October's Earworms performers

Seat Of The Pants Orchestra with 'The House That Moved'
Exeter Phoenix, November 2012

The Seat Of The Pants Orchestra improvises musical accompaniment to silent films and projections. For Earworms they have selected some lovely childrens' films from the past 100 years or more, and the orchestra members are polishing their percussion (Sam Fisher), cello & musical saw (Matthew Shepherd), saxophone & electric guitar (Philip Robinson), viola (Andrew Gillett) - and gathering an array of other musical/household devices for your delight.

So, if it's not been composed and practised, how does the music get created? SOTPO has a FIELD OF PLAY to help in their music-making. We reveal it, below. For lots more about SOTPO, look at www.seatofthepantsorchestra.co.uk 

FIELD OF PLAY

do or don’t watch the film beforehand

be playful in your playing

be serious in your structure

be bold

accidents - accept, embrace, incorporate, develop, ignore, avoid

go with the flow or don’t go with the flow

be influenced or keep your own direction

are we hearing too much or not enough from you?

very loud music is ok sometimes

very quiet music is ok sometimes

cultivate knowing when not to play

from conventional music to eccentric soundscapes - gambol freely

don’t be afraid not to use an idea however important it may have seemed

‘There’s good music and there’s bad muisc, I like both kinds’ (Duke Ellington): enjoy each