sometimes broken and restored ("Sea"). The creators think of both aspects – mom (dad, caregiver) and child – together. It is about building mindfulness, calming down and slowing down, also to face and process one's own content.

## More about sound, voice, music... and silence

In the perinatal period, the voice deserves special attention. Let us think of its importance within the child's first environment, in the foetal and newborn's eco-system, and especially of the importance of the mother's voice and her body sounds, with a mother's body acting as a sounding-source. In the mother's womb and, after birth, in her arms, the child is within the range of her voice, it is touched by her voice, her rhythms, experiencing her (also) through her voice and sound. All this affects the baby's wellbeing and health in the short and long term.

We all live in sonic landscapes, and what's more, sound co-creates our perception and experience of space, we are constantly surrounded by sound, rarely by silence. Message to today's parents: think about creating spaces of silence, places where we can experience tranquillity, as we could experience it with 'whispering pillows' exhibited in the Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova in summer 2023 😊.<fnref n="1" /> It is important to provide soothing and supportive sound environments that protect against sound overload which cause stress at home and in kindergartens, to reduce noise and sound chaos, to remove sound pollution, to repeatedly invite – (into) silence.

It is not a coincidence to say how important it is for parents to tune in to the child, to listen to the child and themselves. Voice, sound touches (us) – even

at the level of physical phenomenon, by vibration, etc.; sound is a bridge between humans – even more, between living beings, with the world itself.

Listening together to human voices, voices of nature, sound games, concerts ("So Quiet") at the earliest age is an opportunity to strengthen physical and emotional closeness, synchronization, mutual attunement, exchange and bonding between adult and child and their cooperation. Sound, music also invites us to make our own contribution with voice, responding with movement... It is of utmost importance that sound games and concerts are thoughtfully tuned to the child's need to 'be in the body, to move'.

## Artwork for children, with children

The message that someone thinks of children and creates for children is of greatest importance; especially when designing opportunities for parents or caregivers to create together with children. The ranges of emotions, feelings in these works, are an incentive for parents and children to continue on their own when the radio game or concert has already come to an end.

For high-quality artwork (what these sound plays are), it is important that it is not programmatic, narrowed to the learning purpose, that it is not placed from the outside, that it is not based on the abstraction of the 'child', the idea of the 'child'. When didactics is ahead of richness, complexity, even contrasts and contradictions of the content, the child will feel it as intrusive, unrelated to them, limiting and 'demanding'. A good work of art is respectful of children's inner worlds, addresses what is ignored, unheard in an ordinary fast-paced world...

It encourages listening: listening to nature means both – hearing animals, plants, natural phenomena, and listening to oneself, one's inner nature.

Quality sound art strengthens auditory sensitivity, i.e. addresses it, not artificially, but through a (deep) experience. It is important that it is devoid of intrusive didactic points, that altogether it is not too simplistic and underestimating for the child – we are returning to the starting point again: respectfulness towards the child!

The child – as well as adults – surrenders, 'dives' in the world of quality artwork... And only then can artwork broadly 'act' on the development of children's senses, perceptions, experience, deepening, eavesdropping and co-talking. Children enjoy co-creating, contributing to the world, voicing, playing and communicating at the same time; in other words, they are in a relationship.

Creating by voice is extremely important – the narrator ("Chitter-Chatter") speaks slowly, calmly, distinctly, in different rhythms, melodies, with different intensity... The singer and narrator ("Sea") complement and upgrade each other, establishing a difference and harmony... And these sound spaces are of paramount importance, as they allow special types of 'settlement'. We could probably say that experienced and lived works of art remain in our memory as chambers, as spaces with the characteristics of a shelter, cradle, den, nest..., to where we can return for a new experience of peace, harmony, relaxation, acceptance, security, affirmation... Why sound plays so early, and why multiple listening, if not also because these kinds of early experiences add something to the quality of these memory spaces.

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<footnote n="1">¹ Zorman, B. and Pivka, I., "Sing, Pillow, Sing". Museum of Contemporary Art Metelkova, 17th of June 2023.</footnote>
Children are not superfluous and distracting in 'enjoying' those artworks; on contrary, they are actively invited and involved. We have to remember: they are not just potential beings, just future adults, whose development must be stimulated or even accelerated; they are but full-fledged sentient beings here and now, in the moment of their own development rhythm.

Artwork is (enough and not too much) complex to invite you to listen to it multiple times; we know that for a child repetition means strengthening a sense of security and coherence. At the same time, the child is invited to explore new aspects, which contributes to 'listening carefully' – we listen attentively, set our ears, become quiet, calm down, we are available for what others (tree, animal, human) communicate, speak, exchange with us.

**This is important now, and an excellent foundation for the future.**

<figure><img src="image_140.png" /><figcaption>Photo by Adrian Pregelj</figcaption></figure>

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<figure><img src="image_142.png" /><figcaption>"Sea" at the Festival of Radio Plays for Babies and Toddlers, RTV SLO, March 2023, Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Photo by Adrian Pregelj</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_143.png" /></figure>
Libretto

A fish swims the sea,
the Fish Pharaonic.

Jesus swims after it,
along the deep current:

"Wait, oh wait,
fish Fish Pharaonic!

We'd like to ask you
how the world fares."

"If I flap my tail,
the whole world shall sink;

If I flip around,
the whole world shall perish."

"Oh no, pray not,
fish, Fish Pharaonic!

For the sake of little children,
and the birthing mothers.

For the sake of little children,
and the birthing mothers."

A fish swims the sea,

A fish swims the sea,

A fish swims the sea,

A fish swims the sea,
the Fish Pharaonic

*The world lives together in harmony*

the world lives together in harmony.

*The world lives together in harmony*

Then, something creaks
the song of the sea erupting with noise
the sea wails and whispers
the Pharaonic fish startles
it flees, and it flees
Nothing's been right in the sea ever since

Those looking for each other can't find
one another

Those looking for each other can't find
one another

Aaaaa, aaaaaaa

Those looking for each other

Aaaaa, aaaaaaaa

can't find one another

Aaaaaah, aaaaaaaah
Many, many seas
Many, many seas

Aaaaaaah, aaaaaaaaaaaah

Those looking for each other can't find
one another

Aaaaaaaaaah, aaaaaaaaaah
Many seas
A single sea
The sea is just one
The sea is just one
Countless droplets, drop, drop, dro

Aaaaaaaaaah, aaaaaaaaaah

Many
Many secrets

Aaaaaaaaa, aaaaaaaaa

If you find secrets murmuring in the sea

Each secret a song
A song murmuring in the sea

If you sing them along with the sea
The song of the sea murmurs powerfully
drowning out all the noise
calming the Fish Pharaonic
Those looking for each other
Can find one another

Listen to the secrets,
woven in the weaving sea.

And each secret a song
A song murmuring in the sea

<figure><img src="image_144.png" /></figure>
Crabs ...

Secrets

Secrets

Fish

Sea horses

Secrets

aaaaaaaaa

Dolphins

aaaaaaaaa

Those looking for each other
can't find one another
Those looking for each other
can't find one another

Those looking for each other
They can't find one another

Nothing is as it was

Nothing is as it was
It was no more than nothing
Nothing more as it was not
It is as nothing more it was

Aaaaaaaaa, aaaaaaaaaah

Many secrets

If you find
secrets murmuring in the sea
if you sing along with the sea

And each secret a song

A song murmuring in the sea

the song of the sea murmurs powerfully

Those looking for each other
can find one another.

aaaaaaaaeiou

Can you hear what's lost, woven in the
weaving sea?

aaaaaaaaeiou, aaaaaeiou

Where the silver threads are
spun

coral gossamer

Where rays of light refract

and shimmer with the blue

fragments

mystery

Can you hear ſššššššššš

the song ...

... woven in the weaving sea

So murmurs the song of the sea

All is connected

All is connected

All is connected

All is connected

All is connected

All is connected

All is connected

All is connected

There are many seas.
But there is only one sea.
Full of secrets.
Each secret a song.

Fragile – powerful like silence

Fragile – powerful like silence

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha ha, ha, ha, ha, ha

Fragile – powerful like silence

Fragile – powerful like silence

Fragile – powerful

Fragile
Powerful
Like silence

Fragile – powerful

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi
ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho

Fragile – powerful like silence
Fragile – powerful like silence

Fragile – powerful

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi
ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho
like silence

like silence

<figure><img src="image_145.png" /></figure>
Fragile – powerful

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi
ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho

Fragile – powerful
like silence

Can you hear what's lost, woven in the
weaving sea?

Fragile – powerful
Like silence
Like silence
aaaaaaaa

Fragile – powerful

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi
ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho

Fragile – powerful like silence
Fragile – powerful like silence
Like silence
aaaaaaaa

Fragile – powerful

Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha
hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi
ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho
Fragile – powerful

The song that murmurs in the sea
Fragile – powerful
Can you hear what's lost, woven in the
weaving sea?

Ko ku ki ko ke
Ko ku ki ko ke
Ko ku ki ko ke

Tropo tropo trop blip blip
Tropo tropo trop blip blip
Tropo
tropo trop blip blip
Tropo tropo trop blip blip

Song

Fragile – powerful

Fragile – powerful like sea

Fragile – powerful like sea

Fragile – powerful like sea

Fragile – powerful like sea

Fragile – powerful like sea
like sea

Fragile – powerful like sea
Murmurs in the mountain
In the earth
In the tree trunk

A wave with a beginning
And an ending
An ebb and flow that's infinite.

Murmur
Murmur
Murmurrr(s)

Murmurrr(s)
Murmurrr(s)
Murmurrr(s)
Murmurrr(s)

RRRsssshhhhhh
RRRsssshhhhhh
RRRsssshhhhhh
Ba bam ba bam ba bam ba bam
Ba bam ba bam ba bam ba bam

There are many seas. But there is only one sea.

iiii iiiiiiii

Murmurs in the mountain
In the tree trunk
In the earth
A wave begins
and ends
The waves are infinite

iiiiiii iiiiiiii

Murmurs in the mountain
In the tree trunk
In the earth

A wave begins
and ends
The waves are infinite

iiiiiii iiiiiiii

<figure><img src="image_146.png" /></figure>
Song, woven in the weaving sea

Fragile – powerful
Like you

Fragile – powerful like you

Fragile – powerful like you

Fragile – powerful like you

Fragile – powerful like you

There are many seas, but there is only one sea
All is connected
So murmurs the song of the sea.

All is connected

Fragile – powerful
ha ha hahahaha like silence
hi hi hihihihi
ho ho hohohoho

Fragile – powerful
Ko ku ki ko ke like sea
tropo tropo trop blip blip

Murmurs
In the mountain
In the tree trunk
In the ground

A wave
Begins
And ends
The waves
Are endless

Fragile-powerful
ba bam ba bam ba bam like you

All is connected
A fish swims the sea
The Fish Pharaonic
The world lives together in harmony

A fish swims the sea

A fish swims the sea

The Fish Pharaonic

The world lives together in harmony

The world lives together, connected in harmony.

So find each other
Those looking for one another.

## Credits:

**Direction and script:**

Saška Rakef

**Music:**

Bojana Šaljić Podešva

**Sound Design:**

Sonja Strenar

**Dramaturgy:**

Katarina Kompan Erzar, Nina Kokelj

**Expert Collaborator:**

Pia Brezavšček

**Language Editor:**

Mateja Dermelj

**Translation:**

Jeremi Slak

**Interpretation:**

Rebeka Pregelj (Soprano), Vesna Jevnikar,
Zala Ana Štiglic, Asja Kahrimanović Babnik

**Production:**

Radio Slovenia B-AIR, Puppet Theatre Ljubljana

**Premiere:**

13th November 2022

To listen to “Sea”:

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# INTERPRETATIVE AND DIDACTIC POTENTIALS OF THE RADIO PLAY FOR BABIES AND TODDLERS “SEA”

*The ancient Fish Pharaonic swims in the sea...*

*But one day – something happens, the song of the sea breaks, the Fish Pharaonic gets scared, runs away...*

*Those who search for each other can no longer find one another.*

*But it is said that they will meet again...*

The radio play for babies and toddlers “Sea” was co-authored by composer Bojana Šaljić Podešva, dramatist Lia Katarina Kompan Erzar and producer Saška Rakef. The radio play opens with the solo singing of a female voice, introducing the swimming of the ancient Fish Pharaonic. The swimming of Fish Pharaonic is mirrored in a simple melodic structure in a three-beat meter, which sounds reminiscent of the spirit of the medieval Gregorian chant, sonically outlining the depths and tranquillity of the sea world and invoking the air of ancient past. When the opening melody is played, performed aesthetically by an interpretatively experienced, trained singing voice (soloist), another female voice enters, and then also the voice of the narrator. The narrator repeats the fifth word heard, bringing it to the fore with the announcement that the world of coexistence and complacency is lost and the harmony of the sea life is shattered.

The plot starts on a vocal plane and then, with the escape of the Fish Pharaonic, the electroacoustic sounds appear, outlining the pain and moaning of a lost world by invoking the splashing and flowing of the sea. The sound base with disharmonies reflects the haziness and wandering of the Fish Pharaonic;

its lostness and assumed presence is suggested by the sung motifs from the opening melody heard in the distance. The presence and quest of Fish Pharaonic are mirrored in the two-part singing of female vocals from the introduction, against a continuous reverberant electroacoustic sound background expressing incredible depths and flowing of the seas. The narrator in the authorial position explains the events and the sound world from the background and announces the reunion of two beings who are looking for each other and find one other. That's when life returns and the world of sea animals (fish, crabs, seahorses, dolphins) lives in harmony again. However, the harmony of the sea world is shaken again and the moment of searching for connection enters again, which is announced by the narrator in the rhythmic statement of the new changed situation, using the already familiar sound and singing elements. The song of the sea enters again with two-part singing, illustrating the roar of the sea, the intertwining and connectedness of sea life. The mystery of sea waters with their fragility, power and silence is introduced through the singing part with a new musical component which is rhythmically more pronounced in both female voices, and an electroacoustic background indicating the move and the underwater world.

With radiophonic effects, both components create the sense of joy, mystery and seclusion of the sea depths; they convert into the natural sound of sea waves, as the narrator describes the moving and the roar of the sea. The sounds carry the heartbeat of this sea and of the hearts of every sea of this world, which are interconnected with the melody of all the already heard musical elements and sound components that gradually emerge during the radio play. With this coherent sound and musical image, and the narrator's final address about the connectedness of the whole world, the radio play for babies and toddlers comes to an end.

The radio play “Sea” is like an opera for babies and toddlers, as it is based on the artistic singing of trained singing voices. Due to its calm character, the work is suitable for joint listening by an adult with a baby or toddler. From a didactic point of view, the radio play has the purpose of relaxing or calming the youngest and preparing them for rest. Sound and music components call for immersing in the unity of all radiophonic elements, encouraging thus the development of auditory sensibility and sensitivity of the child at an early age, which is open and

<figure><img src="image_151.png" /></figure>
receptive to diverse sound elements. At the same time, the radio work focuses on inward listening, which means that it encourages a direct physical connection between an adult and a child. It is recommended to listen together in such a way that the child is in the parent's arms and they delve into the sound work together, while the adult, with the help of sound on a non-verbal level, creates an emotionally safe space of interconnecting. The radio play can also be used as a suggestion or inspiration in finding active approaches during the time when child is awake. Activities can be related to vocal imitation of the sound of the sea and waves, creating a sound image of moving water by blowing into a glass of water through a straw, using shakers, a rain stick or sliding on the membrane of a drum.

The radio play for babies and toddlers “Sea” reflects calmness, dreaminess and immersion in the sound space of singing which touches on the past, and the natural sounds of the heartbeat and the sea. Musical and sound elements co-create a safe space for social and emotional interactions between an adult and a child. In passive joint listening, “Sea” offers many approaches to relaxing or calming the child, also before sleep. The active approaches which we have described especially for periods when child is awake, should creatively build upon the base of the radio work. And although we have only listed a few of them, all radio plays for the youngest should encourage parents to find their own creative approaches and activities with their youngest in the home environment.

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Photo by Sunčica Milosavljević

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Sources and literature

Borota, B. (2006). Otrok, glasba in učno okolje. In B. Borota, V. Geršak, H. Korošec, & E. Majaron (Eds.), *Orok v svetu glasbe, plesa in lutk* (pp. 9–52). Pedagoška fakulteta.

Borota, B. (2013). *Glasbene dejavnosti in vsebine*. Univerza na Primorskem, Znanstveno-raziskovalno središče, Univerzitetna založba Annales.

Campbell, D. (2004). *Mozart za otroke: prebujanje otrokove ustvarjalnosti in mišljenja s pomočjo glasbe*. Tangram.

Cirelli, L., Trehub, S. E., & Trainor, L. J. (2018, Marth 7). Rhythm and melody as social signals for infants. *Annual of New York Academy of Sciences*. https://doi.org/10.1111/nyas.13580 (Epub ahead of print. PMID: 29512877).

Deliege, I., & Sloboda, J. (1996). *Musical beginnings: origins and development of musical competence*. Oxford University.

Denac, O. (2008). A case study of preschool children's musical interests at home and at school. *Early Childhood Education Journal*, 35 (5), 439–444.

Gordon, E., Reynolds, A., & Valerio, W. (1998). *Music Play. Guide for Parents, Teachers and Caregivers*. GIA Publications.

Ilari, B. (2016). Music in the early years: Pathways into the social world. *Research Studies in Music Education*, 38(1), 23–39. https://doi.org/10.1177/1321103X16642631

Ilari, B., Perez, P., Wood, A., & Habibi, A. (2019). The role of community-based music and sports programmes in parental views of children's social skills and personality. *International Journal of Community Music*, 12, 35–56. https://doi.org/10.1386/ijcm.12.1.35_1

Kurikulum za vrtce: Predšolska vzgoja v vrtcih. (1999).

Ministrstvo za šolstvo in šport: Zavod Republike Slovenije za šolstvo.

Manasteriotti, V. (1981). *Prva Srečanja z glasbo*. Šolska knjiga

Marjanovič Umek, L. (2010). Psihologija predšolskega otroka. In L. Marjanovič Umek (Ed.), *Orok v vrtcu: Priročnik h kurikulu za vrtce*. Obzorja.

Ritterfeld, U., Klimmt, C., Vorderer, P., & Steinhilper, L. K. (2005). The effects of a narrative audiotape on preschoolers' entertainment experience and attention. *Media Psychology, 7*(1), 47–72.

Sajko, R. (2006). *Poetičnost zvoka: ustvarjalne možnosti radijske igre za otroke*. Mariborska knjižnica in Revija Otrok in knjiga.

Trstenjak, A. (1981). *Psihologija ustvarjalnosti*. Slovenska matica.

Voglar, M. (1987). *Orok in glasba*. Državna založba Slovenije

Zadnik, K., & Habe, K. (2017). The developmental benefits of early music education: an evaluation study of the two Slovenian projects. In R. V. Nata (Ed.), *Progress in education*, 43 (pp. 123–144). Nova Science.

Zadnik, K., Koren, D., & Sicherl Kafol, B. (2015). The importance of stimulating environment in the early years of musical development. In B. Sicherl Kafol (Ed.), *Contemporary approaches to music teaching and learning* (p. 183–207). Lambert Academic Publishing.

Zadnik K., & Smrekar S. (2020). Prepoznavanje socialnih veščin pri glasbenih dejavnostih v skupini tri- in štiriletnih otrok v vrtcu. *Journal of Elementary Education*, 13(3), 325–346. https://doi.org/10.18690/rei.13.3.325-346.2020

Zimmerman, M., & Sechrest, L. (1968). *How children conceptually organize musical sounds* (USOE Co-operative Research Project No. 5-0256). Northwestern University.

