Breathe together, Move together, Play together
B - Ensemble Development
When movement is limited, the tone and connection between the members of the group and the audience is also limited. This activity is designed to encourage ensemble members to use their whole body effectively when they cue and play, as well as share the many benefits of fully engaging with each other and the audience.
The concept of using the whole chair provides ensemble members with an additional tool to utilize movement more effectively in their playing. The activity encourages the use of the full spine, torso, and legs beyond moving simply from the waist up. The energy of the ensemble dramatically rises through the process and therefore affects the entire performance and interpretation.
When players first start experimenting with the movement they often have the tendency to simply move back and forth with every bow. Sending the sound in longer lines expands the player’s perspective on intentional movement. Its benefits are often reflected in the ability to develop varying bow speeds contributing to fulfilling the intended structure of the phrases and leading to a performance with pronounced musical intent.
Deconstructing a phrase or excerpt to the bare outline through playing only the downbeats, provides the ensemble an opportunity to hear and develop an understanding of the foundation. The simplified framework encourages the members to focus on group intonation, tone, structure, and collaboration.
Inspired by the mission of the United Nations to bring leaders together to problem solve for a better world, chamber ensembles are a committee of leaders working together to problem-solve to create the best performance possible. A successful leader, or committee chair, encourages all parties to bring their best leadership skills to work together to achieve common goals. This leadership activity member of a successful “committee.”
The “United Nations” activity encourages ensemble members to give musical direction through body language and facial expression. The activity also gives license to the members of an ensemble to be creative within a structured improvisational experience. Without verbal communication, the ensemble creates a performance consisting of individual ostinatos of their choosing at tempos and dynamics led by a “chair” of the “committee.” The role of “chair” (leader) is rotated throughout the ensemble providing an opportunity for each member to experience the roles of “chair” and “committee”. The rotating process also provides a fun and varied set of performances. An additional benefit of this technique is the development of sharing an enhanced sense of ownership and decision-making in regard to choosing the style, character, conversation, and storytelling.