a report on workshops held in 1998 at The Music Department of the University of New England, Armidale, NSW Australia
Historical and Technical Background
Since 1987 I have been operating workshops for special needs groups employing the resources of SOUND=SPACE, an interactive musical environment that I conceived and developed in 1984-85.The origin of this musical environment was an idea I had in 1983: to create a piece of non-determinstic music, 'resident' in a computer programme and 'performed' by its audience. As many as 8-20 persons simultaneously can make music in SOUND=SPACE simply by moving about in an empty two- or three-dimensional space, with no previous experience or musical expertise. The physical spatial layout of any given installation is entirely variable and can occupy anywhere between as little as 2m2 to as much as 100m2.. For workshop applications I generally use the following two-dimensional set-up, approximately 8m x 8m:
a typical set up for workshops:
The space is surveyed by an ultrasonic echo-location system (Ranging System in the sketch above) which measures the positions of any persons or objects within the space and sends this data to a computer running the SOUND=SPACE software. This proprietary software uses the measurements to calculate and assign a variety of musical 'topographies' (spatially distributed sounds or musical functions) to specific areas within the space.
Generally speaking, these topographies are either 'passive' or 'active', or a hybrid of the two. An example of a passive one (called KEYBOARDS) would be the simple triggering of a sound (or a complex of sounds) with a specified duration, by a person stepping into that particular area of the space to which this sound has been assigned. The effect here is somewhat like walking or moving some part of your body across imaginary keyboards which are spread around and across the room. The 'instrument' is more or less deterministic, playing only when it is triggered by someone and only those sounds that have been 'mapped' onto the space. Any sound that can be synthesised or sampled can be used. Due to the fact that each one of the 'keyboards' can be structured either independently or assigned to a group of keyboards in a specific region of the space, each with different pitches, durations and sounds assigned to the 'keys', there is an almost infinite number of possible versions of this topography.
I must hasten to add here that even to a person with no mental disabilities whatsoever, stepping into the space for the first time, it is not at all obvious how it works, what the organisation of the keyboards and their sounds is, nor the precise relationship of what goes on acoustically in the space to the little Ranging Units attached to the wall. Neither is this the point of SOUND=SPACE. If it were obvious, then within a short time it could become quite boring. SOUND=SPACE is not an instrument that meant to be manipulated or mastered; it is an interactive environment that is meant to be experienced, and, if time and skills permit, to be explored and controlled.
An active topography (the one called VARIATIONS, for example), in contrast, would consist of an algorithmic composition being calculated in real time and 'performed' by the computer, but under the influence of the presence and movement of persons in the space. In this case, successive measurements of position within several independent zones are converted into control parameters ('levels of activity') of the 'composing' algorithm. The effect here is like conducting or animating an 'ensemble' of musicians through movement within the space: usually, the greater the amount of activity in the space, the more animated and complex the music becomes. The active topography is a true real-time compositional algorithm, employing interlinked chains of probability matrices, and can be programmed to produce many recogniseable, generically different styles of music.
The hybrid topography (for example MELODIES) combines both of the above into a space that reacts not only to movement (in a non-deterministic or non-linear fashion) but also to position. The effect here could be, for example, like controlling the tempo or direction of a musical flow (a sequence of sounds) by moving about the space and, at the same time, triggering specific events (e.g., changes in timbre, changes in the number of elements that go to make up the musical flow, etc.) by stepping into specific places.
In contrast to the preceding rather technical description of how SOUND=SPACE functions, I would like to concentrate for a moment on its musical functions and examine why it is so ideally suited to creative workshops with special needs groups. SOUND=SPACE is a complex, sophisticated multi-functional system but its environment is uncomplicated, friendly and unintimidating: it simply consists of a large empty space which, when invaded, responds immediately with sound. No expertise is required in order to create these sounds and musical sequences and they are generally exciting, engaging and pleasant. During the past few years of running workshops fairly intensively, I have developed many different versions of the topographies, each with its own quite characteristic mood and nature - calming, exciting, sustained, rhythmical, percussive, ethereal, earthy, lyrical, textual, physical, abstract, recogniseable, strange, and so forth. It is possible, within a workshop, to move rapidly from one particular mood to another, in order, with few words spoken, to encourage participation, to support the activity of the moment, to focus the attention or to shift the concentration of the participants.
