is a sonic bike opera by Kaffe Matthews and the BRI made whilst working as artist in residence at Q-02 and opera house La Monnaie de Munt, Brussels, 2015. This video documents one ride shot from a sonic bike riding the piece.
'Finding Song Home' is a work that explores the injustices of birthright and questions the powers that enable or prevent the free movement of citizens. Through meeting and sharing with legal and illegal immigrants in Brussels, Matthews gathered many stories. Intimately told through the voices of their narrators, she layed them through the city streets creating a multi-threaded libretto which plays from GPS linked sonic bikes by visitors when they ride one of these bikes through and beyond Brussels city centre. The routes of the opera pass between La Monnaie, the canal and the squares of Molenbeek, redefined with every pedal stroke of the riders. Songs and narratives transform these journies as they unfurl through the street’s shifting soundscapes and Matthews electronic counterparts. With sounds triggered by where and how fast the bike goes, each participating cyclist creates and defines their own opera experience.
Matthews developed 'Finding Song Home' by exploring the city, meeting and working with residents through the support of local community groups Globearoma and Vartkapoen. She also ran route composition workshops for children with theatre director Ivan Vrambout at la Maison des Cultures, Molenbeek.
'Finding Song Home' is the BRI’s 8th sonic bike opera. For this project, eight new sonic bikes, including two for children, were made through collaboration with Cyclo and Ludo Engels. These bikes will remain in Brussels, to be used to create and perform new works.
Production De Munt & Q-O2. BRI software system made by David Griffiths and developed by Tom Keene.
Assisted by Samson Pignot, Lisa Hall, Rika Colpaert, Christel Simons, Lucy Grauman and Florent Buchel.
With support from and thanks to FoAM, Globearoma, Vartkapoen, Rits/School of Arts, Maison des Cultures et de la Cohésion Sociale de Molenbeek- Saint-Jean, Visit Brussels, Bessst.
Supported by Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Stad Brussl, Creative Europe program of the EU.
With special thanks to Julia Eckhardt and José Luis Villalobos Prats.
demunt.be | q-o2.be
