As part of the Change 2 Regard project, the creation of an artistic production based on a collaborative process of musical creation was defined with the partner Conservatoire (Cours de Jazz). At first, this production focused on creating a musical performance to share in a public place.

Due to the global pandemic, caused by the coronavirus, we were forced to rethink the modus operandi and the artistic outcome of this collaboration.We moved from a purely musical production to a broader production, of an audiovisual nature (adapted to the physical limitations imposed by the pandemic). In this sense, the creative start was based on keywords found by the elements of the group 5ª Punkada (APCC) to describe their feelings in the face of the overwhelming situation of the pandemic and everything associated with it:

confinements, media alarmism, the process of adaptation to the situation, etc.). The keywords then served as raw material for the creation of “sound material” by the students of the Jazz Course, with the aim of sending it to the 5ª Punkada group and, through the appropriate and available digital resources[1] transform it.

 

Parallel to the process of constructing the “sound material”, a visual production (+/- 8 minutes) was created, thanks to the collaboration of the two groups. Based on keywords, it gives rise to the following segments:

• a visual composition, made by the singer of the group 5ª Punkada, through the selection of images that the elements of the group have associated with the keywords

• two film segments with choreographies created by a dance class student, associated with keywords

• an animation/drawing, using software for the effect, associated with keywords.

After the completion of the 4 segments, the singer of the group 5ª Punkada carried out all the composition and editing of a final visual production.

With the processing of the sound material sent by the Jazz course (musical textures/structures inspired by the key words), the group 5ª Punkada took samples of this material and created new structures which served as a musical basis for the short -film, thus establishing a new approach to music for conservatory students. In a final phase, and after creating a score, the 5ª Punkada group sent the musical base that it had organized so that the jazz students could improvise, thus making it possible to have a unique musical show.

Methodology

Keeping in mind the principles of Access to Culture / Musical Practice (Change2Regard Project, Culture / Music Axis) and the fundamental concept of Participation (through the Human Development Model – Production for Disability) the Music department by A.P.C.C. organized the work, following a methodology based on 6 stages of development:

1 – Acquisition / Experimentation:

Taking into account the characteristics of the group in question (2 people with cerebral palsy, wheelchair users + 1 person with Williams syndrome), Erythmia[2] (Dalcroze) was used as a working basis to deal with the characteristics and needs of individuals. The objective was to create an audiovisual production with musical performances on stage. Rhythm awareness exercises were created and developed through body movement, with the aim of making people “feel” the music.

With the BrutBox system, it was possible to develop a contextualization phase (explanation of the system) and an experimentation phase (each member of the group was able to experiment with the different sensors) and, from there, to adapt the features and accessibility and configure a custom project for the intended effect.

Goals :

• Facilitate basic musical skills[3] of those involved, using existing methods in music education
• Create moments of contextualization and exploration of the BrutBox system with a view to its knowledge and integration in the subsequent stages of project development
• Personalize a new project for the use of the BrutBox, through collective configuration (selection of functionalities and screening of adaptations at the software and hardware level)

2 – Reflection / Research:

In the process, we were affected by the pandemic. This event temporarily forced us to stop… but it led us to face this new reality as a challenge to integrate into the following stages of the process:

• How do we feel about this situation?
• What has changed in our life?
• How do we perceive our lives and those of others?

These are some of the questions that arose during the confinement process between March and September 2020 (confinement of members of the group 5ª Punkada). These questions were explored and crystallized into key words (despair, sadness, fear, affliction, loneliness, panic, anxiety) through reflection exercises (individual and collective).

The keywords would initiate the process of searching for images on the internet (by the 5ª Punkada group) and the creation of sound material (by the students of the Jazz course and 5ª Punkada) for the continuity of “remote” work “.

Goals :

• Reflect on the theme of the pandemic and its effects, use this reflection as a starting point and artistic development
• Search for images, using digital resources, to illustrate a concept, a feeling, a word

3 – Processing / Sampling:

In this phase which covered part of the second confinement (January to April, 2021), the sound material developed by the students of the Jazz course was shared with the 5ª Punkada group, as well as all the film segments developed by the Jazz course. Dance and Visual Arts.

Upon returning to the institution, the group began working on the sound material, using collective listening sessions and selecting musical parts that the participants considered the most important.

During this phase, all the film material (sent by the Conservatory) was edited by the singer of the group who managed to create an interesting audiovisual production.

Goals :

• Select, while listening to the submitted repertoire, the musical samples
• Contribute to the sampling process with suggestions, opinions, ideas
• Compose and edit film segments in a visual production

4 – Improvisation

With all the sound and musical samples collected during the previous phase, moments of improvisation were developed, providing the elements of the group, musical instruments and digital resources (computer; BrutBox; Makey Makey) to facilitate participation free and self-determined. The improvisations were always initiated by one of the elements of the group, thus providing the sound stimulus which served as a basis. There were around ten improvisation sessions, recorded (in audio format) for later analysis by the group.

Objective :

• Use the means available to participate in a sound and musical dynamic

5 – Organization / Composition

6 – Diffusion / Dissemination

As a means of disseminating this artistic production, a version was first designed for the Youtube platform. Fortunately, after the lifting of the restrictions imposed by the pandemic, it was possible to make the first presentation of “Pontes Sonoras” (Sound Bridges), within the framework of one of the mobilities of the Change2Regard project, which took place in the great auditorium of the Conservatory of Music in Coimbra, Portugal. During another mobility, this time in Brussels, it was possible to make the second presentation.

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Definitions/explanations

^[1] Logiciels: Pure Data / la Malinette; SoundPlant 42

   Hardware: BrutBox; Makey Makey; keyboard

   Instruments: Guitar; Clavier MicroKorg

^[2] Association of body movement with sound/rhythm. The use of Eurythmy aims to organize and structure the sound and rhythm of the individuals involved.

^[3] Acquisition of musical skills (examples): feeling the pulse; beat the pulse (one’s own and that of others); move to the sound of a rhythmic pattern and/or a musical composition/segment.

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Entities involved:

• Associação de Paralisia Cerebral de Coimbra – groupe pop/rock 5ª Punkada;
• Conservatório de Música de Coimbra – Curso Prof. De Instrumentista de Jazz; Curso de Dança;
• Escola Básica e Secundária Quinta das Flores – Curso de Artes Visuais.