The undercover area was the scene of much percussion music-making when Zeeko performed on Tuesday and Wednesday this week. This was a valuable part of Ms Helen’s music program and it lived up to expectations. The promo said that Zeeko perform “songs of ocean, air and earth” and that they want students to “explore a fundamental message: nature is calling to us, and it’s time to listen”.
Their performance was innovative and creative, making use of everyday items like glass bottles and squeaky toys to make their music. Students were encouraged to participate actively when singing along by using their bodies as percussion instruments.
In Deepest Blue, Zeeko explained how they use their instruments in novel ways to create an environmental “soundscape”.
For example, a waterphone (which you can see in the photo above) created the sound of a whale singing in the depths of the ocean; using the bow of a violin against the edge of a cymbal sounded eery and echoed like the underwater world of giant sea creatures, while the haunting call of a whale was created by adjusting the volume and plucking and pulling the string of the electric guitar. You can listen for yourself in this extract from Deepest Blue on the Soundcloud player below.
They gave a strong message of sustainability and encouraged students to think about the food they are putting into their mouths with their song Eating These ‘ol Words where they highlighted how many additives and chemicals can be in foods we buy.
Zeeko certainly challenged their audience’s perceptions of percussion and, through their innovative use of their instruments and choice of songs they challenged ideas about our natural world and the food we eat. Thank you to Zeeko and to Ms Helen for her work in preparing students for their visit and all the artwork students created for the walls of the undercover area.
Written, photos and posted by D. Veary
Canteen