“an innovative, engaging, and unique workshop in creative electronic music. [Jones and Thorpe’s] efforts at providing access to creative collaboration are crucial… Their workshops for Nameless Sound were highlights of our program…”
— David Dove, Nameless Sound, Houston, TX.

Electronic Music: Powered by Girls
Contact Microphones & Improvised Music

Ideal for up to 12 participants

This workshop, for young women (middle school to high school), uses sound and musical improvisation to introduce participants to technology as an artistic tool. In a three-hour afternoon session, participants will learn how to build their own contact microphones and then use them to turn everyday objects into instruments. As an extension, participants will be led by Thorpe and Jones through a group musical improvisation using their new instruments. Participants are encouraged to keep their microphones and to continue to use them in their own creative ways. Workshops are free of charge for the children and students and all materials will be supplied for participants.

Workshops are followed by evening performances by Bonnie Jones and Suzanne Thorpe, performing solo works that utilize analog and digital technologies. The presentation contextualizes electronic music for young women who are seeking reference points in a largely male dominated field. The concert is free for workshop attendees.

Electronic Music: Powered by Girls
Field Recording & Audio Editing

Ideal for 6-8 participants

The workshop provides young girls aged 13-18 hands-on experience with both digital and analog technologies, fostering familiarity and confidence in areas of art, science, and technology. Designed for students with basic computer literacy, the workshop will include a sound walk and recording session, audio editing session, and exercises designed to develop skills in listening, dialogue, sharing, and vocalizing.

Sounding Points of Light

Ideal for up to 12 participants

The DIY electronics workshop allows participants to build and perform with their very own oscillator instrument that uses light as a trigger. Participants learn how to make a simple oscillator using photocells, capacitors, and resistors that can be activated using a flashlight. Knowledge of basic circuitry and signal flow will be explored with ample opportunity to experiment with different components. Participants will also collaborate on a group score that will feature the instrument each individual designs, as well as field recordings gathered by the group.

Soundwalk Workshop

Ideal for up to 15 participants

A soundwalk is any excursion whose main purpose is listening to the environment. It is exposing our ears to every sound around us no matter where we are. — Hildegard Westerkamp

The workshop will introduce participants to the concepts of the “soundwalk” and ways to explore an environment sonically.  The artists will lead a discussion about found sound, field recording, strategies for active listening, ways in which sound affects us and we impact sounds in our environment.  As an activity, the group, using basic recording equipment, cassette players, MP3 recorders, contact microphones, etc, will explore a Baltimore neighborhood, listen, and record our sonic observations.  Once we return from the walk, time permitting, the group will participate in an improvised music session using their recorded sounds. As an additional activity, we can introduce the group to basic audio editing and mixing using Audacity in a computer lab.