Circle of Sounds

Sounds are raw. Sounds are subtle. Sounds know no category, no right nor wrong — they care little about interpretation, and they exist only for that brief moment in which they are created and heard. Precious and ephemeral traces of our existence.

Sounds allow us to express ourselves in full immediacy, without restraints and no conventional meaning attached to them. In the Circle of Sounds we come together to create and share a playful space in which we surprise ourselves by the sounds we make and the soundscapes that emerge between us. Sometimes that is noise, sometimes it is music, sometimes it is magic.

What happens during the Circle of Sounds?

The event always consists of two parts:

During the first part, we workshop some aspects of sound-creation and make each other feel at ease in the group.
The second part is the ritual called Circle of Sounds: Here we enter a magical space together during which we create sounds in a free-form, using our voices, our bodies, and a varying mix of “instruments”. The circle is organised by four simple principles:
1. Everything becomes sounds, and all sounds are welcome.
2. Sounds can only be heard if someone is listening. Silence is a contribution to the circle.
3. Curiosity and playfullness are your greatest guides. There are no mistakes.
4. Sounds and movement go hand in hand.

What is the practice about, and who is it for?

The Circle of Sounds as a practice offers a variety of themes to explore. Here are some themes that have become important in the circle so far:

finding back to a childish joy in playing around with sounds and expressing yourself through it
becoming comfortable in making a fool of yourself
taking space and making space for others
moving from a place of effortlessness: not trying too hard for a specific outcome but stepping into a flow-state
releasing “stuck” emotions
co-creating a magical space together

If any of these themes speak to you or spark your curiosity, then the Circle of Sounds might be for you.

Practical Information

Every participant is invited to bring at least one “instrument” — this can be anything that you would like to make sounds with: a music instrument, some keys, a bucket, an umbrella, a bag full of uncooked pasta. Go wild if you like, there are no limits here.

A lot of people report being anxious about making sounds in front of other people. This is normal, and while we try our best to make the space as non-demanding as possible, a little bit of nervousness will always remain. Even with people who have been to a lot of cirlces. It is part of what makes the experience liberating: to do a thing that we are a bit scared of.

If you are curious to hear what a circle can sound like, you can visit to an entire session here on soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/user-256839746

Lastly, the Circle of Sounds does not require any previous musical experience.