The Challenge of Music Reveal

Welcome to the 2nd Annual Challenge of Music! Over forty participants have joined me in sharing our creative journeys through music. But this year the twist - and Challenge - was to find a {mostly} instrumental piece of music that would allow our imaginations to tell the tale.

The first time I saw a show under the Big Top on the Navy Pier in Chicago I was hooked. The Cirque du Soleil ("Circus of the Sun") is a marvelous feast for the senses and is one of the most amazing experiences live. While you can certainly see performances of the various shows on television or in the movies, I cannot recommend the live shows highly enough.

Cirque du Soleil has revolutionized performance art, in particular blending circus arts with stunning original music spotlighting elaborate sets and lavish costuming and makeup into shows that transcend the traditional big top approach of what a circus is known for. Founded in Quebec in 1984 by Guy Laliberté and Daniel Gauthier, the original group was comprised of local street performers. Animal acts found in traditional circuses were scrapped to focus exclusively on human spectacles - stilt-walkers, jugglers, fire-eaters, and the like. Their live action art produced a loyal following throughout Canada, eventually spreading across North America and around the world. In the 1990s and 2000s they went from one show in Montreal to 19 shows in over 271 cities on every continent except Antarctica. That is impressive growth!

Wallpaper image depicting the characters from Ka. Photo from the Ka website.

From the costumes to the sets to the characters, the Cirque has produced incredible dancing, death-defying acts and heart-achingly beautiful music. The music is so central to the performances that the musicians are in costume and make-up and usually seen onstage as part of the action unfolding. Each show has characteristic sounds that permeate every single scene, bringing out the nuances of the performances and resonating in your whole being from the soulful sounds and weaving a story with haunting albeit mysterious lyrics.

I love that the music in each show has this sort of timeless appeal. It sounds as though it could have been composed 300 years ago or 300 years in the future. There is always a harmonious blend of instruments from across the globe and a melodious blend of voices in choruses that take my breath away. Some of the songs have lyrics but they always sounds otherworldly. I have discovered that the language that is used in most of the music is an invented language affectionately called "Cirquish" and features sounds blending cultures from African, Italian, French, Slavic, Celtic, Indian and Asian influences. That makes each note filled with mystery and gives me a sense of an otherworldly place and time.

The Big Top for La Nouba at Downtown Disney

I have seen La Nouba (permanent show at Disneyworld in Orlando) twice and several other shows that have popped up in Chicago on tour. But the one that made the most impression on me was one that was unlike any other Cirque du Soleil show: Ka at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

Story board for the Flight scene. Photo from the Ka website.

Typically, the Cirque is a collection of acts loosely woven around a theme. Ka deviates from the normal Cirque production in that it is an epic tale from beginning to end rather than just an abstract melange of acts. But instead of using dialogue and characterization to tell the story, the action and music weave the story and carry you on a journey. The theater itself that was constructed for this show is incredible. Each of the 1951 seats in the $165 million theater have speakers built into the headrests so that you are completely enveloped by the music. Some of the scenes feature screens that project images that respond to the actors, like bubbles rising and rocks falling. The stage is an incredible free floating platform on an immense hydraulics system so that action can be tilted, moving and even go vertical (that fight scene is mind-blowing). There is a four story drop into a pit that all but devours some performers in the show.

Photo of the floating stage deck in the Battlefield scene where performers scale the wall and swing from the pegs in incredible feats of strength and choreography. Photo from Ka.

This epic tale of love and honor, quest and self-discovery, has a soundtrack that I love to listen to. Ever since I saw that show, I have wanted to represent each of the 14 scenes through a piece of jewelry. Today I will share with you two pieces I created inspired by distinctly different musical numbers in the performance. Each of these musical numbers evoke very different feelings, colors, textures and patterns, yet they are related and tell of  pivotal moments in the gripping story.

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STORM

I have to admit that I cheated a bit on this first one. I suggested that the musical inspiration be instrumental. What I really was hoping for is choosing songs without recognizable lyrics, since it is those lyrics that can influence the creating. But this music so moves me when I hear it that I knew that I had to use it.

To escape the Archers and Spearmen, the Nursemaid drags the Twin Sister onto a boat and they escape by sea, only to encounter a massive storm that capsizes their vessel. The specially-designed boat structure weighs almost 1800 pounds and the rocking and turning movements are completely manipulated by the artists onboard. Photo and caption from Ka.