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Photo by Sunčica Milosavljević

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# THE SEA OF EMOTIONS:
Restoring the world in art and life

This sound journey takes us through a sea of emotions, thematising the so-called 'baby blues'. The feeling of sadness captures many mothers (80%) upon the birth of their first child, when they need to accept a role larger than them, a role mysterious, still vague and unknown to them, but at the same time deep and warm.

The phenomenon of *postpartum* sadness is a sign of the mother's sensitivity to a change in the life cycle, arriving to a new field, opening a new chapter; and also entering the depths of the mother-child relationship which awakens in the mother the physical memory of her own mother and her own experiences of growing up with her. At the same time arouse two complex feelings: the longing for safety given by her own mother's warm embrace, and the discovery of what it is like to be on the other side of motherhood, not a child any more, but a mother who gives safety.

*Postpartum* sadness includes feelings of loneliness, melancholy, farewell and new creation, vulnerability and longing, and it is often not expressed, understood and even comforted at all, because it goes away by itself, and because it is so closely linked to the experience of giving birth, becoming a mother.

At the same time, this experience is strongly related to the newborn's experience of the first contact with the external environment, outside the womb. The multitude of perceptions that were not there before: light, sounds, touches, tastes, hunger and thirst, fatigue and boredom, the rhythm of being awake and asleep, overwhelm their organism, and at the same time, in an amazingly fast and intense way, shape their brain structures, so they can adapt and accustom to the environment.

The mother's empathy and attunement to these events and the constant microregulation of this mutual perception and response is also something new and challenging for the mother. It captures the whole of her attention and also her physical rhythm. Through moments of contact and discovery of her child's unique rhythm, specifics, peculiarities, needs and sensitivities, a recognizable melody is soon formed, which then enables the mom and the baby to connect in a way that is permanent and recognizable and that allows them to enter the world around them.

Accepting, recognizing and regulating this sadness, is certainly a process. Too often we ignore it and thus detach moms from this deep intuitive feeling

through which the motherhood of past generations is reflected and transmitted, connecting the mother with her mother, grandmother and all mothers who, through their motherhood, time and again opened the entrance to the world for a new generation.

The radio play "Sea" is designed as an opera for mothers with babies which is centred around the old Slovenian myth about Fish Pharaonic, which is frightened by noise (which represents fear, shock, loudness of the world, restlessness and lack of contact) and breaks the song of the sea (previously the mother's inner peace and connection with others and with the world), of which only fragments remain. Just as the mother is left with only fragments of her previous sovereignty, only tiny grasps of intuition, on which she can lean while being aware of the innocence of the newborn and the weight of her responsibility for him.

By gradually following these fragments spread out in the waves of the deep-sea world, symbolizing sadness, longing, hope, life and loss, a new image of the whole is slowly being drawn. A new meaning emerges from fragmented words, opening the space for a new encounter, which is now different from what it was before.

<figure><img src="image_157.png" /></figure>
The connection of a pregnant mother with the baby inside her breaks at childbirth. As the new-born suddenly finds itself out of the water in the air, which is much harsher, so does the mother find herself out of her previous world – a well-known, adult world – in the face of a completely unknown world, which at first completely isolates her and swallows her in its flow.

Here, the metaphor of the artistic story corresponds most accurately with the situation of a new mother, child, family.

As the former self-evident organic connection is broken, new connections need to be created. Previous relationships are no more, and a new way into relationships and the world must be found. The family must reintegrate, with new roles, new composition and connections. Everything must be done in such a way that nothing old is lost and at the same time space is created for the new.

In this way the composition from fragments – which at the beginning represent different aspects, feelings, content levels – reveals the true beauty and complexity of the inner world, which we constantly sense, but fully connect only at the end of the composition. Just as the Fish Pharaonic returns back, to a newly built whole.

The end of the piece is also the beginning, just as the end of the *postpartum* sadness is the beginning of a new exploration and construction of an interpersonal and inner world that, by its complexity, significantly exceeds the previous depth of experiencing connection and love, as this love now also includes an awareness of helplessness, loneliness and a deep need for contact. It covers both the sadness, change and feelings of loss, and at the same time the joy of a new life, beauty and trust.

<figure><img src="image_158.png" /><figcaption>Photo by Adrian Pregelj</figcaption></figure>

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RADIO
TELEVIZIJA
SLOVENIJA

COMPOSING
MUSIC FOR BABIES,
TODDLERS AND
VULNERABLE GROUPS
# REDEFINING MUSIC, SPACE, AND AUDIENCES:
## Creating new symphony orchestra pieces for babies, toddlers and vulnerable groups

The commission of four new symphony orchestra pieces by Radio Slovenia, within the B-AIR project, arose from a desire to offer symphonic music and contact with live musical performance and orchestra to babies, toddlers, vulnerable groups, as well as parents, families, communities.

The idea behind commissioning new works involved a series of unanswered questions: Should everyone attend a music performance? How open are the doors of music venues? Should a symphony orchestra perform concerts for babies and toddlers? How to think of vulnerable groups within our understanding on musical art, its wonders, and inner truths? What might contemporary music for babies be like? Do they need it? Or does perhaps contemporary music of the 21st century need the children's perspective even more?

The symphony orchestra can be considered an embodiment of the Western music culture's magnificence, an incredible potential of sonorities, dynamics, onomatopoetic musical means. At the same time though, the modern orchestra represents social and cultural hierarchies. The musical roles within the orchestra are already clearly divided; its members are bound by the inherited rules, the division of tasks between the sections, the notation in the score and the conductor's leadership.

Likewise, today's repertoire of the symphony orchestra focuses on historical styles, and living composers are only occasionally granted access to the programs. Musical life is, at least implicitly, arranged in a way that leads to divisions in the audiences, because despite the openness and accessibility of modern public music institutions, symphony orchestras attract an audience of uneven age and social status, one possessing specific cultural capital.

Together with introducing young and sensitive audiences to sound richness, timbre and dynamic nuances of symphonic music, with new symphonic pieces we addressed the issues of the hierarchy of the symphony orchestra and the musicians' setup within space, and opened questions on how to centre on the sound experience, presence, and wellbeing of the listeners and in this way delineate a new kind of artistic ritual. In the background lingered also an idea about the possible impact that an experience of creating and performing music for a different kind of audiences would make on the creative perspectives of artists.

Four composers of diverse aesthetic and stylistic attitudes, each preferring particular techniques and music materials, have been invited to create new pieces for the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra.

Larisa Vrhunc is a composer with a distinct closeness to spectral music; her pieces regularly explore quiet sonorities and movement within stillness. Larisa Vrhunc also has a background in pedagogics; she earned her Ph.D. in musicology, and is a professor of music analysis and listening skills.

Svetlana Maraš is the only composer from the four selected who regularly uses electroacoustic means. While the technological aspect stays one important feature of her music, it must be emphasised that her pieces are clear-cut sound filigrees, rich in unexpected turns and twists, and highly conceptual.

Matej Bonin is a composer who works in close connection with musicians; he highly values their creative input and invites them to join controlled improvisations with great effect. Bonin's pieces establish an emphatic relation with the listener, calling the audience to partake in the inner complexities of music. Matej Bonin composed his symphony orchestra debut piece "Cancro" for the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra and was the selected composer in the 'Under-30' category at the 62nd International Rostrum of Composers in 2015.

<figure><img src="image_161.png" /></figure>
Petra Strahovnik also worked with the RTV Slovenia Symphony Orchestra with stellar results in the premiere and recording of her piece "Prana", which was a selected work at the 66th International Rostrum of Composers in 2019. Petra Strahovnik also includes questions of vulnerability in her art and has already created a project encompassing multidisciplinary performances about mental health. Her passion for using unusual materials and creating connections between material, gesture, sound, and event, has made Strahovnik an obvious choice for the task of composing a piece for babies, toddlers and vulnerable audiences.

The four composers were invited to attend seminars and expert lectures within the B-AIR project. Upon score rehearsals staged to test the music material, on the days of the performance three different events were organized for limited audiences in the rearranged radio orchestra's Studio 26: a concert for children with developmental disabilities and their parents and caregivers; a concert for babies, toddlers, and their parents; and a performance for the adult audience. The concerts for adult audiences were also captured as multichannel studio recordings of all the pieces.

The circulation and presentation of recorded pieces eventually gave an answer to one of the initial questions – whether contemporary music for babies and toddlers can reveal new perspectives for the adult listener. At the 69th International Rostrum of Composers in 2023, the contemporary music experts chose the piece "So Quiet" as one of the recommended works.

<figure><img src="image_162.png" /><figcaption>Symphonic concert for babies and toddlers, RTV SLO.
Photo by Adrian Pregelj</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_163.png" /></figure>
# WHAT ABOUT THE MUSIC?

## Musicological notes on symphonic concerts for babies and toddlers

### Prelude

In the realm of Western classical music, where conventions and traditions often still dictate the atmosphere, I recently found myself immersed in an unexpected sonic and social experience. In the company of my 4-year-old son, I attended a series of symphonic concerts thoughtfully designed and curated for babies and toddlers. While now considered commonplace, the classical concert is undoubtedly a product of a specific era and its ideals. It is a tightly structured social setting, carefully crafted in order to enhance the audience's appreciation of music as a collection of autonomous objects. These objects, the musical works, stand as the focal point of the entire experience. As such, a classical concert places a series of demands on the audience: the need for silence, stillness and sustained, undivided focus. Individuals unable to conform to these expectations are, by default, denied the chance to experience classical music in its social context.

It is therefore not difficult to understand the profound significance of such events for children whose relationship to art and taste are just beginning to develop. Yet, while observing them – comfortably seated on beanbags or scattered on the floor, some strolling casually around and others

earnestly engaging with sonic objects, their voices interweaving with the sounds of the orchestra – I could not help but notice that the entire essence of these concerts has been inverted. It is no longer the music at the centre; it is the audience. This shift is accentuated by the spatial arrangement, with the audience positioned in the middle and the musicians encircling them.

While by no means implying any shortcomings in this approach, the article centres on four exceptional compositions, created specifically for this occasion by prominent composers of contemporary classical music. Although contemporary classical music encompasses an extremely broad spectrum of diverse approaches, it is most often collectively labelled as «demanding» or 'challenging' – both to appreciate and comprehend. By providing a historical overview, the first part of the article seeks to explain the reasons behind this persistent stereotype. The second part includes an analysis of works with a dual objective in mind: to present the works as tailored to a specific audience and at the same time to position them as significant contributions to the composers' entire body of work.

### Who is afraid of contemporary music?

Contemporary classical music is an expansive and diverse creative domain that includes various sound phenomena, while also extending its practice beyond the realm of sound. Its foundations – particularly in terms of general aesthetics and the democratisation of sound – can be traced back to the era of musical modernism. In musicological literature, modernism is frequently characterised as a radical departure from tradition and is often referred to as 'point zero'. Modernity, viewed as a distinct period in social history, is a sociological concept, whereas modernism refers to an artistic movement that fully embodies the ideals of modernity, most notably autonomy, rationalisation and linear progress. Influenced by such ideals, Western classical music seeks to liberate itself from the constraints that have defined its practice for well over a century, starting with the major-minor tonality system. We can observe the beginnings of such tensions in the late Romantic expansion of harmonic space and the Impressionist use of floating tonalities.

At the beginning of the 20th century, Arnold Schönberg introduced the twelve-tone technique, a compositional system that served one specific purpose:

<figure><img src="image_164.png" /></figure>
to avoid the repetition of the same tone before all other eleven chromatic tones appear. In this way, none of the tones can assume the role of an auditory centre and the sense of tonality is finally completely lost. Although Schönberg, who was also the founder of the Second Viennese School, is often ascribed a kind of paternal role in the context of musical modernism, it was his student Anton Webern who raised the technique to the level of modernist aesthetics and thus laid the foundations for the development of various directions of musical modernism. The compositional method and aesthetics are not necessarily in correlation: Schönberg's twelve-tone compositions still embody a traditional expressive aesthetic, whereas in Webern's work, the same compositional technique intertwines with the modernist tendency toward formalism and inherent musical content. In his twelve-tone works, Schönberg emphasises register, dynamics, tone and formal units to achieve a sense of functionality and directionality in the musical flow, further accentuated by rhythmic organisation. On the other hand, Webern's twelve-tone approach, with its short forms, transparent textures, delicate sonorities, fragmentation, experimentation with time and the use of silence as a musical element, strives for non-functionality on all levels and for all musical parameters. In this way, the sense of musical flow, its direction and narrativity are lost, which becomes one of the main components of modernist aesthetics (Meyer, 1994; Botstein).

Webern's influence, through the explorations of composers such as Pierre Boulez, Karlheinz Stockhausen and Luigi Nono, culminated in the total organisation of serialism. With its mathematical and strictly rational organisation of all sound parameters, serialism not only aligns with a modern rational, even scientific approach to art but also presupposes complete equality among all sonic

parameters. As a result, the dominance of pitch (melody) and duration (rhythm), which shaped the entire history of Western classical music, gives way to the democracy of all sonic parameters, adding colour, timbre, intensity and density. The sound itself, with its physical characteristics, becomes the content of the music. The subsequent history of musical modernism and especially post-modernism, is thus a dual trajectory. On one hand, it is a quest to break free from the determinism of serialism; while on the other hand, it is an exploration of individual modes of orientation within a fully liberated sonic space.

Music from the classical and romantic periods often constitutes part of the cultural capital for the average listener. Its teleological and narrative orientation can evoke a sense of security and comfort, as the listener can, to some extent, anticipate the development of the musical flow. On the other hand, the unfamiliar sonorities and fragmented structure of contemporary classical music can operate quite differently, lacking the comfort of the familiar and the security of the predictable. Composer Karlheinz Stockhausen introduced the concept of the 'moment' – a conceptual form aimed at capturing the characteristics of serial and post-serial music, which no longer adheres to causal logic in shaping the musical flow. Moments can vary in duration, each possessing its own identity that is not necessarily linked to preceding or subsequent events. What happens within each moment is more significant than the relationship between them. At the same time, the concept serves as a support for the listener in engaging with challenging works of contemporary classical music. As each moment exists independently of others, the listener can selectively focus on them according to their current concentration. Interestingly enough, such a listening approach is often observed in children. They listen

unburdened by preconceptions, according to their abilities and current interest, arbitrarily 'plugging in' and 'plugging out' their attention. So there just might be a clear and obvious answer to the question in the title – Who is afraid of contemporary music?

## Not the children, obviously.

As part of the B-AIR project, composers had the opportunity to attend lectures by neurologists, psychologists, educators and other experts. These sessions aimed to familiarise them with diverse aspects of listening processes and perceptual development in young children. On one hand, the purpose of the text is to illustrate how this knowledge has influenced the nature of the resulting compositions. However, an even more significant objective is to contextualise the works within the existing opuses and the broader currents of contemporary music. In this way, it aims to demonstrate that, despite their specific purpose, the works serve as an equivalent contribution to the composer's body of work.

## Larisa Vrhunc: “So Quiet” and the subtlety of spectralism

The programme notes to Larisa Vrhunc's piece "So Quiet" offer a comprehensive explanation of sound perception in toddlers and the musical flow and sonorities of the piece are intentionally crafted to align with these insights. True to its title, the music remains entirely quiet, with the loudest dynamic level being mezzo-piano (moderately quiet). The defining feature of this musical flow is its gradual unfolding, skilfully crafted by the composer as tones or layers of sound delicately enter one after another.

<figure><img src="image_165.png" /></figure>
Typically, the sounds emerge from silence, reaching the piano (quiet, soft) dynamics and then gradually fade away. This piece, with its quietness and subtlety, aligns with Vrhunc's established creative practice. In an interview with Primož Trdan following the performance of her composition, Vrhunc expresses that it is within quiet sonic environments that she “feels most at home and can express herself most easily,” as they provide her with “the possibility of focus and a sense of peace.”

The initial segment of the composition introduces delicate sounds, creating echoes among the accordion, piano, harp and bells that merge against the sonic backdrop of strings and wind instruments. As the sound material gradually intensifies, the composition guides the listener's focus towards subtle sonic surprises; the auditory portrayal of diverse emotions unfolds in the central section of the piece. Throughout this, the composer maintains a commitment to subtlety. The rhythmic movements, despite their liveliness, remain consistent, while the melodic progressions are always chromatic, serving more to create colour than to fulfil their primary function. The final section brings about a renewed calmness, which is achieved through reference to the alpha brain waves, which usually occur when one is engaged in activities such as daydreaming, meditating or practising mindfulness. Musical representation (and stimulation) of the alpha brain waves is the sonic frequency between 8 and 12 Hz, which can be achieved either through differential

<figure><img src="image_166.png" /><figcaption>Figure 1: Gradual layering of the music material culminating in the sound of tinkling metal tiles.</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_167.png" /><figcaption>Figure 2: Simulation of alpha brain waves.</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_168.png" /></figure>
The keen attention to sonic colours and consideration of physiological modes of human perception align Larisa Vrhunc's creative work with the tradition of French spectralism, which she became well acquainted with during her studies in France. She delved deeply into it in her doctoral dissertation titled "Influences of Spectral Music on Slovenian Compositional Creativity in the Last Decades". Spectralism, which emerged in the 1970s, served as both a response to serialism and as a politically charged movement that resisted the institutionalisation of modernist art. Aligned with contemporary social movements such as the environmental and marginalised rights movements, spectralism engaged critically with consumer society (Juvanc, 2018). At its core, spectral music uses the acoustic properties of sound, or sound spectra, as the basis for composition. While advancements in sound analysis and synthesis techniques in computer music and acoustics were pivotal during this period, Larisa Vrhunc underscores that the essence of spectral music is never merely abstract structure. Instead, it consistently highlights the physiological and psychological dimensions, exploring ways to evoke sensations and influence perception.

In order to familiarise children with the sound palette of her piece, Vrhunc incorporates everyday sounds, such as murmuring and the rustling of paper. However, the most distinctive sonic feature of the composition is the delicate tinkling, produced by a pair of hanging metal tiles. They serve as additional instruments for the participating musicians and, at the same time, as a large sound object suspended in the centre of the concert space, inviting toddlers to engage spontaneously. With the same purpose, special sensory-sound cushions were distributed to the toddlers at the beginning of the concert. The spatial design of the concert, placing the audience at the centre of the experience and surrounding

them with music, along with the potential sound interventions by the children, challenge the traditional structure of the concert. The composer further softened it with a sonic introduction and conclusion, technically conceived as a guided improvisation by the participating musicians. Rather than presenting the work to the audience as a stand-alone object, the introduction gently eases them into the experience. Furthermore, the concluding improvisation replaces the traditional applause that interrupts the end of the composition and gives the audience time to say goodbye in peace.

## Matej Bonin: "Perpetuum Mobile II" and the principles of controlled aleatoricism

Matej Bonin's creative process is distinguished by a deep dive into compositional approaches, often unfolding over extended periods. Notably, his "Shimmer I–VII" series took shape between 2017 and 2019, while "Eppur si muove I–IV" evolved from 2011 to 2023. Perhaps his most notable recent project, extending its influence on several of his other creative pursuits, is the series entitled "Gymnastics of non/sense". Initiated in 2014 and now comprising three projects, it blurs the lines between composition and improvisation, sound, language and movement, as well as acoustic and electronic elements. Extended periods of intensive rehearsals with a small ensemble provided the composer with the opportunity to explore varieties of written and spoken instructions to the performers and the way they would affect the sonic outcome. This approach allowed him to depart from the notation and give the musicians a degree of interpretative freedom while retaining control over the macrostructure of the work.

