We were so happy to have Modus Arts bring their amazing SoundHoppers activity to Manchester. Sound Artist, Wajid Yaseen, joined us at Moss Side Powerhouse and Gorton Library on consecutive Saturday afternoons with a suitcase full of weird and wonderful sonic instruments alongside a few more traditional instruments. Both children and parents loved the sessions. Children where both rapt in attention and in full-on investigation mode figuring out which objects were the best conductors of sound, placing their ears on bench’s, books etc.
Wajid delivered a series of fun exercises and activities that got children to hone in on their listening senses. They sat with their eyes tightly shut whilst he tiptoed around the room making sounds. The children had to figure out which direction they were coming from. Next, he introduced new sounds from other areas of the room and they had to track the original sounds. Seemingly simple activities brought absolute delight to all involved.
The introduction of how sound is conducted by using tiny speakers that were placed on all sorts of objects including body parts was an absolute delight to see. Children were lying on the floor comparing how the prerecorded sounds, sounded compared to placing on benches, books, body parts etc. When placed on their heads the sounds appeared to be playing inside their heads and not externally. One child listened to music, via their mother’s finger in their ear and a small speaker placed upon their mothers elbow?!!
The workshop was finished with Wajid getting the children to draw the sounds that he made.
The session was full of energy and enthusiasm with a sprinkling of wonder thrown in. We loved it!
When asked “What was your favourite part of the activity?” one child replied “when he held the speaker to our heads. I liked it because I liked the vibration it felt like a head massage.”