In 2008 I was awarded a fellowship from Carnegie Hall that fused two of my passions together; chamber music and teaching. As fellows we performed at Carnegie, taught in New York schools and designed chamber music performances that were interactive, audience inclusive, fun and educational for schools and for the community. From the alumni of this fellowship Decoda - who are now the Affiliate Ensemble of Carnegie Hall - were formed. Decoda are a passionate group of performers and educators who work in New York, London and around the globe in residencies designed to suit the needs of the area they in. In countries including India, Iceland, Abu Dhabi, Mexico, Denmark, Spain, Japan and Germany Decoda can be found doing anything from masterclasses and concerts to performing in prisons or creating public compositions on the street. Decoda has a unique energy and works without restriction on these residencies - we say no to very little and adapt to every situation we can!
Our school and community performances are often centered around Decoda's own style of Interactive Performance, meaning they are interactive between audience and performers. The principle is this... A small group of musicians lead 50 minute performances for any audience of any size in any space. Concerts combine excerpts of chamber music with spoken and activity based interactions to give each audience member a pathway into the music; activities include singing, gesturing, moving, composing, active listening, problem solving, and games that stimulate the senses and the imagination. Interactive performances educate in music and in subjects from maths and history to the environment and the visual arts.
These performances are a wonderful way for musicians to share and engage an audience in what they love about music, with integrity and confidence. Decoda are now Resident Ensemble in Creative Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where they are training the students in this style of performance. It has been widely successful with students so far and here is how Jonathan Vaughan, Director of Music at Guildhall, endorses Decoda's work...
Our school and community performances are often centered around Decoda's own style of Interactive Performance, meaning they are interactive between audience and performers. The principle is this... A small group of musicians lead 50 minute performances for any audience of any size in any space. Concerts combine excerpts of chamber music with spoken and activity based interactions to give each audience member a pathway into the music; activities include singing, gesturing, moving, composing, active listening, problem solving, and games that stimulate the senses and the imagination. Interactive performances educate in music and in subjects from maths and history to the environment and the visual arts.
These performances are a wonderful way for musicians to share and engage an audience in what they love about music, with integrity and confidence. Decoda are now Resident Ensemble in Creative Performance at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama where they are training the students in this style of performance. It has been widely successful with students so far and here is how Jonathan Vaughan, Director of Music at Guildhall, endorses Decoda's work...
“In all the years that I’ve been associated with music education I’ve never previously encountered such a sure- fired formulae to deliver exciting and innovative outreach work as Decoda has brought to the Guildhall School...”
— Jonathan Vaughan