When working with a symphony orchestra, the composer is, of course, not afforded such freedom; preparation time is compressed and the

working method is entirely different. Yet, Bonin draws experiences from other projects, seeking ways to use minimal notational means in order to spark independence, liberation and complexity. In the composition "Perpetuum Mobile II", yet another one of the works with the title somehow implying movement, he employs a technique known as 'controlled aleatoricism'. Aleatoricism is the umbrella term encompassing various ways in which chance invades the compositional and/or performance processes. While serving as a response to the determinism of serialism, aleatoricism simultaneously represents a continuation of its tendencies to break away from traditional ways of shaping musical flow. Controlled aleatoricism, first introduced by Polish composer Witold Łutosławski in the 1960s, can also be encountered in various compositions by Slovenian post-war modernist composers, most notably Primož Ramovš and Ivo Petrić.

Controlled aleatoricism serves Bonin as a means of achieving complex results with minimal notational tools. Simultaneously, it continues his exploration of possibilities "for creating sonic textures from a single monophonic line" (Bonin, 2023) – the quest he addressed in an entirely different way, for example, in the cycle of works "Shimmer". Bonin's score for "Perpetuum Mobile II" provides simple melodic patterns and defines the range of their repetition. Within these, musicians perform the material with a certain degree of rhythmic flexibility. It is crucial that each performer selects their rhythm independently, while the conductor's task is to guide and synchronise individual layers. Consequently, as the performance unfolds, simplicity metamorphosises into complex polyrhythms and lush sonic textures. The composer further directs the sonic flow with written instructions added to the score.

<figure><img src="image_169.png" /></figure>
A crucial element of the live performance is the circular arrangement of the performers and instrumental groups, allowing the listener to perceive not only intriguing textures and sound combinations but also the movement of sonic masses in the space. With dynamics that never escalate into loudness, and gentle transitions between individual sections, “Perpetuum Mobile II” never feels like an imposition on the listener – always an invitation. And whenever the listener decides to tune in, there is always beauty and magic just waiting to be heard.

## Svetlana Maraš: “Defiance of Glorious Children” and the quest for the new sonorities

Since her early childhood, Svetlana Maraš demonstrated a keen interest in the inner logic of music material and the creative potential it offers. Remarkably, even in her youth, she stood out as one of the rare individuals who, instead of gravitating towards playing an instrument, favoured lessons in solfeggio, harmony and counterpoint. Today her creative work transcends various media, genres and contexts, encompassing live electronic music performance, electro-acoustic composition, radiophonic art, sound and media installations. In an interview with Lucia Udvardyova, Maraš highlights that the sonic character of her works predominantly emerges from the foundational material she employs. Her affinity lies in creating sonic material from scratch, delving into granular sounds, pointillistic sounds, clicks and glitches. However, for “Defiance of the Glorious Children” she adopted a different approach, as detailed in the programme notes. She gathered an ensemble of children-improvisers and engaged them in exploring musical structures, timbres and characters. The result of the “playful, liberated and inspired approach to improvisation” are short (1-minute) recordings, serving as the structural and sound foundation for

the composition, a dedication to the “adventurous, fresh and boundless musicianship of children and their freedom in experimentation and improvisation” (Maraš, 2023). As a result of this collage-like approach, the piece is characterised in many ways by the fragmentation of form and sound.

The vivid and diverse sonority of the piece sets it apart from the other three compositions that emerged within the context of the B-AIR project;

the music is loud, dynamic, lively and full of sonic surprises. The latter often comes as a result of employing new ways of utilising traditional acoustic instruments. Based on the ideals of social modernity, novelty became an important aesthetic category of musical modernism and the search for new sonic possibilities became an essential part of compositional exploration, often occurring in collaboration with musicians. In addition to the traditional

<figure><img src="image_170.png" /><figcaption>Figure 3: Controlled aleatoricism in Matej Bonin’s “Perpetuum Mobile II”; the conductor uses numbers as signs in order to synchronise individual layers</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_171.png" /></figure>
way of playing instruments, musicians were asked to produce sounds by striking the body of the instrument, blowing into it, manipulating keys, and using everyday objects to produce sounds on instruments. Notation of such sounds requires new signs, so composers often add legends to their works, explaining the graphic symbols used. Additionally, scores may include verbal instructions that precisely explain the method of sound production or its intended outcome. Svetlana Maraš's score serves as a good example of such an approach and is a true treasury of contemporary performance techniques. Yet, sound effects never remain self-contained; instead, they always serve to establish specific sonorities and sonic textures.

Although traditional instruments have remained largely unchanged for almost a century, classical music is not immune to the technological progress of society. Electronic devices designed for sound manipulation and generation have introduced new, practically limitless sonic possibilities into music. Svetlana Maraš's creative work is intricately interwoven with technology – both historical and contemporary. In the featured piece, she utilises an unusual multi-channel speaker set-up to achieve the effect of sound travelling through space and to blur the boundary between sound and audience.

## Petra Strahovnik: “Sense-S” and transcending the boundaries of (classical) music

Petra Strahovnik's creative work is characterised by a unique sonic identity, derived from inventive methods of creating soundscapes, instrument preparation and the creation of her own sonic objects. However, an equally significant dimension of her work appears to be the social component embedded in her creations. It goes beyond merely expressing existing themes through mu-

sic; instead, her contemplations on society fundamentally shape her creative process. During a two-year art residency with the ensemble ModeIo62, Strahovnik explored mental disorders and their profound impact on the daily lives of those who struggle with them. A tangible outcome of this exploration is the project “DisOrders”, a multidisciplinary endeavour that transcends the boundaries

between music, visual arts and performance. The concept of 'intermediacy', infused into her works from the realm of performance art, is becoming increasingly crucial for her, also notably influencing the composition “Sense-S” developed within the B-AIR project.

<figure><img src="image_172.png" /><figcaption>Figures 4 and 5: Examples of notating contemporary performance techniques; verbal instructions precisely explain the method of sound production and the sonic outcome or are intended as additional guidance in shaping the musical flow</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_173.png" /></figure>
The project “Sense-S” is a fusion of two works. The central piece, “Sense”, for orchestra, was created as part of the composer’s art residency at Villa Concordia in Bamberg. The composer embarked on a unique challenge: to craft a new piece every day for 20 consecutive days, dedicating six to nine hours each day to the creative process. What set this endeavour apart was that it unfolded within the confines of a gallery space, with the public as witnesses to the ongoing artistic journey. The exposure of her most intimate moments to the eyes of random visitors resulted in an exceptionally rich and delicately pulsating drone-like sonic texture, now displayed in manuscript form within the mentioned gallery space. The composition allows for two possible performances. The performance for children should be lighter, quieter and involve communication with the young audience, including eye contact, observing their attention and responding to it. The performance for the general audience, on the other hand, anticipates energy, more intense dynamic changes, higher volume and a focus on the music; communication with the audience should occur through the musical material.

The central composition is framed by a sound introduction and conclusion, “Senses 1” and “Senses 2”, designed as a guided improvisation for musicians, electronics and a magician. The participating musicians are arranged into four groups, each representing one basic element: earth, fire, water and air. The composer structures the entrances and exits of the individual groups and roughly outlines their musical actions. But more importantly, the piece is envisaged as a unique performance for each individual musician. Petra Strahovnik introduces the term ‘open sonority’, signifying the absence of any preconceived mode of listening.

<figure><img src="image_174.png" /><figcaption>Figure 5</figcaption></figure>

Especially for this composition, the composer designed various sound objects: styrofoam and hard plastic transparent balls filled with marbles, superballs and steel balls. Objects are used by the musicians as well as accessible to children, who are invited to join the music with their own sonic interventions. The listeners can thus actively engage in the sonic flow and the performers have the task of responding to their interventions. In this way, the boundary between performers and audience is blurred.

A child’s perception is not yet strictly focused and often jumps from one object to another. Taking this into account, Petra Strahovnik wanted to challenge as many senses as possible with her piece: in addition to hearing, also sight, smell and touch. In both the opening and closing sections of the composition, a performer – a magician – was subsequently incorporated and the auditory elements of his performance then evolved into a significant aspect of the overall piece.

<figure><img src="image_175.png" /></figure>
## Postlude

The central dynamic of modernity is marked by the differentiation of individual social spheres, which, as a consequence, also grants social autonomy to music. Once an integral part of broader social institutions, music now revels in its autonomy, establishing unique internal criteria and liberating itself from conventional categories. Its essence transforms, with the primary focus shifting towards the intrinsic nature of sound. Yet, differentiation also operates within music itself: a strict separation emerges between the roles of the composer and the performer, giving rise to the concept of a musical work and the structure of a classical music concert. On the other hand, postmodernism, as theorised by Fredric Jameson, is characterised by the opposite process, dedifferentiation. This involves transcending and erasing boundaries between society and art, among various branches of art, and among different roles within music practice. In this context, symphonic concerts for babies and toddlers offer a compelling example of softening and adapting the rigid structure of the classical concert ritual. As demonstrated by the analysis of the pieces produced within the project, this serves as a catalyst for the development of inventive approaches in the creation of new music.

After the concerts concluded, I did not give much further thought to how they might influence my son's taste in music and his relationship with art. He seemed content and happy during the concerts and that was enough for me. However, about a week before composing this text, something interesting and beautiful happened. It was early in the morning and my son and I were slowly getting ready to leave for daycare. He was playing with his toy recorder, and I started to worry that the sounds might be getting a bit too loud for the early hour.

Then he asked me for some 'water'. Assuming he was thirsty, I poured him a glass of water and placed it on the table. But instead of taking a sip, he dipped the end of his recorder in the water and

resumed playing – just as he had observed during one of the concerts. The sounds were still notably loud and not very pleasant ... yet, it felt wonderful.

<figure><img src="image_176.png" /><figcaption>Symphonic concert for babies and toddlers, RTV SLO.
Photo by Adrian Pregelj</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_177.png" /></figure>
Sources and literature

Botstein, L. (2001). Modernism. Grove Music On-line (subscription required). https://doi.org/10.1093/gmo/9781561592630.article.40625

Debeljak, A. (1999). Na ruševinah modernosti: instituci-
ja umetnosti in njene zgodovinske oblike. Znanstveno
in publicistično središče.

Goehr, L. (1992). *The Imaginary Museum of Musical Works: An Essay in the Philosophy of Music*. Clarendon Press.

Gržeta, T. BalerinanirelaB. Petra Strahovnik: Words. http://petrastrahovnik.eu/words/ Retreived Febraury 9, 2024.

Jameson, F. (2012). *Kulturni obrat. Izbrani spisi o post-moderni, 1983–1998*. Studia humanitatis.

Juvanc, M. (2018, September 27). Razkritja spektralne glasbe. Slovenski glasbenoinformacijski center. https://www.sigic.si/razkritja-spektralne-glasbe.html

Mattick, P. (2013). *Umetnost in njen čas. Teorije in prak-
se moderne estetike*. Sophia.

Meyer, L. B. (1994). Music, the Arts, and Ideas. Patterns and Predictions in Twentieth-Century Culture. University of Chicago Press.

Sutherland, R. (2009). Nove glasbene perspektive: ameriška in evropska avantgarda v glasbi 20. stoletja. LUD Šerpa.

Trdan, P. (Host). (2023, October 4). Kako je Petra Strahovnik ustvarila simfonično delo za dojenčke in malčke [Audio podcast episode]. In *Arsov art atelje*. RTV Slovenija. https://ars.rtvslo.si/podkast/arsov-art-atelje/173250520/174991415

Udvardyova, L. (2020, May 27). Glitch and aberration: Svetlana Maraš interviewed. *Escape Velocity*. The *Quietus*. https://thequietus.com/articles/28315-svetlana-maras-interview

Program Ars. (2023, January 21). Odkritja 26: Večer s
skladateljico Lariso Vrhunc in Simfoniki RTV [Video].
YouTube. https://youtube.com/watch?v=PYMS-8iaNMc

<figure><img src="image_178.png" /></figure>
<figure><img src="image_179.png" /><figcaption>Photo by Adrian Pregelj</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_180.png" /></figure>
# SO QUIET
## Symphony orchestra composition for infants and babies

I wrote this piece with babies and toddlers in mind, and also their parents. At the outset of the B-AIR project, with an aim to help the creators better navigate the world of infants and their caregivers, a comprehensive preparatory educational program took place. From the neurologists, psychologists, educators and other experts who presented their research, we learned many amazing and inspiring things. From this mosaic of information, complemented with literature reading, a web of reflections emerged, mirrored in the composition "So Quiet".

The first learning was that very young children already have primal curiosity, but at the same time their systems (both physiological and psychological) are not yet well developed, which should be taken into account. A very pronounced feature of young children is that they are much more sensitive to sound impulses than adults. They perceive high frequencies much better than adults, but at the same time their hearing apparatus becomes saturated faster. Infants cannot tolerate sudden changes and loud sounds; they are frightened by those that resemble scary sounds of nature (often in the lower part of the auditory spectrum); they need time to get acquainted with and accept a new information, so they feel comfortable with repetition, slow and gradual changes, higher and quieter sounds, and, what is particularly important,

they need a sense of security and calmness. And so it became clear that the music would be quiet, hence the title.

Research by developmental psychologists and pedagogues has shown that children in their first years still don't reject certain music styles; they are primarily interested in the sound itself: how it is formed, how it moves around the space, how it changes over time. In shaping their own musical taste, they are decisively guided by the musical tastes of significant adults; so it seems that a composer needs not limit herself stylistically when writing music for young children, and that it makes great sense to expose children to a wide variety of sonorities, if only their caregivers are willing to accept them.

While the first two findings dictate the range of musical means, the further findings condition the form of the composition. It was mentioned in one of the preparatory workshops that children are more likely to attentively follow guided activities if they listen to appropriate sounds, which can be either soothing music or soundtracks with alpha brainwave frequency. This wave can certainly be measured in three-year-olds; it has a frequency of around 8 or 10 Hz, and is best studied when it occurs in an awake but very calm state close to meditation. Of

course, children are not calm for most of the time when they are awake, but already at an early age they show basic emotions and at the same time learn to regulate them: most of the literature mentions joy, sadness, fear, anger, as well as some other emotions.

Neuroscientists have in various ways observed and measured the activity of the brain while listening to sounds. They have also found empirically that pleasant sounds induce a positive physiological response, especially noticeable in people with various brain injuries, whereby the pleasantness of sounds is not an absolute category, but is conditioned by an acquired taste for music. In infants, however, it is always related to the appropriate frequency spectrum, structure and rhythm, and above all to the safety offered by the presence of a significant adult.

In the context of research on the infant's response to different stimuli, the concept of homeostasis also arises, which primarily describes the dynamic maintenance of chemical balance in the body through regulatory and later self-regulatory mechanisms, which are either activated or inhibited as necessary. The purpose of these processes is to prevent external factors from disrupting the smooth

<figure><img src="image_181.png" /></figure>
operation of the system. Also, the purpose of self-regulation of emotions, which is one of the most important developmental tasks of the relationship between an adult and a baby or toddler, is to maintain internal emotional balance, an active process which neutralises unpleasant impulses from the environment. Music can either be a powerful support for these processes or it can jeopardise them. From the external, an internal regulation of emotions develops.

In the composition, I wanted to touch on these cues. As the title suggests, the music is all along quiet, it renounces rapid dynamic and other changes, looking for ways of inner dynamics without stepping out of the set delineations. It starts with tiny sounds that slowly sensitise the ears. The first part of the piece is intended to establish interest in the sounds coming from the orchestra, at first calmly, later also with small surprises, which, when repeated, no longer even surprise. This is followed by attempts to enter different emotions, but, by including music equivalents to alpha brain waves, the emotional balance, homeostasis, always gets re-established. It is in this spirit that the work comes to an end.

Numerous music education programmes for young children around the world have shown that for a successful educational work it is essential that both the child and the caregiver enjoy participating in music activities, building a positive relationship with each other. The listening experience of this piece should also not be a passive one, but can be actively co-created by children and parents in two ways: there are two rotating objects in the room, which parents can turn at any time at the children's request, to trigger the tinkling of hanging metal tiles, and the same sounds also come from the orchestra as the musicians trigger and move

such tiles when they play. Children are also given pads filled with paper which make noises when squeezed, and the musicians respond to these noises by 'playing' the paper themselves, especially when the audience is most active. With their activities, the audience can partly direct the course of music.

The literature also suggests that young children achieve best results when musical activities are not strictly structured and the child is able to engage and disengage according to their abilities, to move or be still, to make voices or to stay completely silent. The willingness to participate is not the same for everyone, and it also varies from child to child, so it is very important to allow the child to choose how much to participate. Such activities may seem chaotic, but they are the ones where children – if they choose to participate in the first place – respond the most in accordance with the music course. The performance of both compositions at our event assumes that children will be free to move, vocalise, murmur, and perhaps even leave the room; their activities are by no means a distraction, but an expected part of the action. This will also allow parents to be more relaxed with their children and to dive into music with them, and through their experience.

The same musical fabric will later be tested in the classical context of the concert for adult audiences.

<figure><img src="image_182.png" /><figcaption>Photo by Adrian Pregelj</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_183.png" /></figure>
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BAIR Project (2021, August 30). *Developmental guidelines in creating children's encounters with the arts: B-AIR project webinar series #4* [An interview with Martina Peštaj and Ajda Ross by Katarina Habe]. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=db2wdYyrjdY

Bond, V. L. (2011). Before they walk in the door: Environmental influences on musical ability in early childhood and implications for nurturing the nurturers. *Contributions to Music Education, 38*(2), 73–89. https://www.jstor.org/stable/24127192

Boundless energy. HD Alpha waves 8hz + very powerful Buddhist chanting - meditate and find inner peace instantly. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kE5eW-AA9Mc

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Flohr, J. W., Miller, D. C., & Beus De, R. (2000, September). EEG Studies with Young Children. *Music Educators Journal*, 87(2), 28–54. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3399645

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<figure><img src="image_184.png" /></figure>

HD PURE 8hz ALPHA WAVES for RELAXATION - CLEARING MIND FOG - BOOSTING CREATIVITY - WORKS INSTANTLY

<figure><img src="image_185.png" /></figure>

Boundless Energy

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<figure><img src="image_186.png" /></figure>

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≡+ Shrani

...

4,1 tis. ogledov pred 1 mscccc

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Meditation is the mental activity associated with attaining a deeply restful but fully alert state and is believed to reduce stress, which commonly occurs during daily life. One study claimed that 30 min of meditation is enough for a beginner to reduce stress ... več

<figure><img src="image_189.png" /></figure>
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*Psihologija otroške igre: od rojstva do vstopa v šolo*
[Psihology of children's play: from birth to school entry].
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Valerio, W. H., & Freeman, N. K. (2009, Summer). Pre-Service teachers' perceptions of early shildhood music teaching experiences. *Bulletin of the Council for Research in Music Education*, 181, 51–69. https://www.jstor.org/stable/40319227

Vries de, I. E. J., Marinato, G., & Baldauf, D. (2021, October 13). Decoding Object-Based Auditory Attention from Source-Reconstructed MEG Alpha Oscillations. *The Journal of Neuroscience*, 41(41), 8603–8617.
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<figure><img src="image_190.png" /></figure>
<figure><img src="image_191.png" /></figure>

RADIOTEATA
BAJSIĆ & PRIJATELJI

RADIOPHONIC
THEATRE PLAYS
<figure><img src="image_192.png" /><figcaption>"The Tree that Sang", RadioTeatar, Zagreb, Croatia. Photo by Mia Cvitković</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_193.png" /></figure>
RADIOPHONIC THEATRE PLAYS FOR CHILDREN

RadioTeatar Bajsić and Friends (RTBF) is an artistic organisation based in Zagreb (Croatia) which gathers artists from various generations and artistic disciplines (theatre, music, radio, film), who are interested in exploring radiophonic artistic practice as well as its interaction with other media. With its artistic expression, RadioTeatar develops a specific innovative type of artistic intervention on radio waves, on theatre stage, in nature and in unexpected performing spaces. Pavlica Bajsić, one of the organisation's founders describes RadioTeatar as a 'visual radio' and even a 'performing radio'.