In the space, one can do nothing wrong, only better. The structure of the topographies is such that more or less random or chaotic movement by a group of people in the space is transformed into a musical flow which sounds elegant, planned and structured. The greater the variety of movement in the 'exploration' of the space, the greater the differentiation and diversity of the music. Understanding how the space functions is an advantage in 'playing' it well, but only an advantage, not a requirement. Furthermore, participation consists not only in being in the space - occasionally alone but generally with others - but also in sitting out occasionally and listening and watching others. SOUND=SPACE is essentially a social environment; its interactivity is not limited to the interaction between person and 'instrument' but also includes, and perhaps more importantly, the interaction between person and person while 'playing' in the environment.
The workshops at UNE
The objectives of the Research Fellowship were to make available an installation of SOUND=SPACE with workshops for various special needs groups in the New England area, to study and document their response and interaction and also, on the basis of this study, to develop new programmes for the sytem. Furthermore, the Fellowship was also designed to allow some time for the exploration of new possibilities for the SOUND=SPACE system as used by instrumentalists to accompany themselves in real time.
SOUND=SPACE was installed in the Chamber Music Room of the Music Department in the Newling Building of UNE during the period from September 28 to October 21, 1998. During this period, I held a large number of single workshops and a smaller number of multiple workshops for various special needs groups, as well as a lecture-demonstration to the assembled composition students of the Music Department and another lecture-demonstration open to the faculty of UNE and the general public. Altogether 15 different groups attended the workshops, with a total of 82 persons participating, most of them disabled children with a wide variety of special needs. All the accompanying adults - parents, teachers, carers, observers - were asked to complete a short questionnaire.
Most of the workshops were single sessions generally lasting approximately 1.5 hrs, with participants from various local special schools, day centres, usually in groups of 4-15 persons, or simply parents with their children,. Depending upon the abilities and communication skills of the participants, various techniques - usually demonstration, sometimes explanation - were employed to introduce them briefly to the SPACE. After this, the remainder of the workshop was dedicated to the free exploration of the creative possibilities, the participants acting either individually or simultaneously in small groups. The primary aims of these workshops were to focus upon the the enjoyment of this experience, the empowering nature of the musical creative experience made available by the SPACE and the social interaction among the participants arising as a result. Although, due to the brevity of the sessions, very little didactic work - either musical or movement - could be attempted, it seems these sessions did not pass entirely without profound effects.
In particular I would like to examine more closely a few of the sessions with autistic children, of which there were a considerable number (approximately 8 different children over the course of the installation), ranging in ages from 3 to 10 years old. On their visit, which usually lasted somewhere between 70 to 90 minutes, most of these children were accompanied by their mothers, occasionally also by some of their siblings. Because this would be, in most instances, the only opportunity for these children to experience the space and due to the fact that early attempts at communication by a stranger are often counterproductive with autistics, I decided simply to sit back, letting the mothers (and siblings, to whom the space and its functions had been explained) take charge. I would generally begin with a version of the KEYBOARDS programme with 'friendly, gentle, sing-along' sounds, occasionally changing the version to something more 'energetic, percussive' or 'abstract' and then back to something more 'calm' or 'familiar', and so forth. Somewhere within this flow of different versions, I insert a version of VARIATIONS. Because this programme responds primarily to the global amount of activity in the space, it evokes completely different movement forms, usually very active, often leading to running around and games of chasing others.
