* Aaron Pond's Spectacular Open Sessions for Winds, Percussion, Dance and More

This is an open session for musicians of all skill levels and advanced dancers. The music and dance will be entirely improvised in nature. We ask (strongly) that you open up your ears and eyes. 

This point of these sessions is

•  to make music outside of a paradigm of knowing what will happen. 
• to embrace the non-linguistic and the non-literal
• to embrace potential conflicts and turn them into collaborations or at least make the conflict somewhat juicy 
• to provide a proving ground for improvisors and allow them to grow
• to meet others and learn more about this place we call Philadelphia 

This session is rooted in beauty in the many ways we can define it. Sometimes that's creative music, sometimes that is free-improvisation, sometimes it is faux-classical styles, other times it is trying to tease out an idea found in other world-musical systems. Or [hushed tones] lowercase music and silences.

The session will be split between large group play and breakouts of smaller segments.

This is not a pedagogical space. 

Please read our expectations and logistics at the bottom before attending. 

We ask that people coming provide $3 to $5 to help pay for the space, with no one turned away for lack of funds. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Temporality- Try to show up by 9:45 am at the latest, and if you are using amplification please be in the space by 9:35am. We will begin shortly after a quorum is settled in or 9:40am whichever is first.  Doors open at 9:30am, sometimes a few minutes earlier. Occasionally we have to leave at exactly 11:30  other times we can play till 11:30 and then pack up. 

Vibe wise-a minimal to small amount of talking, it's a fairly focused 2 hours. That being said, it is still important to be kind. Feel bring to bring in a simple idea you’re interested in exploring. 

Things to know!

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For specific groups

Musicians-   keep your ears and eyes open to the world around you. The idea is primarily to generate new material in response to the new conditions arising in the session. Playing the old licks and riffs is technically possible, but not the point of the session. 

There is no PA, bring your own amps. 

We try to play to the loudness level of the instruments around us. It is not uncommon to see violins, violas, bassoons, etc. make use of a small amp if they want to have a session where people are wildly loud.

Polyphonic instruments or super abrasive instruments like electronic pianos, synthesizers, guitars, or even noise-boxes have a tendency to overpower or limit the freedom of a session through volume, chordal flotsam and jetsam, and/or inability to respond. Using a more sparing, novel touch with them is encouraged. 

Dancers- 

Please contact Peoplesmusicsupply@gmail.com or Aaron Pond directly, if you wish to join in. 

[Some sessions will have group dynamics, others will have a rotating cast of dancers, others will just be solo dancers or none at all]

we require that you abide by a code of conduct [linked here]. It also conveniently works as a guide for why and what exactly we are doing with pairing music and dance. 

Contact Improvisation, should only be used sparingly, if at all. 

Visual Artists- are welcome to witness and participate in the proceedings, preference will be given to dancers in terms of space, but there will always be a spot for you. Please try to bring a kit that doesn't make anything greater than a minor mess and clean up after yourselves. 

If there are no dancers for a session you are welcome to hog the space and set up in the middle of the melee. Obviously, don’t bring any materials that are toxic, like oil paints.