RTBF largely bases its recognizability on the RadioTeatar's show "Hoerspiel: a small play for listening (and watching) by Pavlica Bajsić", which is being performed since 2013. After this performance, RTBF developed various activities of applied radiophony through different projects. The research done within the B-AIR project was focused on continuous monitoring of the work of RTBF on creation of radiophonic theatre plays. What can be observed from their work is that there is a very strong quality of community gathering around the professional artistic practice, involving many experts from various artistic fields and of different generations, even in the family, starting with Zvonimir Bajsić, the father of documentary radio drama in Croatia.

The radiophonic theatre for children started in 2018, with the violin and cello play "The Tree that Sang" directed by Hrvoje Korbar and written by Nina Bajsić, followed a few years later by "Wars of the Worlds" by Pavlica Bajsić, inspired by Orson Welles's novel "The War of the Worlds" from 1897, Welles/Koch's radio drama adaptation from 1938, articles from old Zagreb newspapers and the "Appendixes for the collection of verified material, about the history of motivation, about the foundation and about the first period of work of Radio Zagreb" by Rudolf Habeduš Katedrali\ss, from 1951.

Both radio plays for children grew within the program of the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia "Backpack (full) of culture" (UNESCO's initiative which started in 2012). And while "Wars of the Worlds" toured less, due to the pandemic circumstances, "The Tree that Sang" largely toured Croatia, especially in 2021, as part of a special program for earthquake-affected areas in the province of Banovina.

<figure><img src="image_194.png" /></figure>
CHILDREN AS SOUNDMAKERS IN RADIOPHONIC THEATRE PLAYS

Theatre for children is traditionally made by adults, starting from the writing or adaptation of the text, acting, directing, and choosing the content. In the past decades there is a growing tendency to make participatory theatre, which puts the children in the position of the subject who actively interacts with the performers. The participation can sometimes be perceived even like a co-authorship. As in every participatory performative show, there are always creative tensions between creative and didactical goals, aesthetic-artistic quality, ‘professionalism’ and ‘amateurism’, participation and manipulation with the audience (Šimić, 2009).

There is a lot of literature written about the par-
ticipation in performing arts, as well as the grow-
ing discussion about the involvement of children
as audiences in participatory formats. Children
are rarely asked how they would want the thea-
tre to engage them in the whole experience. In
that sense, a great contribution is made by the re-
search done in Croatia by the Specialist study in
Drama pedagogy at the Teachers’ Faculty of the
University of Zagreb, as well as the studies such
as the recently published research “How children
describe their Theatre” by Maša Rimac Jurinović
(Jurinović, 2022).

In terms of engaging children with the music and
sound in theatre, there is a lot done in the “Small
Stage” Theatre (Teatar “Mala Scena”), which
makes multisensory theatre plays for babies and
children of all ages, often implementing opera. In
2023, the Music Biennale Festival and the Croa-
tian National Theatre created “Opera Rosa”<fnref n="1" />, the
first opera for babies.

In the B-AIR project, RadioTeatar Bajsić & Friends made two radiophonic theatre plays for children that aim to enlarge children's horizons of sounds: "The Tree that Sang" and "Wars of the Worlds". In the radiophonic theatre play "The Tree that Sang", participation of children in the sound adventure was invited in different ways:

1) listening, sense-making and entering dialogue with the sound (Violin and Cello as characters that only play music, without speaking); and

2) singing and playing instruments in the post-
show workshop.

Since it is the radiophonic theatre play full of music
both in the show itself, but also in the post-show
workshop, what can be noticed in "The Tree that

Sang" are typical examples of 'musicking' (verb "to music"), which means taking part "in any capacity in a musical performance, whether by performing, by listening, by rehearsing or practicing, by providing material for performance (what is called composition), or by dancing" (Small, 1998, p. 9).

On the other hand, in the second radiophonic the-
atre play titled “Wars of the Worlds”, no focus is
put on children making music. Here children par-
ticipate in creating soundscape with various every-
day objects, using microphones. Their task is to
follow the storytelling and wait for the word that
signals their sound. Comparing to the musicking,
creating soundscape makes a different level of
thinking, which doesn’t include pre-recorded mu-
sic (Recharte, 2019) and involves different audi-
tory perception and experience of sound, which
is characteristic for the sound pedagogy (Tinkle,
2015).

More about the “The Tree that Sang” and “Wars
of the Worlds” is written later in this chapter. The
whole arts-based and game-based interview with
children is introduced in the Chapter VII, under
“Arts-based and game-based evaluation”.

<figure><img src="image_195.png" /></figure>

<footnote n="1">1 See more: Croatian National Theatre (2024). “Opera Rosa”, opera for babies. Music Biennale Zagreb’s Festival for Children. https://www.hnk.hr/hr/opera/predstave/opera-rosa/ Retrieved February 9th, 2024.</footnote>
## "Wars of the Worlds"
Excerpt from the arts-based and game-based interview with children-performers

In the continuation of this chapter, we are bringing out children's voices from arts-based and game-based semi-structured interviews conducted with two 11-year-old children who were performing in the radiophonic theatre play "Wars of the Worlds". Children's names are changed to keep their identity protected. One of them is part of the internal crew of the radiophonic theatre play, so she comes to every show. Another one is new and didn't attend rehearsals, except the one right before the show. What could be noticed from children's description of the process is the importance of *peer-to-peer learning*, the potential of using *imagination* in working with children on many different levels, as well as fostering thinking about their relation with sounds and objects in their soundscape.

**Iva:** My role was to play a scared cow. I acted as a frightened cow with little bowls.

**Researcher:** Like "mooo"?

**Iva:** Yes, "mooo", really loudly and scared. Then I acted when there was an explosion, we popped balloons, used foil for wind, and then with bags, we made, like, a fire.

**Researcher:** I see, so you produced sounds with objects?

**Tonka:** SoundAtrack!

**Researcher:** Aaa, soundtrack. Tonka, what was your role?

**Tonka:** Same as hers!

## VIGNETTE: Children about soundmaking in the RadioTeatar play

<figure><img src="image_196.png" /><figcaption>Picture 1. Interview question about children making sound effects in the form of a Memory-game</figcaption></figure>

**Researcher:** Were you also a cow?

**Tonka:** No, I wasn't a cow, but I hit pot lids like gongs. And I also popped a balloon... then I made a little fire and such things and then... and then... Yes, then I had a microphone because at that part of the play, the actor moves a lot, and we can't put microphones everywhere because they would fall and all that... So I went, I had a microphone, and I held... I had some cans with sand, leaves, and rocks, where I walked... and I then set up the microphone for him at the end... And I threw plastic bags that I have in this small bag.

(She is showing the bag she's carrying.)

**Researcher:** I see, so you rustle with that?

**Tonka:** Yes. And I throw papers.

(...)

**Researcher:** How did you prepare for the play, Tonka?

**Tonka:** Well, I went to rehearsals, Iva didn't.

**Iva:** She briefly explained to me.

(They show me their farewell gestures!)

**Researcher:** You have your own farewell? Wow! So, Tonka went to all rehearsals, and...?

**Iva:** Yes, she briefly explained to me in about 5 minutes: when we rustle for fire, when an actor calls for volunteers, you raise your hand, say your name, so she briefly explained what I needed to do...

<figure><img src="image_197.png" /></figure>
(Tonka interrupts and mimics a worried Iva, acting: "When they ask me, do I have to say something? Am I doing everything well?")

Iva: Yes, I was very curious and...

Tonka: She was very nervous.

Iva: Yes, I was very nervous, and I thought I would mess up... for example, when I played the cow, I thought I would do it wrong. But when I started, I relaxed and realized it was actually easy.

(...)

Researcher: Are there any other characters on the table with object?

Tonka: Well, there's a cow – that's a living being – to act, and there's a storm drum. There's also a small one like a drum!

Iva: (interjects in the same time) There's also the one for the storm!

Tonka: Then there are bags for fire, there are these balloons to pop, and toothpicks, there are those bottle caps.

Iva: There's also something to rustle with. Like a little drum with balls...

Tonka: Storm drum, that's what I said!

Iva: And then when Pavlica (the director of the RadioTeatar play, op. ur.) did it, when they were like aliens... and there's this wire in a box with a hole and when you shake it, you hear a storm.

Researcher: Wow. So, you learned a lot...

Tonka: A lot!

Ana: What else did you learn? What would happen if there were no children in the play? Would it be boring?

Tonka: Honestly? It would be sad!

Iva: And, I mean, it's okay that we played...

Tonka: She wanted just the two of us to be...

Researcher: Normally, do more children come, like from the audience, or...?

Tonka: Yes, yes, there were three from the audience...

Researcher: And did you invite them?

Iva: No, they came.

Researcher: Great. So, you were their teachers then!

Tonka and Iva: Yes, sort of! (They turn the slips of paper and come to number 5.)

(...)

Researcher: What does Pavlica as the director of the show do on stage around the table, during the theatre play?

Tonka: Mostly, she explains things to kids, like I sometimes do...

Iva: (interjects) And to me!

Tonka: ...Hahah! ...When you're going to pop the

balloon, when you're going to do those things. Um, she also does some sound effects when kids don't do them because they don't know, since they haven't been to rehearsals...

Researcher: Well, that's normal.

Tonka: Yes. She also watches the play, and I think she's also there in case actors forget something so she can tell them, like whisper to them. But I think that wasn't necessary now.

(...)

Iva: Well, she sat next to us. My parents asked why she was sitting next to us.

Researcher: Well, she's maybe also a child! (Laughter.)

Iva: She wasn't a child then, but she probably wanted, for example, some kids who were on the side didn't want to be alone. She, for example, said, "Here, take this and rustle a bit! Do the hair-dryer!"

Tonka: (acting like the director) "Wind!" She also worked with foil as wind... and then for example, when it was the cow's turn, she'd say, "Come on, little cow!" and then I'd act as the cow.

Researcher: Cool. So, she was like your helper?

Tonka: Yes!

(...)

Researcher: What do the other actors on stage do?

<figure><img src="image_198.png" /></figure>
**Tonka and Iva:** Act!

**Researcher:** And do you help them with anything else there?

**Iva:** Well, Tonka was carrying the microphone, arranging boxes to make it look like going on a real adventure in the forest... then she'd add chestnuts to throw... and then she'd carry the microphone and hold the actor's crutch, and then she'd take the microphone again and run after him.

**Tonka:** I would answer questions, like for example, "What day is it today?"

**Iva:** And then she'd say, for example, "Thursday"! (She gets into the acting and mimics the actor) "Today is Thursday!" (They turn the slips of paper again.)

**Researcher:** You've already told me about that, I wanted you to reveal some secret to me, for example, how to make sounds with a hairdryer.

**Tonka:** Yes! Very easy!

(...)

**Researcher:** Any other tricks?

**Tonka:** The microphone! Like with this tablecloth, for example. This one child found it a bit difficult... You don't have to be too light, but not too hard either. (Points to the foil with my paper) We only had better papers there! But, you can rustle it like a little fire!

**Researcher:** Good! Can we have another question now? Look, this is the easiest question in the whole conversation! What's your favourite sound?

**Iva:** (excitedly: Ooooh!) A little cow! "Mooooo"! (with tapping on the bench)

**Tonka:** Balloons for me! I love popping balloons!

**Researcher:** And normally, when you're just listening? What's your favourite sound in the world?

**Tonka:** Probably when she does the little cow, that's really funny! (Iva is still acting!)

**Researcher:** How about you?

**Iva:** Also the little cow! But also when someone does that with a hairdryer... An alien coming! (Acting another scene.)

**Researcher:** And outside the play, what's your favourite sound?

**Tonka:** (Excitedly: Ooooh!) For me, it's when it's raining, or when leaves rustle, or when you walk on snow, or water.

**Researcher:** Cool. And you, Iva?

**Tonka:** Those are also my dog's favourite natural phenomena.

**Researcher:** I love the sound of waves!

**Iva:** My dog ate snow!

<figure><img src="image_199.png" /></figure>
**Researcher:** Do you like the radio?

**Tonka and Iva:** Yes! (One cheerfully, the other a bit questioningly.)

**Researcher:** And why do you like it?

**Tonka:** Because it's cool.

**Researcher:** What makes it cool?

**Iva:** It's cool to me because sometimes something funny happens, something exciting, something dramatic, something sad, something cheerful...

**Tonka:** ...like, like television... how should I say, when you don't have a lot to do...

**Iva:** But it's not television, it's like a small box of television.

**Tonka:** Come on, let me tell you something...

**Researcher:** One at a time, please?

**Tonka:** So, um, it's cool because when... I mean, television is when you really have to have time for it and watch it, but with radio, you can be at home or in the car... you can be doing something and listening to the radio and doing that task.

**Researcher:** I see, cool. So, you can do anything? Can you go for a walk and listen to the radio?

**Tonka:** Yes.

**Researcher:** What do you say, Iva?

**Tonka:** You can clean the house and listen to the radio.

VIGNETTE: Children about the radio:

<figure><img src="image_200.png" /></figure>

ZATVORENE
OCI

<caption>Picture 2. Interview question about the radio in the form of a Memory-game</caption>

**Iva:** You can do it on your phone... um.

**Researcher:** Why do you like the radio, why is it cool to you?

**Iva:** It's cool to me because then I hear everything that's happening. I mean, on television, it's okay; but over the radio, I hear everything.

**Researcher:** All the sounds?

**Iva:** Yes, all the sounds. And then, for example, when I'm doing homework with my parents or my parents are working (like my dad is making a presentation for work, and my mom is studying with my younger sister), then my dad would turn on the radio, either on the phone or on the 'radio app,' and then I think we'd listen to the news. I don't remember the latest news, but I remember it was exciting, that...

**Tonka:** My mom loves the radio. She only listens to the radio.

(...)

**Iva:** We can imagine that feeling on the radio. We don't have to watch it on television. We can imagine how we would feel in it.

**Researcher:** Yeah, you explained it well. Do your friends think the radio is cool?

**Iva and Tonka:** No, it's lame.

**Tonka:** I don't know, I've never asked.

(...)

**Tonka:** Radio... You can listen to it with your eyes closed.

<figure><img src="image_201.png" /></figure>
# THE TREE THAT SANG

> "We have to keep your ears open
> Under this bright blue sky."
> (From the introduction to "The Tree that Sang")

"The Tree That Sang" is a radiophonic theatre play about Violin and Cello, about the friendship between a man and an instrument, classical and innovative, old and new, as well as about the freedom and responsibility that music brings. The story of two instruments is told primarily through sound, music, acting and authorial text, guiding children towards listening, a skill which seems somewhat forgotten in the age of visual communication. The protagonists of the play are the instrument builder and the instruments themselves – Violin and Cello. We follow them on their journey from the very beginning. The story opens in the forest, with the Master's search for material from which he will make his instruments. It continues in the workshop where the Master makes and grows instruments, and then takes them to their life journeys, concert stages and quests for a new sound.

The authorial team is composed of professionals in all the above mentioned arts. Everyone individually contributes with their professional experiences to the creation of this project which points, just like any radiophonic theatre piece, to the importance of the neglected culture of listening. After the performance, a music workshop is held with children. During the workshop, children use

small musical instruments to discover various new sounds around them, form their own band and, with the help of the authors' team, create and perform their own composition.

<figure><img src="image_202.png" /><figcaption>"The Tree that Sang", RadioTeatar, Zagreb, Croatia.
Photo by Mia Cvitković</figcaption></figure>

## Credits:

**Director:**

Hrvoje Korbar

**Author of the text:**

Nina Bajsić

**Performed by:**

Maja Katić/Marija Šegvić,
Stanislav Kovačić (cello) and
Jasmina Bojić (violin)

**Choreographer:**

Nikolina Medak

**Art design:**

Mare Bajsić

To see the video trailer
"The Tree that Sang":

<figure><img src="image_203.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_204.png" /></figure>
As part of the "Backpack (full of) culture" program of the Ministry of Culture and Media of the Republic of Croatia, and the B-AIR program, a cycle of performances and workshops were carried out for elementary school students from the towns that were affected by the earthquake in 2020 and 2021. It continued to be performed in the Radio Voćarska Festival cycle in 2023, as part of the B-AIR and the "Culture and art in the community" program of the Zagreb City Office for Culture. After the evaluation within the B-AIR project, the play is also to be produced as a radio drama, and it is also published as a children's book.

The evaluation of the "Tree that Sang" was conducted during 2.5 years within the B-AIR project. In terms of a timeline, it encompassed 4 research phases:

1) Spring/summer 2021 – Content analysis;

2) December 2021 – Focus group with the creative team of authors/performers;

3) July 2022 – Arts-based interview with the dramaturge of the theatre play (methodology explained more in depth in the Chapter VIII)

4) March-December 2023 – Performance and post-show workshop observations with different audiences (festivals, schools, kindergarten).

The enquiry focused on three main research questions explored through the methods of content analysis, focus group and arts-based interview, as well as the observation of the play and the post-show workshop. Here are the questions and summary of the findings:

**RQ1: What are the ways in which radiophonic theatre for children invites its audience(s) to experience sound?**

The invitation happens through the rich palette of music and sounds; high aesthetics and sound

quality in the space; listening and participatory music making (learning by ear), as well as through introducing characters through sounds.

**RQ2: What is the distribution of sound/musical elements (speech, sound, music) in the selected radiophonic theatre play and how is it used in the post-show workshop?**

The sound and music are used as main elements accompanied by poetic text.

**RQ3: What are the ways in which creators and performers collaborate in designing the play (roles, interactions, expertise)?**

What can be seen is a high level of collaborative professionalism and 'bottom-up' approach in making and performing the play. Children's audiences are co-creating the play, while actors and musicians are taking the role of sound mediators. The research also showed the potential to include a professional music mediator in the creative team.

<figure><img src="image_205.png" /><figcaption>The performance of the show "The Tree that Sang" in a non-conventional place. Photo by Mia Cvitković</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_206.png" /></figure>
# CONTENT ANALYSIS

## The structure of the building blocks of radiophonic theatre play *Tree that Sang*

<figure><img src="image_207.png" /><figcaption>Content analysis (systematisation of elements extracted from the research)</figcaption></figure>

In the final research phase, when performing spaces were open after the Covid-19 lockdowns, we were able to observe children's engagement during the theatre play and in the post-show workshop. Children's audiences were diverse – from kindergarten children who came in groups to Radio Voćarska Festival (March 2023) with their kindergarten teachers, to school children for whom the radio play was performed in schools. The latest theatre play and workshop were performed in the Elementary School of SUVAG, Polyclinic for the Rehabilitation of Listening and Speech

(November 2023). For this occasion, the play itself and the workshop were somewhat adjusted to match the needs of children with hearing and speech impairments. Prior to this performance, the RadioTeatar professionals received the specialised course in verbotonal method developed by the academic Petar Guberina, which is used as the basis for rehabilitation in this school.