My role, however, does not remain passive for long. After a short time, when I observe that the children - and in many instances, their parents - are beginning to feel comfortable in the space and beginning to 'play games', I enter as well. I try to participate in the games or initiate new ones, my aim being to explain by demonstration and to catalyse any as yet untried movement forms or to visit as yet unexplored areas of the space.
Generalising, all the children always actively took part and seemed to enjoy the experience greatly. Many of them became intensely involved in the experience, hardly stopping to take a break for the whole length of the session or even to ask for a drink. In many instances their behaviour was particularly interesting or unusual, as noted by one of the mothers with some experience in the field of music therapy:
"After [an] initial reluctance to participate, my son, who is normally quite aloof from other children, tried to initiate contact with an unknown peer, saying he wanted to be friends. He was able to use the child's name without having been told it, i.e. picking it up from incidental conversation.
"He also actively sought out his sister to play, using full sentences. He also was able to respond to a request to dance like a butterfly and horse. His communication continued for some hours after, to be greater in quantity and clarity [Italics mine]. In all, a remarkable experience.
"To have access to such an avenue is wonderful. The experience was enriching. It confirmed much of the research I had done into music therapy. Best of all, it helped to open another window of opportunity for my son to experience the world. "
A second visitor, a three-year old boy with his mother, was similarly 'energised' by his experience in the space, although it had a tentative beginning:
"[At first he was] crying and became distressed when a high-pitched percussion program was used (sound sensitivity). This stopped immediately when the program was changed to lower sounds. [He started] smiling, saying 'Music'; [he] became very calm after 1/2 hour of moving around and then became very animated when he realised his movements were resulting in the music."
The two above instances are representative of the individual experiences and reactions of visitors to the space. The social nature of participating in activities in the space - it is not a 'game' that is played by one person alone - also contributes importantly to the overall experience. In many instances, it is an observation (or a 'sensing') of a social situation or activity which catalyses a new individual awareness and activity. During a session which included autistic children as well as several others (mostly siblings), an independent participant and observer noted:
"As a result of L. and me twirling, S. and B. developed a lot of paired dancing and spinning, especially towards the end of the session. A. began to look straight at me and invite me to do things with him towards the end. His face was animated and he was moving very confidently by the end."
A. is the little boy mentioned above who was crying when he first arrived. In another session with six children, three parents and several observers participating, this same observer/participant noted:
"Aa., who wears very thick glasses (and is probably a case for Early Intervention) was very shy and doesn't talk throughout. At first everyone is very protective of Aa. and when I come in, I wonder if she [is almost blind] because M. leads her everywhere by the hand. Then her mother suggests that she have a go on her own. When this happens, she follows the other two little girls who are very well co-ordinated. They run round the room like bumblebees.
"The twin boys (somewhat overweight) behave a bit differently - and the whole group generally polarises between the boys and the girls, one of whom likes coming up to talk to Rolf, asking for a change of music, etc. One of the twins is flamboyant in his dance movements (in general, the whole group is not dancing, more running), and he clearly enjoys dancing and improvising to the music. He also later asks (demands) to play the drums and the piano [stored in the room], and the way he fills in his glissando scales is far from indiscriminate.
"Later in the session I hold A.'s hand and walk round with her. I think she doesn't quite get the hang of making the music react to her movements, but she starts to smile and her face is much more animated towards the end of the session. She didn't talk right through the session, but right at the end outside, prompted by mother, says "Bye bye" very nicely to me.
"Throughout, the mothers give some suggestions, particularly to start with, and the interaction seems easy and unforced, though the children seem a bit slower than [the last group] in getting the hang of moving the music. This awareness does develop [towards the end of] the session, and they bring it to a close with consensus among themselves, so the music stops almost suddenly."
