BY STEPHANIE ESLAKE
The bar will be open, and the sun will be setting… Reconnect with live music and each other.
Sounds pretty relaxed, doesn’t it? This is Synchronicities, a concert and meditation experience at the Abbotsford Convent.
Co-organisers Molly Collier-O’Boyle (Melbourne Symphony Orchestra) and Madeleine Jevons (Penny Quartet) will give you a moment to listen — listen to classical music, contemporary music, and to your inner voice. Molly hopes this sonic meditation will wrap you in “introspection, connection, and joy”.
Here’s how.
Molly, thank you for the chat! Tell us about Synchronicities — a “concert and meditation experience“.
The concept for this residency was dreamt up during the depths of lockdown last year when Madeleine Jevons and I were searching for creative stimulation amongst the long dreary days of nothing.
We wanted to create a live music experience that would unite audience and performer together again.
Synchronicities was born through the idea of having a mirror image program across two evenings — firstly starting with duos, then moving to a group sonic meditation, and finishing with a quintet — with both nights swapping the composer of the duo and quintet.
For this project, we’ll be performing works by Mozart, Oliveros, and Martinu.
Why do you like making music that’ll give people the opportunity to chill out?
After the chaos of the last few years, as a collaborative effort — Penny Quartet with Rathdowne Quartet — we really wanted to present a live concert that created a sense of introspection, connection, and joy.
Things have been really intense. We want to welcome everyone gently — whilst giving them a bit of oomph with the Martinu.
You’ve described this music as a “sonic meditation”. How will this work? Is it a verbally guided meditation, or guided simply by music?
We’ll keep some of the details for the sonic meditation a secret. But basically, it will all be guided through our voices and instruments.
The listener will have the opportunity to either participate, or just sit back and relax on beanbags and cushions in an ambient space.
What is your own experience with meditation?
I began meditating as a teenager, lost the practice for a bit, and now try to meditate daily as part of my routine.
It’s been an absolute life saver for me throughout the past few years. I was first introduced to the concept of sonic meditation in 2018 when at a creative music program in Canada.
I have improvised with singing and playing by myself as long as I can remember, though. Many of my secret solo sessions have been the most meditative and flow-state levels of consciousness I’ve ever had.
What specific pieces have you programmed to open the door to this experience for others, and why do you find these particularly meditative?
On the Friday evening, we will perform the Martinu duo and Mozart Quintet; and Saturday, the Mozart duo and Martinu Quintet. In the middle section of both evening, we will be playing with the music of Pauline Oliveros. As a composer, she created deep listening exercises — giving the participant an exploratory guide on how to deeply listen, and how to connect with sound and each other.
I was chatting with a friend the other day about how they were embarking on a journey to create a soundscape for a space, and how their priority in composition was to evoke a particular feeling. I feel this resonates with my creative vision as both curator and performer in my life in general. Synchronicities aims to provide listener with stimuli to feel embraced by the calmness of meditation, challenged by the eerie harmony of Martinu, and filled with joy through the cheekiness of Mozart.
How can people really relax into this event, especially if they’ve not meditated before?
The meditative element is a musical meditation, rather than a sitting crossed-legged on the floor chanting vibe. There’s no pressure to do anything — only just to be open to the experience.
Synchronicities is presented by ANAM and Convent Live. Experience the concert and meditation at 5.30pm June 3 and 4 in the Industrial School and North Magdalen Laundry.
Musicians Meg Cohen, Anthony Chataway, and James Morley will also feature in this event, with footage by Molly and Greg Trainor.
Images supplied. Credit: Madeliene Chiodo.
