Musical Instrument Library

Musical Instrument Building as a Community Project

The Musical Instrument Library (2024) is a project realized in the context of the YUI-PORT Artist in Residence Program in Niigata (JP).

The work follows the duo’s ongoing practice of designing unique musical instruments that combine simple materials - in this case recycled from the residency’s storage space, with simple electronic amplification.

The library seeks to foster self-directed learning, and explore innovative approaches to the creation and diffusion of new musical approaches. Each instrument is quite unique, an ad hoc creation that everyone can borrow, take home, and use at will before returning it.

As part of our activities, we also directed an afternoon workshop open to participants of any age. We introduced them to simple rhythm ideas and we implemented small exercises in groups. Drawing some parallelisms between spoken syllables and rhtyhmic units, we prepared a small final performance.

Photo credits: Osamu Nakamura
Photo courtesy: YUI-PORT (Niigata City Center for Creative Arts and International Youth Exchange)