Invitation(s) 03/12/2009
Posted by Christopher Mulé in Session Invite.add a comment
The next Community Listening Project will happen on Friday, March 13th @ 8pm. We are lucky to have one of our favorite CLP members–Kathleen Minahan–making a special guest appearance. Free stuff at the CLP for those who attend the Lotus Blossoms event at the Mathers on Thursday, March 12th @7pm. Here is the invite:
You are invited to attend a performance and demonstration with KevinLocke, an internationally acclaimed Lakota hoop dancer, and story-teller, and NEH Fellow. On Thursday March 12, at 7 pm, at the Mathers Museum of World Cultures, Kevin will present an interactive performance about music, art, dance and story-telling in the Lakota tradition. This event is FREE and open to the public.
I hope you can make it to these events.
Thanks,
Chris
Listening to Music With Your Whole Body 03/24/2008
Posted by Christopher Mulé in Session Invite.1 comment so far
As mentioned in the last post, an important part of this project is to explore how we talk about music. In addition, it is also important to discuss how we listen to music. The comments section of last week’s post provided some really interesting conversation. In particular, Karen wrote:
On one side of this dichotomy, I argue, is the experience of music (and life) through the mind. On the other is the experience of music (and life) through the body. And I believe that we in the West (Western ethnomusicologists included and academics in particular) generally favor experiencing life through the mind.
In response to this comment, I would like to point you towards the video posted above. It is called “Evelyn Glennie: How To Listen to Music With Your Whole Body.”
In this soaring demonstration, deaf percussionist Evelyn Glennie leads the audience through an exploration of music not as notes on a page, but as an expression of the human experience. Playing with sensitivity and nuance informed by a soul-deep understanding of and connection to music, she talks about a music that is more than sound waves perceived by the human ear. She illustrates a richer picture that begins with listening to yourself, and includes emotion and intent as well as the complex role of physical spaces — instrument, concert hall and even the bones and body cavities of musician and listener alike.
If you have time, please watch the video and share your thoughts.
Break Up Songs 10/11/2007
Posted by Christopher Mulé in Session Invite.3 comments
Dear Friends of the Community Listening Project,
Our illustrious Master of Ceremonies, Chris Mulé, has given me the honor of selecting the theme and writing up the invitation for this week’s meeting. What is that theme, you ask? . . . Wait for it . . . Wait for it . . . Drum roll please . . . BREAK-UP SONGS!
Now before you decide to revert to Plan B for your Thursday night plans, hear me out on this. My idea was inspired by a recent episode (08/27/07) of the NPR show “This American Life” in which one of the segments is devoted solely to a fascinating analysis of break-up songs. TAL contributor Starlee Kine, who has recently suffered a break-up herself, sets out to with a little bit of humor to understand what makes break-up songs work and, more importantly, what makes them feel so good when you feel so bad. In search of catharsis, she decides to write a break-up song herself even though she has no songwriting abilities whatsoever. So she does what any one of us would do if we found ourselves in a similar situation: She turns to Phil Collins for help. Yes, /that/ Phil Collins. As you might expect, what results is a darkly amusing deconstruction of the music genre we all hate to love.
Signing Up 09/14/2007
Posted by Christopher Mulé in Session Invite.5 comments
The first session of the group formerly known as “The Bloomington Music Club” took place on September 13, 2007. The T.V. has taught me that conflict and controversy bring ratings. So I sent out an email with “instructions” about sign up sheets. People had a lot to say about how “community building” and “tyrants” do not mix? I absolutely agree. This just proved how much people care about these gatherings. I promise not to suck the life out of these sessions. Please understand that I am just trying to get the most out of our time together. Therefore, I say thank you for the feedback and please keep it coming. We had around 22 participants and we played 10 songs. Please add comments about what you played and what you heard. Just as important as the music played are those who it resonated with. What did you hear? What did you play? What didn’t you get a chance to play? Why did you come? I will start it off, because I am a tyrant…see my comment below.
