By Chris Billingham
How can we use sensory stimulation to enhance young people’s experience of, and engagement with, classical music?
That is the question posed on the official website for Bittersuite, a new project that has inspired a range of reactions from the classical music community. Created by 24-year-old producer Stephanie Singer, Bittersuite has been inspired by synaesthesia, a condition described as a “union of the senses” where senses that are normally experienced separately are involuntarily and automatically joined together. Through workshops and performances, the project aims to create a multisensory experience where music is performed and also tasted, smelled and felt by the audience.
At a recent performance at the Rich Mix arts centre in East London, audiences heard the Phaedrus Quartet perform Debussy's String Quartet in G. While the performance took place, they were blindfolded and given various things to smell, taste and touch. During an interview on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune, Singer explains that nearly every member of the audience had someone in front of them the whole time, feeding them and with “scampering fingertips up the body”. The aim of the project is to see if different senses can enhance the experience of music; if they can, will this increase young people’s experience and engagement with classical music?
Personally, I find the project fascinating, but I must admit I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, having attended and even been involved in creating immersive theatre, I love the idea of experimenting with concerts and enhancing the experience. There is something about taking an audience out of their comfort zone that intensifies the experience, making them concentrate more; in many cases, this makes the experience more satisfying. I also like that Bittersuite have incorporated historical aspects into the performance. In the In Tune interview, Singer explains that they have been inspired by “historical scents”, aiming to recreate the senses that would have been experienced when the piece was first performed. Suddenly an educational layer is added which is fitting, considering its aims to appeal to young people through sensory workshops. Audiences at the Rich Mix also experienced their bodies being swayed and “sea salt air” when there was an “evocative and invigorating moment in the music”. What’s fantastic about this is the level of thought that has gone into every moment; the creators of this project have thought about every sound and decided which sense fits best with it.
While I admire this and find it fascinating, this element is also the reason I am conflicted about the performance. As discussed in previous articles, I find music to be a very personal experience. Two people can hear the exact same piece and respond in completely different ways, feeling different emotions and imagining diverse images. A project like Bittersuite potentially takes this away from an audience who are literally being fed someone else’s interpretation.
Interpretation is, perhaps, the key word. Bittersuite are not telling audiences that the music should categorically make them think of the salty sea, merely offering it as an interpretation. For young people it could be seen as a guide into classical music, opening the door by providing comfort in the form of context.
Some have viewed this project as a ‘gimmick’, stating that people should fall in love with classical music through more traditional routes. I can understand this point of view but I suspect the key for Bittersuite is to provide an introduction, with the hope that people will investigate the music further, creating their own emotions, images and senses as they listen. It would be interesting to note how many audience members return to more conventional concerts in the future.
There’s no doubt that this project won’t appeal to everyone, if for no other reason than a desire for personal space: if one is worried about what might happen next, one probably won’t be listening to the music, meaning that it would not enhance engagement. However, given the success of immersive theatre and even events such as Murder Mystery evenings or 3D films, there is definitely an audience for experiences that are more immersive. We’ve discussed interactivity through social media, and other new concert concepts, but physical immersion is an entirely new concept. Personally I am excited that Stephanie Singer has potentially found a way to bring this audience to classical music. For those that are willing, it could open up a new interpretation and facilitate a love of music new to these open-minded audiences.
To get in touch with us, comment below or join in the discussion on Facebook or Twitter.
You can subscribe to this blog by entering your email above. To find out more about Southern Sinfonia, please visit our website or Instagram page.
That is the question posed on the official website for Bittersuite, a new project that has inspired a range of reactions from the classical music community. Created by 24-year-old producer Stephanie Singer, Bittersuite has been inspired by synaesthesia, a condition described as a “union of the senses” where senses that are normally experienced separately are involuntarily and automatically joined together. Through workshops and performances, the project aims to create a multisensory experience where music is performed and also tasted, smelled and felt by the audience.
At a recent performance at the Rich Mix arts centre in East London, audiences heard the Phaedrus Quartet perform Debussy's String Quartet in G. While the performance took place, they were blindfolded and given various things to smell, taste and touch. During an interview on BBC Radio 3’s In Tune, Singer explains that nearly every member of the audience had someone in front of them the whole time, feeding them and with “scampering fingertips up the body”. The aim of the project is to see if different senses can enhance the experience of music; if they can, will this increase young people’s experience and engagement with classical music?
Personally, I find the project fascinating, but I must admit I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand, having attended and even been involved in creating immersive theatre, I love the idea of experimenting with concerts and enhancing the experience. There is something about taking an audience out of their comfort zone that intensifies the experience, making them concentrate more; in many cases, this makes the experience more satisfying. I also like that Bittersuite have incorporated historical aspects into the performance. In the In Tune interview, Singer explains that they have been inspired by “historical scents”, aiming to recreate the senses that would have been experienced when the piece was first performed. Suddenly an educational layer is added which is fitting, considering its aims to appeal to young people through sensory workshops. Audiences at the Rich Mix also experienced their bodies being swayed and “sea salt air” when there was an “evocative and invigorating moment in the music”. What’s fantastic about this is the level of thought that has gone into every moment; the creators of this project have thought about every sound and decided which sense fits best with it.
While I admire this and find it fascinating, this element is also the reason I am conflicted about the performance. As discussed in previous articles, I find music to be a very personal experience. Two people can hear the exact same piece and respond in completely different ways, feeling different emotions and imagining diverse images. A project like Bittersuite potentially takes this away from an audience who are literally being fed someone else’s interpretation.
Interpretation is, perhaps, the key word. Bittersuite are not telling audiences that the music should categorically make them think of the salty sea, merely offering it as an interpretation. For young people it could be seen as a guide into classical music, opening the door by providing comfort in the form of context.
Some have viewed this project as a ‘gimmick’, stating that people should fall in love with classical music through more traditional routes. I can understand this point of view but I suspect the key for Bittersuite is to provide an introduction, with the hope that people will investigate the music further, creating their own emotions, images and senses as they listen. It would be interesting to note how many audience members return to more conventional concerts in the future.
There’s no doubt that this project won’t appeal to everyone, if for no other reason than a desire for personal space: if one is worried about what might happen next, one probably won’t be listening to the music, meaning that it would not enhance engagement. However, given the success of immersive theatre and even events such as Murder Mystery evenings or 3D films, there is definitely an audience for experiences that are more immersive. We’ve discussed interactivity through social media, and other new concert concepts, but physical immersion is an entirely new concept. Personally I am excited that Stephanie Singer has potentially found a way to bring this audience to classical music. For those that are willing, it could open up a new interpretation and facilitate a love of music new to these open-minded audiences.
To get in touch with us, comment below or join in the discussion on Facebook or Twitter.
You can subscribe to this blog by entering your email above. To find out more about Southern Sinfonia, please visit our website or Instagram page.
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