What could be noticed while observing children's participation during the theatre play and in the post-show workshop is that children actively engage

both with the musicians-actors (Violin and Cello) playing their non-verbal roles, expressing emotions and talking to children, as well as in the post-show workshop of a form quite similar to the 'standard' process of music-making in music classrooms.

In the post-show part, actors-musicians facilitate a workshop using the main song from the theatre play, "In the Woods" (U šumi), as the content that is further developed.

To listen to the song:

<figure><img src="image_208.png" /></figure>

## The lyrics of the song "In the Woods" (U šumi), "The Tree that Sang"<fnref n="1" />

**Silence, silence in the forest**
U šumi danas tišina vlada

**Such a silence, it is oddest!**
Tiho je k'o nikada do sada

**Not a sound that can be heard**
Ne čuje se jedan ton

**Not a whisper, not a bird**
Do uha ne dopire ni zvon.

**Why the forest fell so quiet?**
Šuma je ušutjela

**Maybe, maybe... it is tired**
Da li se naljutila

**Maybe, maybe... it's afraid**
Možda nas se ona boji

**Our steps have made it scared**
Plaše ju koraci moji i tvoji.

<figure><img src="image_209.png" /></figure>

<footnote n="1">1 Translated into English by Sunčica Milosavljević</footnote>
Actors-musicians bring simple Orff instruments and some everyday objects that can produce sound and give them to children. They assign small groups of children to 'musical bands', and ask them to name their band. As there are usually many ideas for naming the band, the actors-musicians facilitate the voting process - they write the proposed names on the school board and let the children vote for the name. After naming the bands, children play the whole song with actors-musicians who facilitate the making of the basic arrangement in five steps:

1) Dancing to accompany the 'silence' in the beginning of the song;

2) 'Freeze in a sculpture' (in the silence after the verse "Not a sound that can be heard / Ne čuje se jedan ton");

3) Making the sound "shshshsh/psssst" together with the finger in the front of the mouth (in the silence after the verse "Why the forest went so quiet? / Šuma je ušutjelaj");

4) In all instrumental interludes children play their instruments following the music;

5) Children are stamping their feet to accompany the verse "Our steps have made it scared / Plaše ju koraci moji i tvoji!".

Through the process of arrangement-making and sound-making children learn to actively listen, discover the musical form and learn lyrics. Besides this process, the workshop sometimes includes conducting exercise, with children coming in front of the group and conducting the tempo for the instruments, and sometimes also showing movements of playing different instruments ("Now let's play as trumpets/violins/percussions", etc.).

The workshop scenario slightly changes depending on the children who are in the audience. With school children there is sometimes a different division in the band, when the group of 'band singers' goes in another room with the actor/musician to learn the lyrics and sing. Since the song has many lyrics that are not easy to learn, this option usually doesn't happen with kindergarten children. Every post-show workshop, as well as the theatre play itself, finishes with simulating a concert performance.

## Exercises

As one of the practical results of the research process, we wanted to make a step further and develop additional multisensory and multimodal exercises that can be facilitated by teachers in kindergartens and schools. The exercises were tried out with children in the Elementary School SUVAG in the weeks after they watched the play.

### Examples of multisensory and multimodal exercises:

1. **MEET THE INSTRUMENTS: Level 1.** Bring the violin and the cello in the classroom. Introduce the parts of the violin/cello and the fiddlestick, which have same name as the human body parts (neck, ribs, bow hair, chin rest, body, tail piece), as well as the parts that carry names of animals (frog, horse, scroll – in Croatian language the name for this part is 'the snail') or some other objects (bridge). The task for the children is to follow the violin/cello parts that facilitator shows by showing the equivalent parts of the body; make sounds to follow parts named by animals; or take a body posture to describe the parts such as the bridge, the 'snail', etc.

Level 2. This game level might be performed when both performers/instruments are in the room (Violin and Cello). Divide children into two groups. One group follows the Cello, and the other the Violin. They both act as guides of the body parts. Performers show different parts of their instrument at different times. In case both groups perform at the same time, a short composition can be made and recorded.

**Note:** This exercise can be performed by actors-musicians in the post-show workshop, as well as by school/kindergarten teachers at any time.

2. **HIDE AND SEEK WITH THE SOUND:** This exercise is a combination of the hide-and-seek and the 'warm-cold' game.

Level 1. Facilitator hides an object in the room (children go outside or close their eyes in this part). The overall task for the group is to find the object. They move through the space looking for the object, following the music from the theatre play. Facilitator is guiding the situation and making music stop and go, cutting the song in different places (especially when children come closer to the hidden object). The instruction is to stop and freeze when the music stops. At this point, facilitator can guide the movements of the children by saying 'Now when the music stopped, and you have frozen, turn your head/shoulder/knee left/right/back in the direction of window/me/doors, etc.

<figure><img src="image_210.png" /></figure>
**Level 2.** Facilitator can use separate Violin and Cello parts from the theatre play:

<figure><img src="image_211.png" /></figure>

Divide children into two groups: group 1 moves only when the Violin part plays; group 2 moves only when the Cello part plays. The task is still the same: to find the object. Facilitator guides the process by playing different tracks and giving the same instructions for turning their body in different directions. In this mode of the game, the children are exercising active listening and patience on a deeper level, because they need to follow sound colours of the instruments.

**Note:** This exercise can be performed live with performers as facilitators after the show (the music is played live), as well as in schools and kindergartens with teachers as facilitators (using the recording of the song from the YouTube).

**3. COLOURS OF VIOLIN AND CELLO:** Draw a picture of a big tree on A4 paper. Each child chooses two different pastels or wood crayons. The task is to follow the rhythm and/or the melody of the Violin part using colour 1, and then of the Cello part using colour 2. In this way every child gets the unique picture of the treetop. At the end there might be a small exhibition of coloured trees. Children can exchange their thoughts about the similarities and differences of their colour lines (that also include talking about sounds).

**Note:** This game might include playing with the left and the right hand – for example, drawing the Cello line with a non-dominant hand. Also, the facilitator can encourage children to do a storytelling activity and think about a dialogue between Violin and Cello, as introduction to the next part of the theatre play.

<figure><img src="image_212.png" /><figcaption>Parts of the violin. Photo by Unknown author licensed under CC BY-NC with added names of the parts in the PowerPoint Presentation</figcaption></figure>

The complete analysis and the research results related to the “Tree that Sang” are planned to be published in a peer-reviewed journal article in 2024 in English. Preliminary results were presented in the 8th International Symposium of Music Pedagogues at the Music Academy, University of Juraj Dobrila in Pula (4-6. 5. 2023), under the title “Radiophonic Theatre as a Space in-between Music Pedagogy, Community and Wellbeing”.

To see the Symposium program:

<figure><img src="image_213.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_214.png" /></figure>
# WARS OF THE WORLDS
## A disaster radio play with shooting, singing and Martians

„We are in the radio studio of RadioTeatar, where the evening program "Popular Science Hour" will start soon. Radio Orchestra is tuning in, the host is rehearsing the text, technician Jakob Bunda is fixing the lamp in the studio, which seems to have lost contact. Here it is, shining again!

Well done Jakob... And far away, somewhere in the heart of Istria, in the Observatory in Višnjan, reporter Žiga Hren looks restlessly at the starry sky and at his wristwatch that he inherited from his late uncle Rudolf... He is impatiently waiting for his first call this evening.

On the other hand, the first curious people gather at Radio Kavana and push around the tables on which there are radio-detectors for reception. The line for headphones has become hectic because...

We will be on the air soon!“

Acknowledging the significance of children's artistic worlds and their lived experiences on the stage is a vital part for all professionals in performing arts who are creating and performing for and with children. In this theatre play we have three adult actors on the stage who are facilitating participatory processes of the whole audience – both adults and children (age 9+). At some point they act as facilitators of the small theatrical sound-game performed with children-volunteers from the audience. For that, children are invited to a small table on the stage, prepared for them with different everyday objects and microphones.

<figure><img src="image_215.png" /></figure>

Children creating the soundscape, "Wars of the Worlds", Radio-Teatar, Zagreb, Croatia.
Photo by Mia Cvitković

**Credits:**

**Music:** Marko Levanić and Ivana Starčević

**Choreographer:** Srđan Sorić

**Radio drama excerpts:**
Dino Brazzoduro and Dalibor Piskrec

**Lighting:** Sara Bundalo

**Scenography:** Metej Kniewald

**A handful of borrowed radio voices:**
Janko Rakoš, Živko Anočić, Jerko Marčić, Jelena Miholjević, Ljubica Letinić and Tihana Ostreš

**Producer:** Katarina Krešić

**From the live studio:**
Ivana Starčević as Milena Begović
Sven Medvešek as Fric Maramica and
Oton Kučera
Matija Antolić as Jakob Bunda and
Blaž Konjski

**Texts and instructions from the director:**
Pavlica Bajsić

To listen to the
radiophonic clip:

<figure><img src="image_216.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_217.png" /></figure>
<figure><img src="image_218.png" /><figcaption>Children creating the soundscape, "Wars of the Worlds", Radio-Teatar, Zagreb, Croatia.
Photo by Mia Cvitković</figcaption></figure>

The facilitator guides children through instructions: each child chooses one of the objects and tries it out in front of the microphone to hear the sound. When all children get instructions and make a small 'sound-check', adult actors resume the text of the theatre play. This time, the text is accompanied with the soundscape made by children. In this part of the theatre play there is usually the director of the play, Pavlica Bajsić, entering the space in a subtle way, sitting with the children by the table and helping them produce sounds in front of microphones at right times, as to follow the story narrated by adult actors (according to the keywords in the guidelines).

There is always one child (or sometimes more than one) who is not a volunteer, but an actor who also has a role to follow adult actors with a microphone at some points of the play.

<figure><img src="image_219.png" /><figcaption>Children creating the soundscape, "Wars of the Worlds", RadioTeatar, Zagreb, Croatia.
Photo by Mia Cvitković</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_220.png" /></figure>
<figure><img src="image_221.png" /><figcaption>A child-actor following the actor, with a microphone.
Photo by RadioTeatar</figcaption></figure>

For the actors, professional engagement in this radiophonic theatre play means blending actor's traditional roles – it is a dynamic interplay between being an actor and musician, a sound maker and a sound facilitator (in children's participatory process), a connector and networker (with the adult audience 'behind'), a professional in one aspect and a non-professional in another.

"Wars of the Worlds" premiered during the pandemic lockdowns, in the Ribnjak Cultural Centre (two performances in the same day). After the première, it had one online performance during the lockdown in November 2021 in the framework of a theatrical festival (which was supposed to happen live, but had to be transferred to the YouTube space, featuring recorded performances). In both of those performances which took place during the Covid-19 pandemic restrictions, it wasn't possible to conduct a research with children. The opportunity opened in the last performance, in Cinema "Ucrania" in May 2022, during a 45-minute break between the two performances. The whole research process with children which was arts-based and game-based is described in the Chapter VIII, in the article "Arts-based and game-based evaluation".

Creating the radiophonic theatre play "Wars of the Worlds" was inspired by the famous event which happened in 1938 in the USA after the broadcasting of the radio drama "The War of the Worlds", based on the novel by H. G. Welles, that caused a huge hysteria of the radio-audience who believed in the simulated news from the radio drama, as if it were real and not fictional. Since the theatre play re-creates the recording and broadcasting of this radio drama, as well as the response of its audience (with the real audience in the room), the creators of the theatre play weren't sure if the show was more referential to the adult audience (as 'digital immigrants' who can understand and still imagine times without technology and remember the time when radio was listened to on massive scale), or children audience as 'digital natives' for whom this content is very distant. There is for sure part of the play that is devoted to small children as sound-makers at the small table, but RadioTeatar wanted to see if this play might work with teenagers.

Besides the game-based evaluation made especially for the young children audience, the research also included interviews with some teenagers from the theatre play. Although it wasn't easy to find teenagers who came to watch the play with their parents (so we could get the informed consent signed by the parent after the show), we managed to get the interview from two teenagers aged 15 and 19 after the second performance.

Since radiophonic theatre plays are all about the sound becoming visible in a very special theatrical way, as well as the fact that the teenagers today are mostly focused on the visuality, what surprised us was the answer of one of the teenagers when we asked the question 'for whom is this theatre play made for?':

> Anyone can find himself/herself in this theatre play. There are serious subjects for grown-ups, funny elements for children, and **something in-between for me**.

We were interested in exploring what the 'something in-between for me' means, so we asked the teenagers what was the most interesting part for them. They didn't mentioned any particular part, but we noticed that the most interesting part for them was the fact that they could imagine the story through simple listening, as well as the interaction with the audience in producing sound:

> You can imagine what is happening. Because, we basically only listen (the theatre play), but that is done so well that you can imagine it. You can get a **great picture in your head**.

<figure><img src="image_222.png" /></figure>
I liked a lot that the audience was part of the show. It's always cool. The sounds are so great and used creatively. There are some things such as producing sound and I could never imagine that the sound like that can be created with the audience.

The important part of an artistic piece is to leave space for interpretation and imagination, because if we give all to the audience right away, then it's automatically boring. The biggest artists always go for mystery and let us (as audience) to finish the piece for us, no matter if it is about the novel, the picture, the sculpture...

Another type of feedback from the children audience was asked via the pamphlet designed as a postcard. It contained the poster of the theatre play on one side, and on another it looked almost like a typical postcard with 4 empty spaces where children can create short comic. The first picture in the comic made by Marko Golub was an invitation for children to leave the 'visual' message for the radio after the show. RTBF got only a few responses sent on their address after the show, so it would be interesting to see what kind of response will happen when this show starts playing more often to more children in the audience.

<figure><img src="image_223.png" /><figcaption>Front page of the program and the poster of the "Wars of the Worlds"</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_224.png" /></figure>
NATJEČAJ ZA LOVCE NA MARSOVCE

Tražimo lovce na Marsovce;

Najhrabrije klince da pogledaju Marsovcima u lice.

Narišite skice na naše razglednice

i pobijedite ove krivce za svačije živce.

Pošaljite nam svoje skice na adresu naše ulice (Medveščak 48).

Nagrada za najkreativce bit će ulaznice

za raspjevano Drvce.

<figure><img src="image_225.png" /></figure>

Invitation for the
children to draw
and send their
sketches
with the rewarding
tickets for "The
Tree that Sang"

<figure><img src="image_226.png" /><figcaption>One of the visual
responses in the
RadioTeatar's
program.
Photo by Ana Čorić</figcaption></figure>

To conclude, since there weren't many
performances of "Wars of the Worlds"
during the pandemic times, and the audi-
ence number in performances was quite
limited, it would be interesting to offer this
theatre play to schools and use the same
feedback methods (comic and interviews)
with the larger number of children of dif-
ferent age to test what would be the most
appropriate audience for the play and
what are its potentials and challenges in
relation to the children's perception.

<figure><img src="image_227.png" /></figure>

Sources

Radio Teatar Bajsić & prijatelji. (2019, January 18). Drvo koje je pjevalo (song iz predstave) [The Tree that Sang (the song from the show)]. YouTube https://youtu.be/hS-S9obPuMU

Radio Teatar Bajsić & prijatelji. (2023, Decem-
ber 3). Drvo koje je pjevalo [The Tree that Sang,
Separate Violin and Cello parts]. Google Drive,
radiotheatar.research@gmail.com. Retrieved
February 12, 2024. https://drive.google.com/
drive/folders/1JtVyqPXAHHcH-SPDobSicIl-
IC_p2bhnI?usp%20=share_link%20

Radio Teatar Bajsić & prijatelji. (2023, Octo-
ber). Ratovi svjetova – isječak [Wars of the
worlds, video clip]. SoundCloud. https://on.
soundcloud.com/cXJXr

Vidulin, S. (Ed.). (2023, May 4–6). *Eight international symposium of music pedagogues – Symposium booklet*. Muzička akademija u Puli. https://drive.google.com/file/d/10iyUPJD-JL9-7tpw4o0aJjCkEi1tyw_q0/view?fbclid=IwAR3HXjradpm0awEdtPQR8rzTGB8125M-fKk0s906HC-z1t6JsgvTqvnESwDU

<figure><img src="image_228.png" /></figure>
# CHILDREN AS EXPLORERS IN A SOUND ADVENTURE
Listening in the context of music and sound pedagogy

Investigating listening as a creative act, as a research field within the B-AIR project, opened the question of observing and experimenting with the ideas that derive from music pedagogy and sound pedagogy. This chapter hence presents projects that included dynamic interplay between elements from both pedagogies, with an aim to propose activities for further projects related to the radio plays and children, and establishing dialogue between disciplines. Since music is the only 'compulsory' activity within the formal learning context where listening can be 'learned' in a way, and since the researchers in the pedagogy and professional development team of the B-AIR project came mainly from the field of music education in Europe, for the purposes of this chapter it is valuable to delineate the intermediary space for listening that meets both music and sound pedagogy.

Music pedagogy in many ways embraced the usage of radiophony for its purposes, mainly related to becoming accessible to a wider audience. For example, Orff Schulwerk used radiophony as an important tool. As after World War II almost all evidence of Orff's and Gunild Keetman's creative work in *Guntherschule* were destroyed, it was the radio that gave the opportunity for a fresh start. Orff and Keetman were invited to prepare radio

broadcasts for children with children. This meant an extension for the Orff approach, because in this way, all the music materials were accessible publicly, so children and teachers could copy the music and develop it further in a creative way (Beegle & Bond, 2016).

Similarly, one of the main ideas of the B-AIR project was to establish fresh grounds for radiophonic art for babies, toddlers and vulnerable groups. Today, however, such a task is a special challenge. In our time, compared to when Orff lived and worked, the radio as a medium has a completely different position in the society which is oriented mainly on visuality. From this reason, the questions of listening and educating audiences to listen became one of the crucial points in the project.

Creating radio materials, music compositions, sound artworks within the project, showed that there is a variety of different approaches to listening and educating audiences, depending on forms of art and socio-spatial situations. In this chapter my aim is to juxtapose various approaches to listening that I managed to test during the B-AIR project within the programs of RadioTeatar Bajsić & Friends and Radio Television Slovenia.

## New approaches in music and sound education

At the moment when the B-AIR project started, the most of the pedagogical knowledge about active listening we could rely on in the post-Yugoslavia region came from music education, which is still highly connected to the Western classical music in the European context. Listening is one of the main areas that are taught in the classrooms, as well as in the non-formal contexts of learning, such as the programs for babies and toddlers and the programs designed for elderly people. What is characteristic for both music learning contexts is having the existing music that is used for the listening purposes and for the active music-making. In the formal contexts of music education, the approach to active listening has so far been mainly analytical. However, the contemporary research that arises from the formal contexts of music learning in Croatia is related to the cognitive-emotional approach to listening (Vidulin, Plavšić & Žauhar, 2020; Vidulin, 2023), as a student-centred approach that combines multimodality and interdisciplinarity in its idea to engage the listener both in cognitive and in emotional way, in order to enrich their listening experience and shape their cultural and artistic viewpoint.

<figure><img src="image_229.png" /></figure>
The concept applied in the classroom is to listen to the selected music piece several times, but each time with a different goal. The first listening aims for capturing ‘first impressions’ and it is purely emotional. No task is given to students, but the aim is to engage them emotionally, so that they can discuss music using their own words. The second (central) listening is cognitive, and it comes with the previously given tasks for listening, with carefully crafted questions that correspond to the students’ educational level and musical knowledge. The last listening is cognitive-emotional, and it takes into consideration both of previous activities, with questions that foster both cognitive and emotional listening experiences.

