The Sound of Objects- Esineiden ääni

The workshop with Itä-Helsingin musiikkikoulu (music school in Helsinki) was organized in aim to create a soundscape from objects of Design Museum's permanent exhibition and to provide material that inspires others to create their own. Here we present the activities, participants and expected results.

Place: Design Museum - Permanent Exhibition
Date: 18.01.08
Time: 10am-1pm

Organizers:
Hanna Kapanen and Mirjam Krafft (Design Museum)
Rody Van Gemert (Itä-Helsingin musiikkikoulu) and
Mariana Salgado (UIAH).
Video Camera: Diana De Sousa (UIAH)
Sound: Matti Luhtala and Mariana Salgado

Participants: Five students from “Itä-Helsingin musiikkikoulu” around the age of 12 years.

Results: Some of the material recorded during the workshops will be shown for the public in the museum through an interactive installation. This is part of our on going exploration about how to make visible and accessible the material gathered from the workshops organized in the Design Museum.
We aim at making a short concert for the parents, inviting them to come to the museum during one afternoon in which we will also show how the materials recorded can be listened in connection with the objects exhibited.

The workshop in detail:
1) Introduction of the project, the workshop activities and the people participating (5min).
2) Brief guide to the whole exhibition highlighting the objects with which the children were going to be working afterwards (15min).
3) First task: composing with objects. We present some of the object (different shapes of drinking glasses and glass vases) and tell to the children they can take them and experiment with them for a while. The selection of glass objects included drinking glasses by Aino Aalto, Savoy by Alvar Aalto and Ultima Thule by Tapio Wirkkala. After they have tried to play with the glass items we ask them to listen to each others sounds and imitate it. This is repeated so that everyone gets the chance to test every object. The teacher will also give some examples. (20min)
4) Second task: Improvising with contrasts. We divide the group in two and present to each group a different pair of objects. They can try to improvise based on the characteristics of each object. After they have finished with one pair they receive another. All together there are three pairs of objects. The pairs of objects are: Teema mug by Kaj Franck/Hämähäkki(spider) by Bertel Gardberg, Fiskars scissors of Olof Bäckström/Lokki, a printed fabric by Maija Isola, Pastilli chair by Eero Aarnio/Stackable stool by Alvar Aalto. Children present to the other group the sounds they created. The other group can guess which object the piece of music represents. (1 hour)
5) Third task: Children wait with their eyes closed for a surprise. The UFO (Ilmankostuttaja) appears in the air. They improvise all together based on the object. The task is to create a story based on it. After they are finished they play the musical piece they created to Hanna and Mirjam who were absent during the working process. They try to guess what happens in the story. (15min)
6) Thanking the group, end of the workshop.
7) Lunch time. During lunch we will ask them questions about the workshop. Did they like it? Do they want to come again to the Museum? What was the best part of the visit?
8) After lunch they have one more chance to walk around the exhibition.