Feeling Music Vibrations is an entertaining, interactive workshop in which participants are invited to discover instruments from many cultures and corners of the planet. I have been running this workshop in Europe with great success and popularity for more than 12 years, and now that I have moved to New Zealand I am beginning to offer it here.
 

How does it work?

The instruments we use are all tuned together and simple to play, so participants can experience literal harmony within the group as they communicate and express themselves through sound. This is a fun, engaging learning opportunity where everyone is encouraged and included and everyone succeeds.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When students enter, all of the instruments will be set up in a circle in the middle of the room, and I will introduce them one by one, speaking about their origins and traditional use and giving everyone an opportunity to try them for themselves. Once all of the instruments have been introduced, students will be invited to choose a few that they feel drawn to, and then we will do some guided group improvisation exercises and music-therapy games to practice coordination, rhythm, and sensitivity to others. The exercises we do will become progressively less structured, giving students time to get comfortable with the instruments and let go of any inhibitions in preparation for free improvisation - the loudest part! After this, we wind down with increasingly gentle instruments, closing with the subtle sounds of magic chimes and sansulas.

 

Some of the instruments included in the workshop are:

Many drums, djembes, sitars, fujara, Slavic overtone flutes, singing bowls, didgeridoo, Jew’s harps, Celtic drums, ocean drums, Space drum, rain sticks, shrutiboxes, kalimbas, sansulas, double flutes, shakuhachi, nose flutes, Indian harmoniums, magic chimes, rattles, bells and much more…

 

Time schedule

One group takes at least 70 minutes, and there is the option to have several consecutive workshops or day- or weekend-long meetings. Many schools choose to have regular sessions. Because it is quite a long process to unload, tune and set up all of the instruments, I usually have several groups in a row come to the same classroom or gym. Because of the number of instruments, it is impossible to move between classes - all of the groups have to alternate in the same space.

 

70 minutes + 5-minute break for the groups to switch over. If your school day starts at 9 am, it may look like this:

1st group     9.00 am - 10.10 am

2nd group    10.15 am - 11.25 am

3rd group   11.30 am - 12.40 pm

4th group   12.45 pm - 1.55 pm

 

This is all open to discussion and dependent on your school’s flexibility around break times for students.

 

Space preferences

Ideally an empty classroom or gymnasium on the ground floor, as close as possible to parking, because it is necessary to carry in a large number of instruments from the van. If possible, a carpeted space is preferable, but this is not necessary. We will sit on the floor, so if you have some cushions or blankets to sit on, that would be great. 

 

More information:

Jonas Koukl - jonas@connecting-arts.com, 021 084 21552