Interior piano and magic wand

Instrument construction and contemporary composing form an extremely creative team today. Experimentation knows no boundaries. Tracing sound visions releases a lot of imagination in the use of instruments. New sound generators emerge, familiar ones change.

The spectrum of sounds and sound modes has constantly changed in the course of music history. Unusual ways of playing on traditional instruments are only one aspect. At least as important are the further development and specification of the instruments. Motivation for this is often the attraction of the experiment and the realization of stubborn sound ideas.

Surprising extensions

The composer Volker Staub, for example, expands the range of percussion instruments in this way. Annegret Mayer-Lindenberg plays violas with special accessories. Andrea Neumann strings an aluminium frame with strings and calls this Inside-Klavier. Marco Blaauw adds a second funnel to his trumpet, Alexander Schubert transforms the violin bow into an electro-acoustic magic wand, and Johannes B. Sistermanns turns the room itself into an instrument.

The flute is a family of musical instruments in the woodwind group. Unlike woodwind instruments with reeds, a flute is an aerophone or reedless wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air across an opening. According to the instrument classification of Hornbostel–Sachs, flutes are categorized as edge-blown aerophones

Researchers studying the benefits of music have reported that playing a musical instrument on a regular basis can help bring down stress. Studies show that playing an instrument helps in lowering the heart rate and blood pressure, which in turn lowers the stress hormone cortisol, thus making us feel relaxed. While just listening to music also helps, learning to play an instrument brings with it a comforting routine of daily practice that helps in keeping the stress hormones away.

Learning Music can make a marked difference to the development of a child’s social, cognitive and communicative skills. Exposing children to music lessons early also helps discover their innate talent and help them become better singers in the future.