I have for many years, as a teacher, been using contemporary techniques when I teach. It is a wonderful way to connect the children with the instrument, especially with younger ones.

After a workshop I can find my students playing these techniques and inventing their own for weeks or months or even years. They often prefer to play these contemporary techniques than the traditional repertoire. 

 

When I do workshops in improvisation with children I mostly use metaphors, such as wind, rain etc, to describe contemporary techniques. It is a way for me to talk in their own language and to trigger their imagination.

 

It is fantastic that contemporary techniques can be useful in so many contexts, from everything from contemporary – Improvised – Theater music and so on to workshops with children. The trick is to adapt the technicality, and present them in a langugage that the target group understand and can connect with.


Below you find two example of techniques that I named as methaphores:

Möss på vinden – Mice in the attic

Rymdresan – Space travel