Poulton Wood
Nature Reserve offers a beautiful tranquil setting in ancient semi-natural
woodland with a variety of trees, including oak, ash, willow and
hornbeam. For centuries it has provided a sustainable crop based
on the coppice rotation system.
The students spent time in this special place to start their involvement
in the Wood Vibrations project. Here is a summary of what they learnt
and discovered during their time there:
How to make
sounds from wood
How to make and use instruments from wood
Playing chords on a wood cord
Some definitions of sculpture and sculptural installation
Reference to artists who might influence ideas
Identification and use of different types of tree
Making sound - different pitches, ranges of harmonics
Finding nodal points on logs and sticks
How to be inspired by woodland
Developing ideas of using woodland sounds
Getting ideas about how to ”play” and personalise their
own piece of the sculptural installation
Making a sculptural xylophone from logs in the trees and playing
it
Listening to and identifying sounds they heard in the wood
Learning and talking about different musical devices
Sampling sounds for future use
Making sculpture and music as individuals and as a team.
