Thursday

––– Morning (talk/workshop) –––

Talk/workshop: Technology of the Taiko Drum: From ancient to modern

A lecture, demonstration and short workshop on the development of Japanese taiko drum technology, from traditional to electronic.

The taiko drum is an instrument that has a long history in Japan, developing in shape, form and construction techniques from cowhide through to modern electronic “techno-taiko”. The playing method has mirrored this development, from the ritual to the theatrical, cross-feeding between the technology of the instrument to the artistic creation.

This presentation will explore the development of taiko drum technology through a talk and live demonstration, including a short, hands-on workshop element, for participants to experience the vibrations first-hand.

The lecture/demonstration/workshop will be led by Miyuki Williams, founding member of UK’s longest-established Taiko drumming ensemble Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers. Miyuki is also the head instructor at the Mugenkyo teaching centre, the Mugen Taiko Dojo.  

People involved: Miyuki Williams, Prof Katie Overy

––– Afternoon (talk/workshop) –––

Talk/workshop: Clarion Call – Digital Music-Making Opens Up Accessibility

This event presents the Clarion, a new digital instrument that opens up accessibility in music making. The Clarion was developed by Open Up Music, a charity dedicated to providing meaningful opportunities and pathways for young musicians with disabilities.

  • Time: Thursday 19 February, 3–5pm
  • Location: ECA West Court (ECA Main Building, Lauriston Place)
  • Tickets: Eventbrite (Clarion workshop)
    Please note: Places are limited on this workshop, so please book early

This event presents the Clarion, the first-ever digital instrument being assessed by ABRSM through its Open Music Assessment. Developed by Open Up Music with and for disabled musicians, it is already widely played in Open Orchestras, the National Open Youth Orchestra and other inclusive ensembles in the UK. Available on iPads and Windows devices, this innovative instrument can be played expressively with any part of the body including eye movement.

Learn how the Clarion can support more inclusive practice, have a go at playing it and creating musical patterns with it. Join us for an introduction to learning, performing, and teaching the instrument with Open Up Music’s Jonathan Westrup and James Risdon.

Participants are encourage to bring their own iPad or Windows tablet with Clarion downloaded onto it.

Access

Please let us know if you require any support accessing this event by emailing eca.events@ed.ac.uk.

Please see ECA’s privacy notice for more information on how your personal details provided will be used and stored.

––– Evening (film screening) –––

Film screening/Q&A: Iorram IBoat Song

A screening of the film Iorram (Boat Song) and Q&A with the film’s director. This event aligns with our closing concert on Friday evening, both of which are underpinned by the extraordinary sound archive held by the School of Scottish Studies Archive.

The first cinema documentary entirely in Scottish Gaelic (with English subtitles), Iorram I Boat Song is a lyrical portrait of fishing communities, past and present, in Scotland’s Outer Hebrides.

Director Alastair Cole takes the audience on an immersive journey, blending contemporary observational footage with archival sound recordings of stories and songs from the mid-20th century, set to an original score by acclaimed folk musician Aidan O’Rourke.

At the core of the film is an extraordinary trove of sound archive, recorded by pioneering Scottish ethnographers, who visited the Outer Hebrides to capture the hardship and romance of life lived in precarious balance with the sea. These recordings preserve an oral history of lore and legends, tall tales and tragedies, passed down through generations of Gaelic speakers reaching back hundreds of years.

The screening will be followed by a post film discussion with the Film’s director Alastair Cole and School of Scottish Studies Archives Curator, Cathlin Macaulay.

People involved: Cathlin Macaulay, Dr Morag Grant