All the parents in the above groups were convinced that their children had markedly benefitted from the single experience and definitely thought that they would continue to benefit from frequent access to SOUND=SPACE. Furthermore, they expressed an interest in helping to provide such a resource for the community, commenting:
"Please consider the installation of this equipment earnestly. A combination of it with a music therapy programme/teacher and a sensory integration programme or facility would be such a wonderful boost to our region. The drastic lack of therapy and services for children with disabilities in this region is beyond belief."
With one of the groups - 17 students from the Support Unit of Armidale High School (AHS) - it was possible to arrange a series of three sessions1. Because of this, the series could be structured and would be much more enjoyable and rewarding to the participants as they would be able to develop a profounder, working relationship to the SPACE, allowing them to treat it simply as a resource available to them. The creative and social opportunities offered by SOUND=SPACE are so wide-ranging, that a single exposure to them accomplishes little more than whetting the appetite. Furthermore, in a series of workshops, an examination of the interaction between music and movement could be pursued, members of the workshop could participate in choosing the kinds of sounds they were going to play with and decide as well how to articulate and organise their playing. In short, all the elements that can go to make up a comprehensive creative act in the SOUND=SPACE could be addressed: playing sounds, choosing the sounds to be played2, choosing movements and activities, composing sequences and textures of sounds and choreographing the movements in order to achieve those sound sequences.
It is very difficult to generalise about the structure and process of the workshops primarily because every group of participants has special skills as well as special needs. The workshop, if it is truly to reflect and develop the creativity of the participants, must always try to employ as many of the former and meet as many of the latter as possible. This requires a great deal of flexibility and ad hoc adjustment to the situation. Whenever verbal communication is impaired, demonstration and imitation become the primary avenues of communication. Both short-term and long-term goals may have to be shifted, reformulated or abandoned, as the participants' interest or concentration shifts or wanes. I will therefore outline the general plan with which I approached this group in particular.
The composition of the AHS groups - ages and abilities - was as follows: a total of 17 different students with ages ranging from 12 to 18 yrs, with the following spectrum of special skills/needs:
2 students with mild intellectual disability
12 students with moderate intellectual disability
3 students with severe intellectual disability
4 students exhibiting autistic behaviour
1 student in a wheelchair
They were accompanied by at least three instructors, with different instructors attending some of the sessions (altogether 6 instructors) and the session generally lasted 75 minutes.
Whenever I start working with a large, previously constituted group, such as in this case, I generally avoid putting visitors 'on the spot', as I would be doing by asking for one or several volunteers to enter the space, under the scrutinising eyes of their peers. I simply begin the first session with a brief demonstration of one of the very lively versions of the KEYBOARDS programme, for example, mixed percussion and short pitched sounds, by performing a little solo "dance", sometimes calling out short explanatory remarks while I am demonstrating.
Then the participants are invited, usually one by one, to try it out for themselves. This can be a moment of considerable indecision, as groups are often quite inhibited. Usually, however, one member will volunteer to be first. If this does not happen, then I ask one of the instructors to have a go. After that - and generally a lot of laughter from the "audience" - things go smoothly. However, I have worked with many groups that very quickly get the hang of it and become quite wild, to the alarm of the instructors. I am very much in favour of letting them go as wild as is safe; it is a normal reaction, particularly with children. The SPACE gives many of them the first opportunity of feeling really powerful, able to make big, loud, wild things happen without dire consequences. This experience can be can be overwhelming, but the feelings it arouses are a very important aspect of the creative act. There has never been any problem, other than the occasional small bump or scratch and I am always able to reassure the instructors that they will settle down by themselves, and, if they don't, that I will be able to calm them. In many groups there are, nevertheless, persons who are very reluctant to participate or cannot because they are wheelchair-bound and unable to propel themselves. Generally, I encourage them (or ask the instructor to encourage or help them), but only up to a point, as I have learned that sitting and watching others enjoying themselves in the space is the best type of encouragement.
