According to research by Daniel Levitin, music helps synchronising our bodies and brains. Neurochemicals in the brain and the release of endorphins are affected by activities such as listening to music and singing together, which in turn is linked to feelings of social closeness and connectedness. The release of dopamine, an element in mood adjustment, has also been linked to activities around music, making it plausible that music can bring us joy. When you relate this to the studies on the effect on endorphins, it seems a likely conclusion that music can not only make us feel good, but also make us feel like we can connect with others, perhaps especially when we make music together ourselves.
But what does that look like in real life? And to what extent can these connections be made in a spontaneous meeting?
Some researchers believe that it is the rhythm in music that helps us synchronise our brains and coordinate our body movements with others. Research supporting this thesis shows how coordinating movement through music increases our sense of community and prosocial behaviour.
We use these theories combined with curiosity about music and human connection as a starting point for developing this artistic crossover project. When does a connection happen? How quickly can you build a connection, not through words, but through rhythmic sounds and intimate, personal exchange in sound creation? If there is nothing else in the room to interfere with or affect the interaction between two people, what connection can be created by playing together in 15 minutes? Can two people synchronise simply by doing this?
These are the core questions that Elisabeth Jansen’s new immersive music project, Second Fundamental Contact, illuminates. In a completely bright, bare white room, Ms. Jansen and her instruments encounter the audience as active participants, not passive spectators. Different grooves, rhythmic arrangements, and loudspeakers are the foundation Ms. Jansen works with, and for the participants there will be a theremin and a mogee, with which they can give free rein to their creativity and create their own sounds. Ms. Jansen modulates the sounds created by the participants and navigates between the beats. The ongoing immersive and interactive process is meant to challenge comfort zones, create space for connection and self-reflection. The white space is meant to simulate a neutral atmosphere so that participants can focus solely on the artist and his or her interactive musical process.
The reason Ms. Jansen chose the Theremin and Mogee instruments for the participants is that no prior musical knowledge is necessary to use them. With a brief introduction to the main functions of the instruments, anyone can create sounds and rhythms while playing. Mogees is a combination of app and vibration sensor that converts physical gestures into notes. For example, participants can already create sounds by simply tapping on the table. The Theremin is an electronic musical instrument that is controlled by the thereminist (performer) without physical contact. The control section of the instrument consists of two metal antennas that detect the relative position of the hands. In this way, the participant creates sounds with simple hand movements in the air.
Before the participants enter the room, they are given a sheet with a short introduction to the project, as well as the simplest functions of the instruments. They will also be asked to speak as little as possible. Optional: they will sign a consent form that the sessions will be recorded, and that an album of some of the recordings may be made at the end. This is not the ultimate goal, but a possible outcome of the sessions.
When the participants enter the room one by one, they meet Ms. Jansen on the other side of a table. In front of them, the participants will see the Theremin and the Mogee. They will walk to the instruments and begin to create sounds while Ms. Jansen actively accompanies them with rhythms and sound modulation. The spontaneous interaction is the basis for the deeper connection that can be created. After 15 minutes, the sounds fade out with Ms. Jansen and the participants in the room and the session is over. How will they leave after this intimate interaction? How connected will they feel having made music together? Will each participant have a unique and individual experience of it? The goal is to create a challenging and thought-provoking artistic project with an actively participating audience. Optional: after having left the room the participants will be given a form to quickly evaluate their experience.
Supported by Initiative Musik gGmbH with project funds from the Federal Government Commissioner for Culture and Media.