What can be noticed is that the definition of listening within the actual music education standard is always related to music. But, what if we think about listening more broadly, in a non-musical way? Recharte (2019) in his paper "De-centering Music: A 'sound education'" questions the role of 'Music' in music education and proposes an alternative focus on sound, that would blur the boundaries between music and noise (that can often be heard in music education). He suggests reframing 'music education' into 'sound education' and puts listening and sound-making into focus. Traditionally, in music education, listening is always taught as a musical practice, related to enabling aesthetic experience of a musical piece, or a cognitive process in interaction with the musical piece.

Non-musical listening is a deeply human and social practice. Thus, it is all about participation, interaction, and reflection, and this is where the knowledge (cognition) comes from. Through making relations with the world around us, it allows us to listen from the condition that is more open. Listening to sounds is a non-discriminatory practice,

so it is important to provide the 'classroom' spaces that can open the floor for different ways of engaging with the sound: (1) inclusion of sounds that are important to the listener from their everyday lives; (2) exploring them; (3) analysing them; and (4) creatively manipulating them. There is a growing discussion coming from the field of acoustemology that draws on works of Raymond Murray Schafer, and the whole pedagogical approach to listening in the sonic arts termed 'sound pedagogy' (Tinkle, 2015). Keylin (2023, p. 13) defines sound art as "a category encompassing any sound-based art-works that happen outside of musical institutions and do not conform to the traditional musical presentation formats such as concert performance or recording". In this definition he includes "experimental sonic practices of participatory culture in the continuum of sound art".

Listening as a multimodal experience of imagination and creation

In the B-AIR project children were engaged with sound through active participation on many different levels, in various formats featuring examples of a continuum between music and sound pedagogy. As a researcher, I explored listening as a multimodal experience of imagination and creation using different modalities such as storytelling, active music-making, movement/gestures, dramatization, games, drawing and creation (about the works "Earlet the Gnome and the Mysterious Doors" and "The Tree that Sang" and "Wars of the Worlds", see in this Chapter). What could be noticed in different contexts is that, even though they often have no focus and concentration to listen immediately, children get interested into the process of deep multiple listening when we engage them to create something (see example of the riddle-making in the section "Earlet the Gnome and the Mys-

terious Doors" and sound editing in Chapter VI, "The Whisper of Memories: Tuning in the Sounds of Valley").

Other examples of multimodal listening in different contexts will be shown through the three vignettes from project activities.

VIGNETTE 1: "Musical Kitchen" (Listening as a joint family activity)

As a researcher I explored the possibility of an interconnection between sound art mediation and music mediation, through developing the family workshop based on the listening of the radioplay for babies "Musical Kitchen" (translated material from RTV SLO). I performed a workshop in 2023 in Radio Voćarska and the "Books in the Tree-tops" festival. In all 4 performances/workshops I included professionals as 'critical friends' in an a/r/ tographic research of a mediation format. 'Critical friends' involved were professional radio directors, a dancer, and two musicians. The idea was to treat a radiophonic play as a musical composition, since I hadn't any possibilities to manipulate the recorded materials. This is why I decided to use 'traditional' activities applied in the regular music education workshops for babies and parents (e.g. sing-along song, nursery rhyme, body percussion, small instruments), and disrupt the structure by the sound pedagogy exercises, in order to investigate children's involvement into the deep listening group process. Conclusion of the research was that some of the techniques for music education definitely work as the preparation stage before listening, but the listening of the piece itself requires different approach. There should be carefully organised space and technological ILI TECH-NICAL aspect, and a facilitator to control the tape in terms of

<figure><img src="image_230.png" /></figure>
deciding which parts of the composition could last longer/shorter, following the energy of the group, as well as which parts could be facilitated with a certain activity or left as a free play.

Introduction to the workshop had three short parts:

1) A song "Hi, hello, bonjour" with names (getting to know each other, playing ukulele)

2) A workout - legs, hands-fingers, ears, tongue (slurping)

3) Nursery rhyme and finger-game "Granny peels a carrot"

After the preparation part, I tested the radiophonic play (treated as a musical composition). This is the final version after edits and changes done during the workshop, in consultations with 'critical friends':

<figure><img src="image_231.png" /><figcaption>"Musical Kitchen" at the Radio Voćarska Festival of Radio Drama and Radio Theatre for Babies and Children, RadioTeatar, Zagreb, Croatia. Photo by Mia Cvitković</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_232.png" /></figure>
<table><caption>Table 1. The mediation example of the “Musical Kitchen”</caption><thead><tr><th>Part/text</th><th>Pedagogical intervention/mediation</th><th>Props</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>1. Introductory jingle</td><td>Straw in the glass of water (blowing)</td><td>straw and the glass of water</td></tr><tr><td>2. "Cold, curvy, smooth, shiny"</td><td>Glockenspiel – playing the accompaniment</td><td>glockenspiel</td></tr><tr><td>3. "Spoon! (one, another...)</td><td>Each child and parent gets a plastic spoon; the mediator vocalizes imitates sounds of an actor from the recorded composition</td><td>plastic spoons</td></tr><tr><td>4. Nursery rhyme<br>"Whoosh, whoosh, the little spoon gets in the soup.<br>Whoosh, whoosh, the little spoon swims in the soup."</td><td>tutti – rhythmical dancing with spoons in the air (hands up)<br>(in the end the mediator throws the spoon in the middle circle inviting the children to come closer)</td><td>plastic spoons</td></tr><tr><td>5. "The soup is fiery, flaming, burning, fiery, fiery, flaming, burning, writhing, pinching, tickling, stinging."<br>"Warm soup, tasty soup, good soup, healthy soup..."</td><td>We blow together in the soup (circle in the middle), then we mix it and continue to curiously approach the space and props. It's time for a free play.</td><td>all props in the space</td></tr><tr><td>6. Song:<br>"Five crumbs are swimming in the soup, Eeny, meeny, miny, moe."<br>"A fork?"</td><td>We stand on our feet and dance. If there are toddlers, parents and mediators use the scarf like a parachute – children dance under it. If there are smaller babies in the group, each parent dances with their baby in hands.</td><td>big scarf</td></tr><tr><td>7. "Under-the-table. Next-to-the-table. At-the-table."</td><td>Adults are 'standing/sitting' on the knees. We are imitating (by changing the body position) the prepositions from the text (under, at, below, etc.).</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>8. "And now – give me a bite! A piece of banana – yum, yum, yum! Some soup – yum, yum, yum! A piece of cake – yum, yum, yum! A piece of ... a sock – Eeeeuuuuuwww!"</td><td>Listening – mediator using gestures and mimic, as well as facial expressions as reactions to the text.<br>(if children still hold spoons in their hands, we imitate the feeding each other – spoons like small airplanes)</td><td>-</td></tr><tr><td>9. "And – splash into the sink!"</td><td>We are tidying up the dishes in the circle in the middle. During the final jingle, the mediator is blowing bubbles from the soap as a multisensory simulation of washing the dishes.</td><td>soap and balloon maker</td></tr></tbody></table>

<figure><img src="image_233.png" /></figure>
## VIGNETTE 2: Listening in a group activity of soundpainting

Another example of engaging children in deep listening of sounds and each other through improvisation and creation was introduced by the soundpainting, a “universal multidisciplinary live composing sign language for musicians, actors, dancers, and visual Artists”<fnref n="1" /> invented by Walter Thompson. Within the RadioTeatar Bajsić & Friends soundpainting activities for vulnerable groups were performed by musicians and music

pedagogues Lucija Stanojević and Tena Novak Vincek, in 2 cycles:

1. March-April 2023 – a series of Impro Lab workshops in the Culture and Youth Centre Ribnjak offered for the pupils who already attend specialised music schools, with the mission to offer them new tools in improvisation, graphic notation and composition, that can't be found in the official school curricula which are focused only on the Western Classical Music.

2. 30.11 - 1.12.2023 – a two-day workshop in Music Improvisation and Soundpainting Method was held in the Elementary School "Grigor Vitez" in Zagreb. It was offered to the mixed class with a small group of children with special needs.

The research included two phases of work: 1. process observations through retrospective audio and video analysis; 2. a narrative analysis of a professional learning journey through a focus-group with facilitators using arts-based and game-based research. As in both situations the soundpainting was done with the vulnerable groups, one of the goals was to compare the work in both contexts. In both groups children learned basic soundpainting signs, explored graphic notation, and composed their own motives through different games. Workshops ended with the small concerts of composed works.

Some conclusions from the research:

1. The offered practice of active engagement with sounds is very liberating both for children from music schools and for children from general schools, with and without special needs;

2. "More *listening* to music, and not more playing music." In both groups, the fact that the children played instruments was less important. More important was to develop the process of *deep and concentrated active listening*. Even though children from music schools already played the instrument, the process of deep listening, presence and listening to each other was more important than anything else;

<figure><img src="image_234.png" /></figure>

Graphic notation made by children.
Photo by RadioTeatar

<figure><img src="image_235.png" /></figure>

<footnote n="1">1. Soundpainting http://www soundpainting.com/soundpainting/</footnote>
3) *Listening to the environment* is crucial (playing with silence and noise) – including sound pedagogy in the school contexts;

4) *Continuity of soundpainting*, composition and improvisation workshops is needed in both contexts;

5) Commitment and efforts of music schools to involve children in improvisation, composition and soundpainting is very poor;

6) There is a need for collaborative professionalism of sound facilitators in schools: visiting artists, school pedagogues (especially in the context of children with special needs) and teachers and directors in music schools.

## VIGNETTE 3: Listening as ‘sounding’ the visual / written story of the community

As a researcher I investigated the intersection between music mediation and sound art mediation within the festival context. In August 2022 and 2023, I created an education program of the kULTRA Music Festival in Makarska, Croatia, implementing activities for audiences of different age groups.

For the purposes of investigating topics related to the B-AIR program "Our songs, our dreams", I created and implemented/performed 3 types of activities with the main aim to inspire local people and tourists to listen to the music and sounds in the community:

1) Pub choir “Song to Go” (in both festival editions – 2022 and 2023): the idea is to gather local audience and tourists around the wooden table in Konoba Kalalarga to sing traditional songs,

listen to the stories, and thus announce the festival week. Singing in harmonies around the food table with a glass of wine can be found in many cultures in the world, and it is especially characteristic for Dalmatia as 'klapa' singing, which is more and more dislocated from the traditional practice and implemented as the popular music genre. Through this activity we wanted to revive the old contexts of group singing (for locals) and introduce it to the tourists. In 2022 we sang traditional Spanish bakers' song "Las Panaderas" (with body percussion) and in 2023 we sang traditional Macedonian song "Sedna baba". In both editions, locals and tourists brought their own songs to us, too, so we were listening to each other stories and sounds of our music and languages. In the second edition many locals who participated in the first edition (a year before) showed up. In conversations with them, they expressed the idea to have more of this kind of community encounters during the whole year.

2) **Soundstory:** In 2022 I facilitated a small group of children whose task was to give sounds to a traditional legend from their city. The collaboration was done with the local librarian who, for this special purpose, adjusted the text of the local legend about the slipper of the bishop Niko-la Bijanković. Children were exploring the city through the story, practicing listening through the exercises from the sound pedagogy, and searching for the sounds in colours and cityscape recording. After 4 days of workshop the soundstory was performed in the local church for the blindfolded audience.

The workshop was documented by the local teacher Lara Kuluz who made an animated video:

<figure><img src="image_236.png" /></figure>

3) **Soundwalk:** In the 2023 edition of the kULTRA Festival, I co-created a soundwalk with children and local painters. The idea was to investigate possible connections and intersections between music mediation and sound mediation, as well as visual arts. The kULTRA Music Festival combines exhibitions and concerts, and in that year one of the main musical pieces performed was "Pictures at the Exhibition" by Modest Petrović Musorgski. The piece was performed by the pianist Ivan Horvatić who carefully crafted the full-evening musical repertoire in collaboration with the researcher, using some modern musical pieces, too. Before the festival, there was an open call for local painters to contribute to the exhibition by painting the piece with the topic "Promenades of Makarska". The idea was to put paintings at the exhibition on the day of the concert and sell the pictures with the humanitarian purpose and donate the collected funds to the local NGO Sun (Sunce) for children and people with special needs. The children aged 6-12 had a workshop within the festival, with a task to create a soundstory based on the donated paintings. They recorded the sounds, and we gathered all materials together in a soundwalk, so that visitors could make a real 'promenade' at the exhibition, curated by children's voices. What was especially interesting in the performance was how the children treated silence in the soundwalk, which was equally important to them as all the sounds they decided to map in their explorations of their city and its painters' works.

All materials can be found on IG and FB pages of the kUltra festival of music: @kultrafestival

<figure><img src="image_237.png" /></figure>
<figure><img src="image_238.png" /><figcaption>Children creating a soundscape in the room full of paintings, as a curated soundwalk for the exhibition at the kULTRA Music Festival. Photo by Ana Čorić</figcaption></figure>

## Sources and literature

Beegle, A., & Bond, J. (2016). Orff Schulwerk: Releasing and Developing the Musical Imagination. In C. R. Abril, & B. M. Gault, (Eds.) *Teaching General Music: Approaches, Issues, and Viewpoints*. Oxford University Press. (pp. 25-48).

Keylin, V. (2023). *Participatory Sound Art: Technologies, Aesthetics, Politics*. Palgrave Macmillan.

Recharte, M. (2019). De-centering Music: A “sound education”. *Action, Criticism, and Theory for Music Education, 18*(1), 68–88.

Tinkle, A. (2015). Sound Pedagogy: Teaching listening since Cage. *Organised Sound, 20*(2), 222–230.

Vidulin, S., Plavšić, M., & Žauhar, V. (2020). *Spoznajno-emocionalno slušanje glazbe u školi*. Sveučilište Jurja Dobrile u Puli, Muzička akademija u Puli, Sveučilište u Rijeci, Filozofski fakultet.

Vidulin, S. (2023). *Spoznajno-emocionalno slušanje glazbe u nastavi solfeggia: primjeri dobre prakse* (Priručnik za nastavu solfeggia u osnovnoj glazbenoj školi). Sveučilište Jurja Dobrile u Puli, Muzička akademija u Puli.

<figure><img src="image_239.png" /></figure>
ECO HOOLIGAN AND PETRICA PUH

"Eco Hooligan and Petrica Puh" is a detective-science children's humoristic radiophonic serial. The main plot deals with the problem of communal waste in the modern city of Zagreb and is located in the main green oasis in our city - parks. Maksimir and Ribnjak, lakes Jarun and Bundek. The main characters are a girl Petrica Puh, who is a brave eco-activist, and a boy Eco Hooligan who is a nervous gaming addict and an anti-ecologist. All characters were inspired by old Slavic mythologies, but completely transferred to the contemporary urban world, keeping some elements of the fables.

The podcast had its premiere at a temporary neighborhood radio program Radio Voćarska in 2023. All episodes are distributed through online platforms.

Behind this project stands an intergenerational team: author of the text is Pavlica Bajsić Brazzoduro and the director is a retired radiodrama drama director Biserka Vučković, with complete sound design and music support by Dino Brazzoduro. Also, the script was developed in close collaboration with children. The actors include children Zvonka and Pavle Brazzoduro, Natan Medvešek, with still active professionals like Jelena Miholjević, Sven Medvešek, Iva Vučković, Vid Čosić and their retired colleagues Lela Margitić and Boris Miholjević.

<figure><img src="image_240.png" /><figcaption>Radio Voćarska Festival of Radio Drama and Radio Theatre for Babies and Children, RadioTeatar, Zagreb, Croatia. Photo by Mia Cvitković</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_241.png" /></figure>
# EARLET THE GNOME AND THE MYSTERIOUS DOORS

"Earlet the Gnome and the Mysterious Doors" (Patuljak Sluško i tajna vrata) is a radio play for babies, toddlers, and preschool children, a project that encourages their development through concentrated listening. It is a series of short radio games each thematising a specific sound from the environment and naming it.

**Credits:**

**Director and author:**

Biserka Vučković

**Sound design:**

Dino Brazzoduro

**Actors:**

Dunja Fajdić and Mladen Vasary

To listen to full tracks:

<figure><img src="image_242.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_243.png" /><figcaption>Earlet in the kindergarten.</figcaption></figure>

Photo by Mia Cvitković

<figure><img src="image_244.png" /></figure>
"Earlet the Gnome and the Mysterious Doors" is a series of 10 radio plays, each of them in a form of (in average) 2-minute-long sound riddle. Each episode has the same progression of the content:

<figure><img src="image_245.png" /><figcaption>Graphic 1. Progression of each episode</figcaption></figure>

Riddles have the following solutions: 1. cow; 2. owl; 3. frogs; 4. rain; 5. blackbird; 6. creek/brook; 7. wind; 8. violin; 9. sea; 10. cuckoo.

In 2023 RadioTeatar Bajsić and Friends started the evaluation process of the 10 episodes, using a/r/tography as a special form of arts-based action research to test possibilities of listening process development with children in kindergarten and first grades of the elementary school. In this chapter, we are going to present practical outcomes of the research (storytelling, listening exercises, children creating riddles).

In March and April 2023 we have entered two kindergartens in Zagreb area (DV Košnica, Gajnice

and DV Trnoružica) to test radio plays. For the purpose of making listening a joint process, with an aim to listen to as many episodes as possible, we have created a story which gathers all episodes through collective engagement of children as 'dectives' who are looking for the gnome Earlet (Sluško) who is hiding somewhere and sending us the 'voice messages' (which are actually the radio plays). During the process of storytelling children guess where Earlet might be and the story stays open with Violin as the last episode because it is our aim at the end to invite and motivate children to visit the places where they can listen to the music, such as concerts and music schools. Here is the final version of the story after testing it five times with children aged 4 to 7 in kindergartens and in the hospital:

Hi everyone!

I'm Ana, and this is Katarina! We used to be dwarfs and gnomes, but now we've somehow grown a little, so all that's left is a pointed dwarf cap on our heads! And this is our friend Pero the Silence (showing the hand up in the air)! You know, Pero is a special guy (I am addressing him). As you can see, he doesn't actually talk, he doesn't shout, he doesn't even whisper! He can't be seen or heard, and he only appears when it's too loud in his space! Then he curls up like a swan in the air like this, and everyone who sees him should greet him with the same greeting (hand up) and silence. Let's try it now! You talk, and when Pero comes, we all raise our hands in the air and greet him in total silence! (rehearsal) But that's not all! Each of us carries one of our own Pero, maybe someone's name is also Tihomir or Tihana. And that's why, if at some point in our story it's too loud for you here in the room, feel free to put up your Pero, and we'll greet him as soon as we see him, okay?

We'll tell you a little secret – another friend of ours came to the kindergarten with us today – Earlet the Gnome! Or, rather, Earlet the Mischievous (Sluško Neposluško – wordplay: Neposluško – a disobeient, naughty child)! (We describe how he looks like) You know, he likes to make fun of others! Today, on our way to the kindergarten, he ran away from us and we can't find him! To make things better, he keeps leaving us some clues. But these are not ordinary traces in the ground or in the snow – Earlet leaves us sounds as clues! He sends them to us in a voice message and runs away! And we can't figure out where he is by the sounds alone!

Can you find Earlet? (yeah!)

<figure><img src="image_246.png" /></figure>
For that you'll need hands to begin with (so I can
see hands!), then ears (massaging the ears and
popping to make sure we're hearing well). Let's
use our ears to discover where to look for our
Earlet the Mischievous! Are you ready for our first
clues?

Riddles (animals first – from known to un-
known): 1. owl 2. frogs 3. cow 4. blackbird 5.
cuckoo.

