The
planning and implementation of this project has been
underway since November of 1997. Blanton Elementary
PTA President Kristin Cutaia and Blanton Music/Special
Programs Director Michelle Walls approached
me about becoming involved in the design and construction
of an acoustic playground to be built on the school
campus in Austin, Texas. At the time, I was administrating
and working with a local arts group under a City
of Austin Cultural Contract to provide arts related
programming for East and South Austin priority youth,
specifically elementary age children. I notified members
of the Jumpstart Artist's Group about the planned
project and began discussions with school officials,
Ms. Walls and Ms. Cutaia.
In
November and December of 1997, I taught an enrichment
class to a group of third through fifth grade students
with a focus on art and discovery. Much of the discussion
in this primary six week session focused on materials
and design. In the next round of classes, begun in
January of 1998, I determined that organizing a class
focusing on Musical Instrument Making would
be a logical way to include students in the process
of designing and constructing the individual panels
which would ultimately become the Blanton Soundscape.
Students in the class learned about the principles
of sound and each student made a number of playable
instruments. Students also participated in gathering
materials for the SoundScape , assembling components,
and installing the first panel frame on February 23,
1998. A continuous dialog between students, Blanton
staff and the designer has helped to bring this project
to life.
I
began teaching another session of Musical Instrument
Making in March 1998 to a group of second through
fifth grade students and actively involved these students
in the continuing design and construction of this
exciting project. Classes at Blanton Elementary continued
through the school year of 1998, with the formation
of the Blanton Banjo Club in which the students all
constructed their own playable four string cigarbox
banjos.
In
the Fall of 1999, I was invited to be a visiting critic
at The University of Texas School of Architecture
by Professor Richard Swallow. Through the course
of the semester, students were exposed to the elements
of musical sound as well as professional training
in architectural acoustics. This second year design
studio was unique and well received by the students
and faculty. The students designed and constructed
musical instruments and composed and performed a new
piece of music. The second half of the semester involved
the design of an outdoor performance space to be located
at Bartholomew Park in Austin.
Beginning
in February of 2000, I have worked with high school
students at the Griffin School in Austin to
produce an installation which will be used by students
from the ages of 5 through 18 on the school grounds.
The installation will be premiered at the Spring
Lantern Festival which takes place May 7, 2000
at 4100 Red River Street. An exciting new development
is a set of ½ scale instrument panels which can be
easily transported for exhibition and display. The
"mini-panels" will also be displayed at this event.
Future
development includes continuation of the SoundScape
Design Invitational which invites designers worldwide
to submit designs for new instrument panels as well
as the application for a NIMH Small
Business Innovation Research
grant which will fund field trials and development
towards production. Also planned is a film document
which will demonstrate the use and efficacy of the
SoundScape installation. This project continues to
evolve and develop largely through the auspices of
private sponsors and the City of Austin Arts Commission
and the Texas Commission for the Arts.
