ARTS

ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE

How lucky we were to have had as artists in residence for an entire week at the end of August, the acclaimed Flinders Quartet. These four professional musicians who are at the top of their game in the Australian chamber music scene spent time on collaborative projects with students using the string quartets of Russian 20th Century composer Dmitri Shostakovich. At the end of the week a concert was held with the quartet playing selections of their Shostakovich repertoire while students shared the stage to dance, paint, act, narrate, and play along with projections of graphic design and interpretive visual art.

 Eighteen months in the planning, our artists in residence were extremely generous and inspiring to the students working with them. This was a pilot program for which we know of no precedent. The aim was to find as many ways for students to engage with the intensely personal and expressive music through as many different curriculum areas as possible – and to give music students the opportunity to see and hear up close how a top level ensemble goes about its artistic endeavours. A remarkably invaluable experience for all involved!

 This is what Zoe Knighton, founding member of the Flinders Quartet writes about the experience:

 There have been so many studies over the past few decades about just how important music is in personal development and learning at all ages, not just young children. So when we started curating our mini Shostakovich cycle in late 2017, it became evident that this was a program just perfect for teenagers. Living through a gripping and controlling Stalinist regime, the music of Shostakovich explodes with the themes of anguish, oppression, creative oppression, war, persecution and sarcasm. His fifteen string quartets have “teenagers” written all over them.

Quite often, secondary school students are overlooked when it comes to these unique programs. But we know that these students are capable of incredible feats given half a chance, so we knocked on the door of FCC and were quite relieved and grateful when Paul Dooley thought this crazy idea was worth pursuing:

Give the students the chance to respond to the music of Shostakovich with their chosen art form.

In a rather ambitious move, we decided to engage dance, drama, art and visual communications. (The music students were a no brainer - we knew we already had them hooked.)

Visual Communication students created poster based on Bauhaus and Russian Constructivism. Dance students (with the help of past student Maxine) choreographed an incredible dance incorporating solo and ensemble elements. The drama students investigated verbatim theatre relating to the Dresden Bombings and then created their own monologues as well as exploring a Japanese form of movement emerging from post Hiroshima - buto.

The relationship between Kandinsky and Shostakovich is fairly well established so the YR 8 students created art inspired by Kandinsky whilst listening to his 11th string quartet. Taking this one step further, the VCE students took up the challenge of creating an art work live as a piece of theatre in itself to his fifth string quartet. 

There were also students in charge of the lighting and projections and handling the whole scenario like professionals.

The culminating one hour performance was certainly one of my highlights from 20 years working in a string quartet. It was so heartwarming to witness these future artists honing their craft and being part of something that was truly collaborative, not just tokenistic.

It really felt like we just opened the door to what is possible between a string quartet and these talented teenagers. The good news is, we don’t think this will be a one off, there is too much potential and so much more fun to be had.

For us, it was a week of firsts. Our first time improvising with the improvisors’ collective (thanks guys - you rock!) our first time with dancers, and our first time with visual artists. In particular, our little Finnish folk song with the string students was a favourite moment for us.

This email from an audience member sums up the entire experience - thanks so much FCC, you have all found a place in the hearts of FQ.

Just a short note to say how much I enjoyed last Friday’s

KINDRED STUDIO GIG

On Monday 9 September our student bands performed at Kindred Studios in Yarraville. This was another great opportunity for our students to run through their repertoire. Enjoy these wonderful photos by Rowan Southgate.