As with the sessions described earlier, I begin with a version of the KEYBOARDS with friendly sounds, occasionally changing the version to something more energetic, rhythmical or 'spacy' and then gradually back to something more familiar. Only here, because the group is so large, I start with one person in the space and gradually add more, until four or five are in. Then I ask them to leave the space, change the version and start the same process again. After everyone has had at least one solo or small-group chance, I invite all of them to try playing one of the versions together, just moving about at will. There are several versions that are particularly suited to this, resulting in a lively, rich melodic and rhythmic tapestry of sound.
Then I do a small 'choreographed' exercise designed to show that it is working more or less predictably and, to a measure, how KEYBOARDS works. This exercise involves eight persons, each standing at the 'bottom end' of one of the 'keyboards' and gradually, one by one, very slowly, moving across their keyboard to its top end. Because all the keyboards are identical and only one person moves at a time, each person's movement causes their own keyboard to emerge from a general low pulsation and gradually, step by step, rise upwards to its top note. The contribution of the individual keyboards to the mass sound becomes quite clear. After repeating this exercise a few times, I gradually let it decay into free-for-all movement. It is an exercise which they all enjoy, that demands concentration on the sounds they are hearing in order to identify the sound they are making.
This part of the session usually lasts about 45 minutes; it is a very important part for me, as it allows me to make a quick, superficial assessment of the skills, needs and interests of the participants and to develop a feeling for the already existing group dynamics. The next step is to change the programme to one that reacts to activity, a version of VARIATIONS. I usually perform a little demonstration; however, if the group dynamics are strong and inhibitions have disappeared sufficiently, then I prefer to surprise them with the difference between this type of programme and the previous; I simply ask everyone all together to try it out, suggesting they move slowly, quickly, stand still, and so on. This change in programme always elicits a strong response and a lot of excitement: most versions of VARIATIONS generate a stylistically recognisable melodic music with a clear beat and rhythmic articulation which sensitively responds to their movement - the greater the amount of movement, the livelier the melodies and rhythms. This correspondence between physical activity and musical activity is very animating and generally leads to a lot of physical expression, running, dancing, hopping, gesticulating, in short, very exhausted players! This last section marks the end of the first session.
The first part of the second session is generally devoted to recalling some of the activities and sounds of the first session. Then, after a short rest, we proceed to explore the very wide palette of different versions and sounds available, suggesting as well different ways of playing the SPACE: moving in small repetitive patterns, moving very quickly into and out of the SPACE, making only one sound, imitating what another has done, etc. The kinds of activities in this section depends greatly on the specific abilities and age of the participants; the most important goal is to get everyone involved and - wherever possible - gradually to focus upon group interaction.
After a while of relaxed, somewhat aimless playing, I change direction again, to go through another one or two quick, choreographed exercises in which I direct the movement of the participants along predetermined paths, without too much explanation. The reasons for these exercises are several: to demonstrate various aspects of how the SPACE works, to show, after so much seemingly unorganised complex sound, that the SPACE can be "played" consciously, almost like a conventional instrument, to show how the different versions of a programme are organised, to make clear what influence particular kinds of movements have in some versions and to focus the participants' ear on listening, heightening their awareness of the pitches, colours and durations of the sounds they are triggering.
One of the techniques I employ for these exercises is to give each of the participants a small piece of paper with 'map' of the space. Each has a different, simple 'choreography' on it, as in the three examples below:
three examples of maps: 
I explain the orientation of the 'map' and that the arrow shows where they are to enter the space and how they are to move within it. The x's indicate that they are to remain standing in that spot for a while; the dotted line indicates that they are to move very slowly. Although this activity is difficult for most of them and progress is slow, requiring a great deal of encouragement, humour, patience and frequent "time-outs", they enjoy it very much. Most of them have never read a map before. It is a bit like already driving a car while you are still designing it, only safer. But the point is that this exercise concentrates the mind on a goal-directed activity of self-control in which there can be no failures and which has a result that is acoustically pleasing, usually quite funny and sometimes even surprising, due to the fact that I generally start with a version of KEYBOARDS that is completely new to them, one which triggers words, phrases and environmental sounds rather than musical sounds.