In Ka there is a 57-piece orchestra that plays in the bowels of the stage four stories below the action in small lounge-type soundproof rooms while watching the action played out on monitors. That was a fabulous revelation as typically in Cirque shows the musicians are right on stage as characters. Along with the musical accompaniment, there are 40 voices that provide the chorus, and while there are some songs in the show that have what might pass as lyrics, most of the human voices provide a sort of instrumental vocalization. In this piece entitled "Storm" there is great sense of urgency created by the repetitious 'Cirquish' sounds of the mostly male voices. These chants and harmonies act as another instrument rather than tell a tale through lyrics. The rise and fall of the music and the driving force is what I wanted to capture in my piece.

Click this button below to listen to the music:

 

I heard these sounds as being rather dark and ominous, with flashes of red and punctuated by forceful jabs of the beat. I wanted to bring the sense of urgency and driving power to this piece through the choice of the materials and the placement.

I used a variety of beads including dagger shaped ivory magnesite, jagged quartz, a slice of horn, faceted carnelian, matte peanut beads, tribal polymer clay rounds from Pam Wynn, ceramic link and Wooly Wire from Karen Totten, ceramic beads from MaryAnn Carrroll and Lisa Peters Art, a beautiful copper spiral from Artisan Accents by StaciLouise and some hand patina-ed beads that I created along with some spicy sari silk ribbon and a coiled clasp that I created to mimic Staci's component. I think it accomplishes the tribal sounds and forceful nature of this music.

SHADOWPLAY

Not long after the frenzy of 'Storm' is a softer, soulful piece called 'Shadowplay.' This piece has a sadness to it, a sort of melancholy after the intense action of the previous musical number, as if you might reflect on the events that have just unfolded with a sense of loss but yet a hopefulness for the future. In my minds' eye I can see swirling and twisting that builds through a sweet melody with a feeling of happiness and serenity.

Full sketch idea I created while listening to the music

I have a goal this year of working through a stack of books on my table, one per month. This month I was inspired by a butterfly wing wire wrapping design in the Wire Jewelry Masterclass by Abby Hook. I also find that when I sketch an idea there is a higher likelihood that I will actually make something from that.

Click this button below to listen to the music:

There is an elegance to this music, a sort of playful dancing feel that is light and airy. For this piece I decided to fabricate links in a freeform wire style. I created swirls of 16 gauge copper wire, hammered for strength and texture and darkened with liver of sulfur, wrapped in tiny grossular garnet, peridot gemstones and teal nugget pearls on the swirls to catch the light and lead the eye. I finished with a deep teal blue sari silk braid as this music feels blue to me.

It looks very substantial, like a decorative breastplate, but it is surprisingly light and flexible. I like how closely it mimics the drawing I did. Score one for my rough sketching!

Oh! And I almost forgot! I made a coordinating pair of earrings to go with this necklace and created a Polyvore style board with a whole outfit. You can check that out at Earrings Everyday!

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Thank you for staying with me through this blog post!
I know it is a long one, but I hope it is worthwhile.
I am looking forward to taking the next few days and really diving into
the musical experiences of the other participants who were able to participate.

{Note: There were quite a few in the list below that had to excuse themselves from playing for various reasons. I completely understand when life gets overwhelming. I hope that they will all get back to creating again real soon!}

As I stop by each blog, I will replace their links below with a direct link to their blog post and add them to the Pinterest Board that I have set up for the occasion. 

Join me in the musical journey, won't you?

The Challenge of Music participants

Erin Prais-Hintz
Alenka Obid
Ali McCarthy
Alicia Marinache
Amy Severino
Amy Grass
Carolyn Lawson
Cece Cormier
Cynthia Riggs
 Ema Kilroy (bowed out)
Emanda Johnson
 Emma Todd
Erin Kenny
Evelyn Shelby
Evie and Beth McCord
 Gerd Andersson
Holly Westfall
 Jennifer Justman
 Jenny Davies-Reazor
 Jess Green
Judy Campbell
 Karla Morgan
Kay Thomerson
Kristina Johansson
Lola Surwillo
Lynn White (bowed out)
Malin de Koning
Mallory Hoffman
Mary K McGraw
Melissa Meman (bowed out)
Melissa Trudinger
 Michelle Escano
Michelle Bourbonniere
Michelle Heim (bowed out)
Michelle Mach
 Molly Alexander
Molly Schaller (bowed out)
Monique Urquhart
Niky Sayers
Pam Farren
Rebecca Anderson
 Sally Russick
Sharon Palac (bowed out)
Sharon Driscoll
Susan Kennedy
Tari Kahrs
Tracy Stillman (bowed out)
Veralynne Malone


P.S. The next Quarterly Challenges will be in May (Literature), August (Travel) and November (Color).
Know that I will plan to do them no matter who signs up. And if no one does, well, then you will have at least my post to look forward to for inspiration! And if it happens to work out for you, I hope you will consider joining me!