Nursery rhyme (also the riddle) as interlude which
goes where/when necessary to change the energy
in the room and activate children's listening and
attention via active music making (and using differ-
ent hand and fingers movement in each repetition,
to get the silence in the end):

HEDGEHOG (by Sandra Markočí)<fnref n="1" />

Šumom šumi, šumom šuška

Crossing forest forth and back

mala, crna, topla njuška.

There's a muzzle small and black

Na leđima igle broji

Counting needles on his back

nikoga se on ne boji.

He fears no one on his track

Riddles (water/environment): 6. stream 7. sea
8. rain 9. wind.

...and just when we wanted to leave, I noticed an-
other sound on the way/in the bag!

10. violin

And that's how we got to the end – and we didn't
manage to catch Earlet! Where were we today,
what sounds did we hear? Who knows, maybe
Earlet didn't hide in the forest at all, but some-
where else! And that's why – keep your ears open,
you might meet our Earlet somewhere in a garden
(as a garden gnome), you might find him in your
room or living room, and maybe he's swimming in
the sea! Or maybe he's at a concert? Who knows!
You never know with our Earlet the Mischievous!
In any case, take your Pero the Silence with you
and go on a quest! And be sure to let us know how
you got on and what sounds you caught along the
way!

Oh, we need to go now! Hurry! (Žurimo, jurimo!)

What we noticed during testing the story with the
children is that it is enough to ware only a small
cap (the best is to take a 'happy birthday' paper
cap), a mobile phone and a portable speaker to the
performance. The rest happens in children's imag-
ination. During our performances, children usual-
ly have a lot of ideas about the ways and places
where we can find Earlet. One of the groups even
made spontaneously a small performance of the
song they learned in the kindergarten, as an invita-
tion to Earlet to come back to us.

At the end of the storytelling we invited children
to draw what they remembered the most from the
story. What we noticed is that, from all episodes,
what they liked the most were animals, especial-
ly an owl. They often drew a hedgehog, which
means that the active music making was crucial
for the whole process.

A drawing from the kindergarten, showing the
hedgehog (with the gnome) as the most remembered
Earlet's riddle. Photo by Ana Čorić

A drawing from the kindergarten, showing that the child
remembered almost all of the radio plays (the child
asked to take the drawing home so she could finish all
the riddles). Photo by Ana Čorić

<figure><img src="image_247.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_248.png" /></figure>

<figure><img src="image_249.png" /></figure>

<footnote n="1">1 Translated into English by Sunčica Milosavljević</footnote>
In general, what we noticed during the development of the story together with children is that it is good to use a lot of gestures, especially in listening to the introduction jingle before every episode. Many children spontaneously started to dance and repeat the phrase "Ooo, neka vrata?" (Ooo, some doors?), but for some of them listening to the same introduction several times affected their attention and concentration, so we decided to insert gestures with each new round of listening. Also, in many episodes we simply cut the last jingle because it wasn't necessary to listen to it every time. However, the introductory jingle was usually used as a preparation for the listening of the riddle itself.

In October, November and December 2023 we decided to explore how we can use Earlet sound riddles to invite children to even deeper listening. With the motto 'Children create riddles for children', we entered two elementary schools (Elementary School "Ivan Goran Kovačić" and Elementary School of Polyclinic SUVAG) and tried out the story with children, with the idea to use the beginning and the ending jingle of the original Earlet radio plays, and create their own riddles in-between.

In the first grade of Elementary School of Polyclinic SUVAG we used the idea of guessing the secret code number to open the mysterious doors:

## 1. GUESS THE NUMBER, OPEN THE MYSTERIOUS DOORS:

The back side of the upright piano (pianino) served us as the Earlet's mysterious doors. In the front side (where the piano keys are) we put 5 small instruments (kalimba, music box with Happy Birthday song, shaker egg, bells, claves). We gave the number to each

instrument (1-5). First, children need to remember the sound of each instrument and its number. Then we make a riddle: we play instruments in some particular order and children need to guess the number. If 5 sounds in a row are too much at first, we start with 3 sounds. When the children learn the game, they become facilitators. Each child who is entering the role of the facilitator is putting Earlet's hat on their head and then giving it to another child when finishing their turn.

With 7-year-old children we also used the listening and imagining game with drawing to create their own riddles:

## 2. WHAT WOULD YOU LIKE TO SEE/HEAR BEHIND THE MYSTERIOUS DOORS?

The facilitator gives a piece of paper and crayons to the children, with an instruction: How do you imagine that Earlet looks like? Could you draw Earlet and the mysterious doors? After drawing Earlet, on the flipside of the paper children draw their own riddle. What would each of them want to find behind the doors? This is a wonderful opportunity to talk with children while they are drawing, to see their process of thinking and imagining, as well as to make a transition to the creation of their own riddle. For example, the facilitator can ask: which sounds would you use in your sound riddle?

**Note:** Before starting the drawing exercise it would be good to mention to the children not to use the ideas that are already recorded

in the 10 episodes of Earlet, because in this task they usually have the tendency to repeat something they have already heard.

With 9-year-olds in the 3rd grade of Elementary School "Ivan Goran Kovačić" we used two radio plays only to illustrate what we plan to do with children – without the whole story about Earlet. We had a 4-day workshop with children, with two school hours per day for making riddles. We chose personal names and names of the famous people who changed the world as the main content. The progression of exercises looked like this:

### Day 1. Introducing name games and the microphone (from the sound pedagogy).

Children were writing riddles about their personal names. Each child gets the text about the famous person with the same or similar name as theirs. The final task was a creative reading task: children read the text and extracted 5 interesting and important facts about the person (e.g. Nikola Tesla, Vesna Parun, Louis Braille, Marija Jurić Zagorka, etc.).

Content was chosen and taken from the literature that is written especially for children:

* Brooks, B. (2018). Priče za dječake koji se usuđuju biti drugačiji: istinite priče o iznimnim dječacima koji su promijenili svijet a da pritom nisu ubijali zmajeve. Znanje.

<figure><img src="image_250.png" /></figure>
* Favilli, E., & Cavallo, F. (2016). *Priče za laku noć za mlade buntovnice: 100 pripovijedaka o izuzetnim ženama*. Znanje.

* Favilli, E., & Cavallo, F. (2017). *Priče za laku noć za mlade buntovnice 2*. Znanje.

* Favilli, E. (2020). *Priče za laku noć za mlade buntovnice: 100 žena koje su emigrirale i promijenile svijet*. Znanje.

* Kugli, R. (2020). *Ikone: neustrašive žene koje su promijenile Hrvatsku*. Iris Illyrica.

* Piumini, R., & Paganelli, E. (2020). *Moji prijatelji, književni junaci*. Profil.

* Zalar, D., & Velički, V. (2021). *Mark je pisao Ani: studije o piscima i djelima u svjetlu poticanja čitanja*. Učiteljski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu.

**Day 2. Individualised work with every child on writing their riddles.** We try to make rhymes and we talk about the sounds that we could put in a soundscape. What we noticed here was that imagining the sounds wasn't an easy task for children. In the beginning it was easier for them to verbalize the story or to take a look at the face of the selected famous person and think about visual elements. With the little help and explanation of a facilitator, most of the children spontaneously started adding existing and non-existing sounds (such as driving the imagined vehicle in the space), as well as constructing dialogues and stories that could be included in the soundscape.

## Day 3. Finalizing riddles.

## Day 4. Children recording the voiceover.

All of the recorded sound riddles and materials are planned to be produced and put in the Soundcloud channel of RadioTeatar, and thus offered to all children and teachers to use. Since the research was conducted from March to December 2023, the complete research results are planned to be published and presented in 2024, in a peer-reviewed journal article and in symposia, and the same is planned for the practical outcomes intended for kindergarten and school teachers.

<figure><img src="image_251.png" /></figure>
# EARLET THE GNOME AND THE MYSTERIOUS DOORS
## Riddles

### 1. epizoda: TKO TO SLUŠA SVOG PASTIRA?

Tko to sluša svog pastira kako divno frulicu svira?
Pogodite!

Ona nam svakog jutra daruje puno mlijeka,
a za nagradu je čeka livada i fina travica!

Ja znam tko je to, a vi?

**Djeca:** Kravica

### Episode 1: WHO LISTENS TO THEIR SHEPHERD?

**Earlet the Gnome:**
Who's this creature big and cute
Listening to shepherd's flute?

Guess!

Every morning gives us milk,
Grazes grass, soft as silk.

Who's that creature – I can tell;
Can you guess it just as well?

Tell me now!
It's a...

**Children:**
Cow!

### 2. epizoda: HU-HUUU

Hu Huu! Hu Huuu! Hu Huuu!
Noć je i spavaju svi
u toj našoj šumici.

Ali ja ne! Ne, ne! Hu, huuu!
Znate li, djeco, tko sam ja?

Hu huuu! Pogodite!

**Djeca:** Sova!

### 3. epizoda: KRE KRE!

Krekre krekre krekre kre
hi hi hi hi hi hi!

Pogodite tko smo mi.

Krekre krekre he he he!
Mi smo male...

**Djeca:** Žabice!

### Episode 2: HOO-HOO

**Earlet the Gnome:**
Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo! Hoo-hoo!
It is night time all around
The whole forest's sleeping sound.

But not me! Hoo-hoo! No, no!
Who am I – does someone know?

In the night – Hoo-hoo! – I prowl
And they call me... Guess!...

**Children:**
An owl!

### Episode 3: RIBBIT, RIBBIT!

**Earlet the Gnome:**
Ribbit, ribbit, ribbit, ribbit
hee hee hee hee hee heee!
Can you guess: who are we?
We're not dogs, we're not hogs
Ribbit, ribbit! We are...

**Children:**
Frogs!

<figure><img src="image_252.png" /></figure>
4. epizoda: TO ŠTO PADA S NEBA

To što pada s neba
pa nam kišobran treba.
To što smoči sve
pa čak i malenoga miša.
To što slušamo sada,
to se zove....

Djeca: Kiša!

Episode 4: THAT WHICH FALLS FROM THE SKY

**Earlet the Gnome:**
When it's falling from the sky
Get umbrella, don't be shy!

If you don't, you'll get wet:
Like a mouse or a rat.

When in Spain, it stays in plain;
Pitter-patter, it's called....

Children:
Rain!<fnref n="1" />

<figure><img src="image_253.png" /><figcaption>"The Tree that Sang" workshop. Photo by Mia Cvitković</figcaption></figure>

<figure><img src="image_254.png" /></figure>

<footnote n="1">1 Translated into English by Jelena Stojanović and Sunčica Milosavljević</footnote>
WELCOME
OF THE WORLD
# CREATING ART FOR YOUNG AUDIENCES IN SYNERGY OF PEDAGOGUES AND ARTISTS

In the complexity of the project B-AIR, the Artists' Association BAZAART explored and promoted the pedagogical power of art in the development of the child.

At the core of the concept lies the cooperation of pedagogues and artists in the creation of artistic content intended for the audiences of early age.

Our aim is to strengthen the role of art in the up-bringing and education of young generations, and at the same time support cultural professionals for inter-sectorial cooperation.

Through the lasting program "Welcome of the World" (continuing also beyond the B-AIR project), we encourage the child between the ages of 3 and 5 to develop an open, active, exploratory outlook on the world and on life.

With artworks and various creative formats spanning across disciplines and expressions, we foster the dispositions of the child to learn about the world – in the world: curiosity, courage, persistence, creativity, critical thinking and sensitivity to other/s (empathy and sociability).

On our way of discovering the world, we are guided by two powers innate to every child – imagination and play. With the help of imagination, the child creates a world of fiction, just as real as the physical world – a world of possibilities, secrets and discoveries, miraculous experiences and unusual paths. We build this world from artistic meanings, by playing a game of life.

Many artists, art pedagogues, pedagogues and other experts partook in numerous art productions and creative activities over three years of the program development. Hereby we thank them all for joining us.

Special thanks to the Little Theatre "Duško Radović" who co-produced the theatre show "WOW!"; the Cultural Centre "Parobrod" who partnered us in the annual Conferences; to all project partners who enlarged our knowledge and expanded our visions; and last but not least, to the Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia who co-financed the program.

**The team of artists and pedagogues engaged in the development of the concept:**

**Concept author and artistic director:**

Sunčica Milosavljević

**Pedagogue:**

Nevena Mitranić

**Preschool teacher:**

Marija Jovanović

**Dramaturge:**

Bogdan Španjević

**Composer:**

Irena Popović

**Music pedagogue:**

Ana Čorić

**Drama and dance pedagogue:**

Nataša Milojević

**Artistic coordinator:**

Jelena Stojanović

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<figure><img src="image_256.png" /><figcaption>Teachers and artists in the Symposium about Arts Education, BAZAART's annual Conference 2021
Photo by Lidija Antonović</figcaption></figure>

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# WELCOME OF THE WORLD

The central activity line that the Artists' Association BAZAART pursued in the project B-AIR was the complex and durational multidisciplinary program "Welcome of the World".

The main program goal was to promote the contemporary concept of pedagogically relevant creativity for children, based on close cooperation of artists and experts in child upbringing and development. In this program we addressed children of 3 to 5 years of age, but the principles on which the program is based are more than relevant for all artistic and cultural endeavours wishing to engage children across age groups.

The master methodological approach, and in the given circumstances also an experiment, was a research-to-create approach: developing artistic creation from pedagogical objectives. In contrast to how art for children is usually produced, and not only in Serbia (with no or little consultancy with experts in child development), we decided to actually start with the educational objectives set by the pedagogical team and develop artworks with those objectives in mind.

Another methodological and research principle of experimental nature, enabled by the 3-year project duration, was the process-based multidisciplinarity in artistic creation. From its beginning to the end, the program crossed through several scientific and artistic disciplines, in the spiral trajectory where the results from the previous phase were taken as a departure point for the next phase: from pedagogical guidelines to creative writing, and further to composing music and its creative exploration with children in the media of dance, drama and visual arts, to theatre creativity and radio playwriting with stage presentations. During the process, the knowledge and experiences coming from diverse perspectives have accumulated in artworks and added to their complexity with layers of different, yet complementary codes and meanings.

The artworks which emerged from this process were numerous, diverse in expression and rich in various authorial handwriting; what was a common denominator for all of them – from bedtime stories that an adult can read with a young child in home settings, to the staged radio play and the theatre performance requiring specialized production technology – was the pedagogical relevance embedded both in the concept and the artistic expression. From that point of view, the program to which we gave a pet-name „WOW!“ turned out successful. The support of scientific consultants proved essential in providing pedagogical value to literary, musical and performative artworks and the program as a whole promoted a holistic model of artistic creation for children.

Huge learning came out of this process. For some of it we can be thankful to always precious mistakes. Most of those we made have to do with managing a difference between two very different cultural paradigms which define the role of arts and culture in upbringing of young generations and hence in the society. The first can be described as static, based on the concepts of instruction and enculturation as main tasks of cultural practices and art productions that the 'educated' adults prepare for the young. The second can be regarded as dynamic, promoting concepts of co-learning and co-creation of culture by artists and children together, in an interactive and open creative process. Striving to negotiate between the two paradigms and to promote the dynamic approach, especially in the existing context, wasn't easy, and at times not even possible. However, every step taken on this path is valuable, as it brings us, and also our social and cultural milieu, closer to understanding the new ways and new social significance of art for children.

## Looking back

The program concept was designed by the artistic director Sunčica Milosavljević who named it "Welcome of the World" or simply „WOW!“ to capture the project aim of fostering an open, interested and dynamic attitude of a child towards the world, through sound, music and other art wonders.

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From the initial idea to many creative works which were produced, the program developed in several phases and disciplines.

The first step was to bring together artists and experts in child upbringing, interested to work as a team on creating art for young audiences. A strategic partnership was made with the Little Theatre "Duško Radović" in Belgrade, with a desire to also include their artists and cultural professionals in the team. At the outset of the working process, the team members were acquainted with scientific knowledge about the role and importance of sound and music as auditory information and stimuli, as well as the ways of art reception and expression by children in early age. This was made possible thanks to the B-AIR partnership resources: the webinars realized at the international level, and the opportunities for exchange of knowledge through lectures and workshops held by experts from different disciplines and countries, organized within the BAZAART's annual conferences.

The next step was to outline the horizon of pedagogical development that we would strive for. Given the age of the children whom the project wanted to address (3-5 years of age), pedagogue Nevena Mitranić set the development of learning dispositions – the abilities of a child to engage in learning processes – as the pedagogical objective for the entire process of artistic creation that was to follow. Basic learning dispositions: Curiosity, Courage, Persistence, Critical Thinking, Creativity and Sensitivity to others, have determined both the pedagogical and poetic landmarks for the artists who followed with their creativity.

Guided by the meaning and the structure of the learning dispositions, and in close collaboration with the pedagogue and the artistic director, dramaturge

Bogdan Španjević developed a highly poetic open narrative on the theme "Welcome of the World". He introduced the character of the Wind who leads the child through various situations – from those which are pleasant and fun, through those which are unexpected, to the ones which are risky and dangerous – inviting them to be curious, brave, persistent, critical, creative and sensitive to others. The story intentionally renounces a diachronic structure and offers space for co-creation to a child, through questions and encouragements to join the Wind in its actions.

This open and interactive narrative was an inspiration for the composer Irena Popović to create a six-movement music composition titled "Welcome of the World". Her artistic music for young listeners strives not to illustrate, but to encourage the development of learning dispositions in young children. Irena's lasting contribution to the process was the interpretation of the child's journey with the Wind as a metaphor for growing up. In her own creative process, she also included visual expression, whereas her music has a distinct spatial quality inviting the listener to move and explore the space.

This is exactly what followed in creative dance workshops-performances which Nataša Milojević, a dance and drama pedagogue, conducted with children of preschool age. On the basis of the musical story which the children interpreted in their own way, she danced them through a creative journey. In a similar manner, using the music as an inspiration, the visual arts pedagogue Ljubica Mladenović conducted creative drawing and painting workshops with children. Assisted by other art pedagogues and preschool teachers, the workshops reached the program objective of sound and music creating the inner landscapes of children, enriching their imagination, emotionality, inner experiences, and widening their developmental horizons.

Certain backtrack in the progress of the concept occurred at the point of creating a theatre piece. Here, the discrepancy between two very dissimilar paradigms of creating for children – one centred on adult artists and another centred on children audiences – clearly came to the fore. The first is anchored in the category of ‘production’, most usually done in a traditional manner which is still largely practiced in cultural institutions globally; it is centred on the author/s, aspires for artistic achievements, and results mostly in forth-wall productions with children as passive consumers of a finalized artwork. The second favours the category of a ‘process’, strives for cultural and aesthetic learning of children and develops more or less open formats in which children can participate as co-creators of art or cultural actions.

Our program clearly opted for the second approach, with a strong input from the pedagogical team and an open space for artists to experiment with any performative expression supported by the composed music. Sadly, director Miha Golob took another course by following the verbal instead of the musical narrative, losing the music in the theatre piece entirely; and by rejecting the pedagogical perspective, which resulted in having conventional theatre space and one-way communication with the audience. Instead of inspiring the children to listen attentively to sound and music and participate in theatrical situations, he made a silent show with children as passive audiences. Luckily, because the basic structure of six learning dispositions underpinned the dramaturgy of the play, the meaning relevant for our program was saved in the show, but its principal purpose wasn't met – creating a context for children to learn by listening actively and engaging holistically in aesthetic experiences.

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To mitigate the minor power of the theatre show for attaining the program objectives, pre-show and post-show drama workshops for children audiences were designed by drama pedagogues. The workshops before the show prepare children for experiencing theatre and help them recognise the learning dispositions. The workshops after the show support children to connect those key qualities with their own experiences and inner ways of interpreting and imagining the world. The cycle consisting of the pre-show workshop, the theatre performance and the post-show workshop is monitored and evaluated by the project team and the conclusions are discussed in team meetings.