This activity takes up quite a long time, as everyone capable is given a chance on their own. Then I start with groups of three or four persons simultaneously, each with a map they have chosen from a large pile. This then becomes a group choreography in which everyone not only tries to carry out their plan but also to avoid running into the others similarly concentrating on their map, often leading to a very funny scuttling and shifting about. Occasionally it is a good idea to interrupt this process, to do something completely different, going to a different set of sounds or a different programme altogether. This relaxes, refreshes the ear and sometimes opens up new perspectives.
These types organised activities, during which I sit back and watch as much as possible, taking notes, have a double purpose: they generate an atmosphere of concentrated but happy co-operative creativity, a sense of freedom and a sense of power to invent in an increasingly familiar environment. At the end of this session I suggest that those who are able to return to the next session with some maps of their own design. I finish off the session with a brief, completely relaxed dancing free-for-all, using one of the particularly raucously rhythmical versions of VARIATIONS.
The third session begins a bit like the second, except that this time, those who have brought their own 'maps' with them, are impatient to get on with it. Often it is the case that those who have had a hard time following even the simpler maps of the last session will return with something incredibly complex. A good sign. A major part of the session is taken up with interpreting the maps, which are in fact the personal choreographies of their designers, performed solo (or by a small group) in front of everyone. The spectators quickly develop a proper 'audience' dynamic, cheering the performers on and clapping enthusiastically afterwards, sometimes even shouting out remarks like "don't get lost!" or "it's a good thing you've got your coat on, in case you get lost!"
The results are very enjoyable and very good, as seen from a number of perspectives: Overall co-operation and attention is very high; group dynamics are strong, with interaction at a high level. Although attention to the sound results and detail is sometimes lower, the sound is nevertheless a strong animating factor. There is strong feedback between sound and movement form, primarily due to the fact that the players feel more committed and have a goal in mind. Frequently, in a longer series of workshops, this has served as the starting design for a final project in which everyone is involved, which is rehearsed and performed.
Generalising, almost the children always actively took part and seemed to enjoy the experience greatly. As with the autistic children, many of them became intensely and enthusiastically involved in the experience and did not want it to end. The following are extracts from comments made by the instructors who accompanied the group:
"The more able students realised the power they had in controlling the type of musical response they achieved through their movement. The more able students enjoyed the more challenging activities.
"The less able students displayed a happiness and emotional response not anticipated as they moved freely in the 'space'.
"At each successive workshop, students were to observed to be listening more intently to the changes in the music they were creating or the changes that their friends were creating. Those students who understood the concept of movement making the music investigated different types of movement, [their] direction and speed. Others tended to follow the leader.
"In following a map [the simple choreographic sketch] students enjoyed mastering the map but I don't think they were sure why they did it. [Asking them to make] maps of their own was a good idea.
"A wonderful experience that allowed each student to participate actively or passively at [their] own level or need to be involved. The experience allowed involvement in a musical experience for some students who experience severe limitations in involvement in more structured music lessons.
Asked if they thought the group would enjoy and benefit from frequent access to SOUND=SPACE, the instructors replied unanimously:
"Yes, all students could participate at their own pace. Enjoyment was obvious from most in that they smiled or were willing to participate again & again. [They] didn't need any prior knowledge of music. [Frequent access] would allow further investigation for those who need a lot of repetition."
During the years that I have run these extended types of workshops, I have personally had the most rewarding experiences ever while working with SOUND=SPACE. I have frequently witnessed personal development, often heard great uninhibited squeals of joy at a new-found skill and have many times been deeply touched. Each series leads me to new ideas for the next, as well as leaves a trace in my private compositional thinking. At the end of the last session I always ask the participants if they would like to come to another set of workshops; the answer is always "When?"
