International Sound Artist Visits Prem International School

PRLog (Press Release) - Oct. 15, 2012 - During the first week of October a selection of Grade 10 students and all Grade 4 students at Prem Tinsulanonda International School (http://ptis.threegeneration.org) had the opportunity to work with the critically acclaimed international sound artist, Blu Simon Wasem.
 
Blu is the first resident artist to come to develop work with PTIS students as part of the Surface Arts (http://surfacearts.co.uk) exchange program.  

A multi-media artist who dedicated himself to improvisation and experimental music, Blu is by origin a bass and percussion player, whose ability is augmented by skills in violin, flute and hand-made electronics.

Using his travels as inspiration, he is focusing on South-East Asia where he is using his experiences with communities and delivering workshops as a foundation to unite acoustics with electronics in an unusual way. Adventurous soundscapes and unpredictable rhythms are the focus of Blu's world of sound-poetry and it was certainly an exciting and eye-opening experience for our Grade 4 students. For the duration of the week, Blu worked with both Grade 4 classes at Prem. He focused on experimentation, the importance of collaboration and on emphasising the learning that takes place when working as an ensemble.

Linking their classroom learning with the wider campus through the exploration of sound recording, students led the process by listening to the rich variety of natural sounds that filled their day-to-day lives. Working with Blu, they created their own sounds by dropping pebbles in water or tapping sticks on bamboo, and recording these sounds.

Linking their classroom learning with the wider campus through the exploration of sound recording, students led the process by listening to the rich variety of natural sounds that filled their day-to-day lives. Working with Blu, they created their own sounds by dropping pebbles in water or tapping sticks on bamboo, and recording these sounds.

Via a ‘youth-led’ approach, students were allowed to develop as individual musicians whilst simultaneously realising a sense of their own creative possibility. They were encouraged to understand the importance of the expression of a single individual within a musical group and the skills necessary to work as an ensemble.

Once classes were complete, Blu spent hours using student responses and their collective sound recordings to create an electronic pastiche of rhythms and musical layers.

The results of this collaboration between Blu and the students were showcased and performed to a live, public audience for BLUIFESTO at Sangdee Gallery in Chiang Mai. The composition itself now sits as part of his performance portfolio and will be performed to new audiences at galleries and arts events in Cambodia, Vietnam and Malaysia.

Blu said of his experience: “My approach with them was really practical. I tried to help them open their ears to listening (inside the music room, listening to their colleagues, and also outdoors, practising recordings) but I also tried my best to listen to them; their preferences and natural musicality. It was a wonderful experience and they are lovely kids.”

Alex Soulsby added, “As the Traidhos Three-Generation’s Arts Projects Manager, I feel that the creative learning experience for the all of Grade 4 students will no doubt enhance their understanding and enjoyment of this semesters music lessons and of their appreciation of the subject as a whole. Additionally I have no doubt that the week will be something that they will remember long beyond their time as PYP students at Traidhos Three-Generation Community for Learning (http://threegeneration.org).”

Photo:
http://www.prlog.org/11999206/1