The metaphor of a journey as a growing-up process was picked up again by the scriptwriter Bogdan Španjević who developed a radio play for young listeners. What was left open in his initial narrative was now defined as a sequence of scenes located in diverse stimulating situations and places that the Wind and a child visit in their quest for the secret of growing-up. During the journey, the little Wind discovers the key qualities that enable a child – also a wind-child – to grow-up. He realises the importance of being curious, courageous, persistent, mindful, creative and open to others. The radio play was written in verse, inviting other artists – director, actor, sound designer – to compose songs, soundscapes and other acoustic elements of the narration. Directed by Sunčica Milosavljević, the music and soundscapes were composed and performed live by the actor and musician Eldar Zupčević and the sound designer and also a musician Siniša Marčeta.

A stage premiere of the radio play in the Festival of sound and music for children and youth "Listen to Play", marked the official closing of the lengthy and exciting process of the "Welcome of the World".

## Looking ahead

The artworks and creative formats born within the project continue to travel the world, stimulating active listening, sensitizing young children for sound and music, and supporting their entrance to the World.

The music of Irena Popović “Welcome of the World” traveled to the 18th Biennale of Architecture in Venice, as part of “Séance d’écoute” at the pavilion of the Republic of France<fnref n="1" /> and made friends in the EBU Ars Acustica Art’s Birthday Party 2024 global radio celebration<fnref n="2" />.

As the central artwork in the process, the music continues to radiate in educational practices for preschool children – both in kindergartens and cultural venues, as an art piece in itself and as inspiration for creative workshops. Other artworks also continue to live: the theatre show “WOW!” is on the repertoire of the Little Theatre “Duško Radović” and the radio play “Welcome of the World” is performed in cultural venues and preschool programs. The story of the child and the Wind, as well as the music and the workshop scenarios, are offered to parents, caregivers and preschool teachers in the websites of the B-AIR project and the BAZAART.

What is most important, the cross-disciplinary team of artists and pedagogues continues to work together towards new processes, within what has grown to become the lasting program of the BAZAART Association: "Welcome of the World".

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<footnote n="1">1 18th Venice Architecture Biennale as part of the French Pavilion. (2023, August 4). Radio utopia, le bal des sonorités, 13-1. (see also: Biennale. (2023, August 1). Radio utopia, le bal des sonorités, 03-4 [Popović, I. Welcome of the World: Movements II (Courage) and IV (Critical Thinking)]] https://cressound.grenoble.archi.fr/son/2023_VENEZIA/RADIO_UTOPIA_Programme.html</footnote>

<footnote n="2">2 EBU Ars Acustica Art's Birthday Party 2024 global radio celebration (2024, January 7, from 20-24 CET) https://www.artsbirthday.net/2024/schedule.php; https://arsacustica.wordpress.com/2024/01/10/2024-2100-2120-utc-ljubjana/</footnote>
<figure><img src="image_261.png" /><figcaption>Nevena Mitranić and Marija Jovanović giving a lecture about arts in early childhood education, BAZAART's annual Conference 2021
Photo by Lidija Antonović</figcaption></figure>

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# WHAT EXACTLY DO WE DO WHEN WE MAKE THEATRE FOR CHILDREN? Involvement of a pedagogue in artistic creation

In the year 1987, famous French philosopher Gilles Deleuze gave a lecture to the students of film and cinema and asked them (and himself) not-so-popular nor often-asked question:

"What exactly do you – who do film and cinema, do? (...) What exactly do I do when I do, or hope to do, philosophy?" (Deleuze, 1998).

This interesting twist of thought – what *exactly* do we *do* when we do whatever we think we are doing – might be a promising departure point for considering the role of a pedagogue in artistic creation in general, and in the specific process of the “Welcome of the World”. Hence – the question in the title.

And also, if the question in the title is really so powerful as to spin this entire text around, it might as well deserve some further explanations – most importantly: what has a pedagogue to do with the making of theatre for children; or, even better, what is so pedagogical in the (process of making) theatre play?

## Who?

The word ‘pedagogy’ is existent everywhere, but the practice of pedagogy – how we define it – is not something that actually exists everywhere.

In most countries, ‘pedagogy’ is seen as a method – the way of working with children. This might sound like a straightforward answer to both of our questions posed above, but the point of this text is to actually show that the doings of pedagogy are not that simple – nor should they ever be.

The metaphor of ‘the way’ has its etymological background – for the Ancient Greeks, the pedagogue (pais, paidos – boy; ago, again – to lead) was the slave who led the children (male children, of course) to the place where education was taking place and who watched their behaviour on the way. For Ancient Romans, the pedagogue was also a slave, but he was educated as well, and his primary task was to teach, and thus metaphorically ‘lead the children’ on the right path. Pedagogues of today have the idea of leading and taking care of children at their core, but the paths have changed, and the ways of being and walking in this world (as well as the goals we are walking towards) have dramatically shifted –

even so that we as adults can not distinguish them anymore.

Let's face it: we don't know where the world is going. During our lifetime, we witness the changing of practices, values, ideals and normalities almost as often as we witness the changing of seasons. For our children, this world will be some other world and we're not sure that, with our own decisions or actions, we can help ourselves cope with it – let alone someone else.

So what could it mean to ‘educate’ today? What could it mean to ‘lead the children on the way’? What does it mean exactly to ‘take care’…? Those are the questions which go far beyond the issues of method, of educational institutions, or of the development of an individual child. Those are the questions which address the entire social context and all the people, environments and practices which create it. Those are the questions of pedagogy as a science.

As a science pedagogy deals with the questions of learning and development of children, but principally strives to understand the factors which shape those

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processes – complex physical and social relationships in which children are immersed and engaged within different contexts (Vukojević, 2021). A pedagogue can no longer be the one who 'leads' the children, but could be understood as the one who 'seeks the paths'. As such, a pedagogue, as an educational expert, works in different places – in the educational institutions, cultural institutions, media, different organisations, associations and boards whose work directly affects the lives of children and young people. No matter the position, along practical research, a pedagogue is engaged in critical thinking of the conditions for education, as an initiator of a joint endeavour with other social actors and institutions in establishing common values and goals, and towards their transformation (Krnjaja, 2013 & 2014). Pedagogue is a leader of change, a promoter of the rights and well-being of all those involved in educational processes (Pavlović Breneselović, 2013) and a creator of new possibilities of *being and becoming* in different contexts (Miškeljin, 2019).

## Why?

In the contemporary times marked by the unknown and uncertain, existential tensions and shifting values, the idea of education as the acquisition of universal knowledge and fixed pre-established meanings, inevitably falls apart. Contemporary educational theories point towards the understanding of the potential of education to affect the reality (Colebrook, 2017). Education is not seen in the amount of information or skills a person possesses, but in the very ways of *being and becoming* in and with the world, being and becoming 'worldly' (Fink, 1960/2000). Such education is a creative process of inhabiting, listening, marking, performing and creating different modalities of existence, a process of experimenting

with the world and the self in the creation of new values and meanings (Semestky, 2017). Hence the transformation of the context and creation of new paths, previously mentioned as a perspective for education in our times, and the task of pedagogues.

New paths cannot be created upon the already existing perspectives of being, and modes of becoming – on the basis of rationalisation and calculation which lead us to the traps, lostness and detours of our times. New education does not require thorough knowledge, but a specific 'ignorance' – the conscious abandonment of predictable and established solutions and possibilities – as a productive force that drives imagination and creative discovery (Carlin & Wallin, 2014). Instead of the development of cognitive capacities, skills intended for the labour market and adoption of social rules, what is necessary is the education of the senses (Semestky, 2017) through the experiences that enhance our powers to affect and be affected (Massumi, 1995), at the same time moving the boundaries of ourselves and of the field in which we are immersed (Naughton & Cole, 2017).

Therefore, the power of *transformation* and *creation* represents the backbone of education for our times (Rakić, 1946). However, it is not the power of an individual that should be strengthened, but the power and potential of the entire social field. Thus, what we would call 'pedagogical action' – an act that has a certain intentionality, an active demand for transformation and change – cannot be directed at individual entities – be it children, contents, or work materials, but towards shaping relationships, making it possible to question, illuminate, provoke and create different ways of dealing and being with different human and non-human, material and immaterial 'others' (Ceder, 2020).

Within the domain of individual achievements, we may say that education is directed towards 'learning dispositions'. Those are understood as capacities of a person to affect and be affected in a positive and transformative manner, an aim which can never be fully accomplished, but only continuously realized and supported through different contexts we engage with.

The potentials of art in the educational process lie in the awakening of different modalities of thoughts, actions, choices and becomings, activating the core potential of human beings – the ability to step into the yet unseen, unknown and unrealised and to create new meanings, ideas and values (Krnjaja, 2010). As such, the importance that art has for education is not limited to the specific school subjects or learning content, but engages art as a *process* and a *value* – of action over words, of creating, cultivating and initiating over instructing, memorizing, and reciting. The task of education is to build an environment that supports the realization and development of learning dispositions, encouraging each student's ability to think synergistically and to create – structures, experiments, or flexible solutions to problems (AWSNA, 2020). In such a task, art might play a vital role.

But the artistic process is not in itself a guarantee of moral rightness or merit – the question of values in the relation between art and pedagogy is twofold. Next to the fact that art could send different, both positive and negative messages, provoke different behaviours and responses, lead people to different emotional fields and possibly leave them in the dark, there are always dangers of art slipping away to elitist practices and self-elaborating performances which stay on the surface of interaction.

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When it comes to the art for and with children, responsibilities for ethical worth and interaction are further emphasized. But if education is a joint endeavour of different social actors, an active search, creation of the path and transformation of the context, what would it mean for art to take these responsibilities seriously?

The practice of institutionalized early childhood education might offer an inspiring example of responsible (and most importantly – *response-able*<fnref n="1" />) pedagogical engagement of art and art-based creativity for the realisation of learning dispositions as well as transformation of educational institutions. Contemporary approaches to early childhood education (such as Reggio Emilia approach) build upon the premise that a child is naturally focused on establishing relationships with their social environment, but also with non-human others, interpreting the world precisely through creative engagement and exchange in an active relationship with it. In this process, children use different symbolic systems to understand and communicate experiences and ideas – words, images, movements, numbers, sounds... and through this complex and divergent mode of communication, they learn about the world, about others and about themselves. But communication always involves more than one side. Learning is considered to be both a social and creative process, a joint adventure based on the discovery and active experimentation with the world, triggered by curiosity, intuition and creativity in the mutual effort to make ourselves intelligible to one another. Learning is achieved through participation in action (MOESTD, 2018) – through a unity of experience, thought and act, through joint diving into the sensational, affective, experienced but

not-yet-thought-out impulses, ideas and processes as an active driver from which a 'new thought' emerges.

In such a learning process, a wisely set and jointly developed artistic experimentation plays a vital role, opening the possibility for teachers, artists and pedagogues, as well as for children, to work side by side and enrich the educational experience with their unique perspectives and contributions.

## How?

We've stressed the importance of art engaging in the educational process, but what would it mean for a pedagogue, as an educational expert, to be engaged in the institutions of art and in the process of creating artwork?

The very inclusion of a pedagogue in the process of creating an artwork (be it art for/with children or not) implies the understanding of the strong pedagogical – contextually transformative and individually empowering – potential of art. But the pedagogical potential of the artistic process to evoke and enhance the realisation of learning dispositions and to transform the context which it engages with, is not guaranteed. As it is already mentioned in previous paragraphs, for artistic creation to have pedagogical importance, there is a necessity for joint work, sensitivity and *response-ability* with/towards others.

This leads us to the question of how we could create art for/with children in a way that enlivens it as a pedagogical framework – as a *process* and a *value* which are significant for supporting chil-

dren's further relationships with the world. How could we build an environment that encourages the ability of each child and educational actor, to *exactly* think synergistically and create structures, experiments, or flexible solutions to problems *here and now*, with the human and non-human others of the specific context?

The task of *exactly* doing what we say and think we are doing, is more complicated than it sounds; even more so complicated when it involves working with others. In the process of creating an artwork for/with children, the situation further complicates with the fact that not only different professions, perspectives and positions must be engaged, but also different generations. The common misconception of the adults is that we already know what children need and want, what they aspire for and generally what it is like to be a child ("Well, we've all been there, haven't we?"), so that the perspective of the child is already involved through our own evoking of the past. But not only that children are individuals different from us, but their childhood is different from ours – the times of our growing up were different times with different opportunities, limits, experiences, problems and values. We don't know what it means and how it feels to be a child *today*. We have no direct access nor understanding of the ways in which the lives of contemporary children – their very ways of thinking, feeling and engaging with the world – are being shaped. We do not think, feel, or exactly do – whatever we are doing – in the same way.

If we want to evoke art as a joint endeavour, to embody its *response-ability* for/with the audiences which we wish to engage, we as adults – being

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<footnote n="1">1 According to Donna Haraway (2015), the concept of *response-ability* emphasizes the idea of living responsibility as being able to respond to situations or human and no-human *other* in a responsible and ethical manner.</footnote>
us teachers, pedagogues or artists – have to work on our own sensibility and openness towards seeing, hearing and playing with the world in the ways children do. In order to be able to create art which would be meaningful for children, we have to *think with* them, always bearing in mind their contexts and positions, and let ourselves be continuously challenged by their ways of being and acting. That's why in any process striving towards creation for/with children, the children must be involved as active participants – either in the process of creation or the realisation of an artwork – but by no means as passive consumers.

Remembering the title: „What exactly do we do, when we make theatre for children?”, I wish to argue that this question is *par excellence* pedagogical and that the position of a pedagogue in the process of artistic creation lies in continuously returning to it – and bringing the entire team there.

No matter the profession and the exact field of 'what (we think) we do', the possible answer to the question Deleuze brought to the table is the fact that we *think*. Difference lies in what we're *exactly* thinking in the process: what methods do we use to elaborate our thought, what are the horizons our thought opens and strives to and the borders it will never cross, and – maybe most important for the pedagogical potential of anything – whom and how do we include and engage in our process of thinking.

The task of a pedagogue is to always think about the contexts and environments in every possible sense (social, material, cultural...), about how they constitute the idea and materialization of childhood and what they make (im)possible for a child, but also for all the social actors involved. Thus, when a pedagogue works on enhancing and realising the

pedagogical potential of art and the pedagogical capacity of art institutions, she has a twofold task: to insist on the understanding and involvement of children as active participants who will bring new meanings, new practices, new ideas and new possibilities into the context; and to provoke and inspire the entire team to engage in the process of creation as a joint adventure of creating new paths while making ourselves intelligible and *response-able* to one another.

There is no recipe for the job of the pedagogue – it is always shaped by the specific people, contexts and relations she engages with, but the essence lies in the insistence on *exactly* doing what we think we do – continuously rethinking and practically reworking the questions of what it means to create, to create together, to create for/with children, to make a statement, to make a value, to make art – to make sense.

## What?

It's tempting and certainly more comforting to talk about how things should go in an ideal world; but what happens when we apply those ideas in practice? Let me briefly address my own experience and the challenges I faced while being part of the team who created a musical play for children.

If we should sum it up and look at it objectively, my role as a pedagogue in this specific process should have been centred around establishing and endorsing the pedagogical principles which would shape the entire play. At the very beginning of the process, the pedagogical aspect of the play was anchored in how young children understand the world – emphasizing active participation, sensory engagement, affectivity of experience and in the encouragement of interaction as key principles,

while the very „narrative“ of play was based on pedagogically crucial learning dispositions – curiosity, courage, persistence, critical thinking, creativity, and empathy.

However, when it comes to what *exactly* I did when I thought I was insisting on these principles and dispositions, this might be a different question.

We've highlighted the recurring question of what precisely our actions entail, with the answer circling back to the fact that we *think*. The pedagogue's role demands thoughtful consideration of contexts and environments – how the contexts shape the notions and experiences of childhood and the opportunities and limitations they present for children as well as for all the social actors involved. The focus of the pedagogue's role hence extends beyond merely envisioning the play as a setting for children's experience; it encompasses the entire creative process as an environment wherein the team collaborates and experiments collectively. That would mean that the principles we've established and the dispositions that we've chosen should not apply only to the end product – the theatre performance itself; the entire process needs to be imbued with participation, sensory experimentation, affectivity, and a sense of joint work. The process itself must strive to embrace curiosity, courage, persistence, critical thinking, creativity, and empathy of and between all participants. Now, the question emerges: How can a pedagogue facilitate the being and becoming of such a conducive work environment? And more crucially, did I succeed in doing so?

As for the second question, my response is somewhat ambivalent, and truthfully, it's not mine alone to provide. Perhaps it's my personal tendency to think

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about how things could've turned out differently, which tends to make me view processes and roles from a somewhat negative angle. This tendency leads me to address a few potential missteps and challenges that could arise when working as a pedagogue in an artistic team, aiding their creative endeavours.

The role of a pedagogue remains rather alien and enigmatic to many other professionals, often being perceived as secondary, technical support within the core of the process. This misconception can be even more pronounced within the artistic contexts, where science may be perceived as the antithesis to art – something rigid and restrictive for the creative course. Consequently, the pedagogue might be viewed as an annoyance rather than a requirement, positioned more as a scrutinizer than a collaborator alongside others.

This misconception leads to the phenomenon where many persons, whether they are fellow professionals or parents, interact with a pedagogue expecting precise information and definitive answers that can be readily applied. Frequently, the sought-after information and solutions aren't intended to fuel further exploration or provoke reevaluation. Instead, they are asked merely to serve as validation for pre-existing notions, aiming to assert that the idea at hand already possesses inherent 'pedagogical potential'. The very notion that a pedagogue's role is to catalyze a collective reevaluation of previously held beliefs, while collaboratively seeking information and devising solutions, faces resistance and is often misinterpreted as an indicator of the professional inadequacy of the pedagogue.

Adding to the specificity of the artistic milieu is the assumption that a pedagogue lacks competence in matters of art, rendering her incapable of comprehending artists' concepts, the process of artistic genesis, or the art's impact on its audience. While such assumption is not devoid of validity, a parallel argument could be posited: pedagogues asserting that artists are inept at engaging with children. Yet, how productive is this cycle of argumentation? The true essence lies in the collaborative creation of art for/with children, which rests upon mutual learning and establishing a shared language. A paramount principle to uphold throughout is prioritizing the perspective of children themselves – not our pedagogical theories or artistic visions.

To truly embark on this endeavour in a way that matches our intentions and sparks a collaborative creative journey, we need to dig into lots of important questions: the purpose of both education and art, the possibilities of the encounter between adults and children, the potentials and challenges of the very society we live in (and should the art or education deal with the issues of society anyway). There aren't clear-cut answers to these questions, leaving us all somewhat uncertain about the solutions we've devised and the compromises we've made. These are the questions which demand time to be seriously thought out and continuously played with, as well as certain trust and intimacy to be built amongst all that are involved. Time which, very often, none of us has.

This brings us to the broader question of the context of our times – the circumstances that envelop artists' efforts and their capacity to wholeheartedly commit to projects, as well as the conditions under which pedagogues are involved, and the avenues available for their integration within artistic institutions.

Certainly, things could stay just the same – theatre for children will exist and some plays will be made. But if we wish to dive deeper into their relevance and for them to actually mean something for the children they should engage, we must come as well to the question of our collective willingness to create novel paths starting on the premise of mutual trust, despite the constraints that encircle us.

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