Music Off Canvas work with the Ocean Stars Trust in Sri Lanka, sharing culturally specific phrases of love through music and movement.
OceanStars :: Wednesday 29th January 2014 :: Latest Blog Posts
Music Off Canvas in Sri Lanka
"Before Language" is a cross-cultural project which connects people across many different ages and backgrounds by sharing culturally specific phrases of love through music and movement. Run by pioneering cross-arts specialists Music Off Canvas, two musicians (flute & oboe) and a movement specialist will be running workshops with children and adults across different regions of Sri Lanka, collecting and researching the traditional music and dance of the country through visiting performing arts companies and presenting a new creation inspired by material discovered during this time, to be brought back to the UK. See http://www.musicoffcanvas.com/before-language.html for more information.
Research and Development - Sri Lanka
In November 2013, the project was invited for a research and development phase in Sri Lanka by The Commonwealth Resounds! an organisation who “seek to identify and promote outstanding musical initiatives in Commonwealth countries” through community events held in conjunction with the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.
Sri Lanka had suffered from a 26-year civil war and now has a growing number of peace-building organisations who seek to connect people across the nation. As a project which investigates experiential ways to integrate communities and create deeper cross-cultural understanding, Sri Lanka was the perfect place for research and development. Thanks to a succesful crowdfunding campaign, we were able to execute our 10 day schedule which saw us working under three charities - The Serendipity Trust, Ocean Stars Trust and The Music Project and collecting artistic inspiration for the development of a new performance piece which will communicate the universal powers of creativity.
Message from Hannah and Vanessa
We would like to thank you both sincerely, from the bottom of our hearts, for everything you arranged for us in Batticaloa. You were most hospitable and generous and we hope that the workshops were as valuable for you as they were for us. We really felt as though a great deal of knowledge in the powers of creativity had been shared in the short time we were with you. If ever the opportunity arises, we would love to work for the Ocean Stars Trust once again.