that they wouldn’t have learned of if not for the LYRA project. Latvian artists worked with Norwegian kids and youth and vice versa. And both performed for both audiences. So there was cultural interaction at work. The partnership also facilitated an exchange of knowledge between Latvian and Norwegian experimental music communities, enhancing understanding of different artistic traditions.The project involved not just Norwegian and Latvian, but also other international artists, hence collaboration strengthened cross-border connections within the experimental music scene, opening opportunities for future collaboration.The project also was useful for understanding one another’s work methods and challenges. So it was a mutual learning creatively and practically. Skaņu mežs has worked with Insomnia before and will continue so.