Band Out

Our Sonic Garden recently visited Mayfield Special School, where pupils were invited to explore this newly developed learning space.  Composed of three vivid sections, the garden was designed as a kinaesthetic, positive learning space where participants can lead their own learning through free exploration.  Almost every aspect of the garden has been made so that it can be touched, tweaked, hit with beaters, or stroked, producing musical and visual responses. 

The Mayfield students thoroughly enjoyed playing in the crazy flower drums, the rhythm tree and the chime river, and produced some very interesting sounds!  The space is highly conducive to an ‘invisible’ practitioner approach, where rather than people being led through different activities and shown the ‘right’ way of playing something, the garden belonged to its visitors who were free to explore and play it as they wished. 

Practitioners were on hand to make things more accessible for the users (for example, the gamelan dangling fruit in the rhythm tree is fully height adjustable) and at the end of the session, music leader Dave Roberts brought everyone together in a big noise making ensemble!