Throwback event, I was invited by my high schoolmate (Kok Siew-Wai) to her performance in Singapore La Salle; all the while, I knew she specialises in the human voice as her musical instrument, but how? And what type of human voice was produced? Her performance is unique, not just using the human voice to sing. So since I am not working now, so I give myself a chance to explore this. With this opportunity, I also learned about CHOPPA FESTIVAL, which features local and international abstract sound artists, showcasing the artist's bold and innovative approaches to sonic expression.
On 26 September, I was very "brave" to attend the performance alone, knowing that I was going to explore something "unknown" to me, an "unknown" place, and an "unknown" crowd. So, I prepared myself with an "open eye" and no judgment to attend this event. When I reached the event, the seating and crowd differed from the orchestra event in which I had always participated. I have made myself comfortable with the atmosphere and environment.
There are few performances, most of which use different "equipment" (for example, computer project the visual, the sound box, etc) to experiment and improvise the sound and textures. As a beginner, I feel the "noise" generated from different "equipment." There is no music per se, just a series of sounds and various textures. At first, I thought, could I accept this type of sound while listening? There is no tune, but after some time, I feel I can take it; it calms me down (Surprisingly!), and I don't know why.
Siew Wai specialises in vocal instruments; she approaches vocal improvisation as a state between meditation and performance, requiring intense attention and awareness. She is keen to explore and experiment with the possibilities of the human voice, discovering the “hidden” or unknown sounds and embracing both conventional and unconventional vocalisation. Two other people with her also improvised the sound with the saxophone and the soundbox. Their creativity is fabulous and an art, but sometimes it can also be translated to "what are they doing" when you try to judge.
After the whole event, I believe this is another piece of music that is out of my norm to engage with, but if you open up to exploring, it is an art. It does not require you to understand or accept, but it is expressing themselves in another way.
