What We Do
The From Scratch program is a long-term creative music education endeavor executed in conjunction with the students of the Chicago Musical Pathways Initiative (CMPI) and the Cincinnati Symphony’s Youth Orchestra and Nouveau programs. Guided by the philosophy that the students are already experts in their own creativity, co-directors Hannah Christiansen and Joseph Bricker provide a series of group and individual workshops to introduce the students to writing for their own and other instruments and ultimately commission them to write brand new works for any combination of violin and percussion. At the end of the workshops, the students oversee a professional recording of their work, and then introduce the live premiere of their pieces at a performance event which also includes an experimental live-group composition/performance: audience members learn principles of non-standard notation and engage with new work to be interpreted on the spot, creating a uniquely personal and empowering connection to contemporary music.
Why From Scratch?
From Scratch provides increased access to cost-free supplemental creative music education in Chicago and Cincinnati. Through workshop sessions centered around sonic options, musical form, repertoire examples, and extended techniques, students develop a broader sense of creative license. In addition to the creative benefit, students also gain a wealth of practical contemporary performance and interpretation skills, as well as general professional development through collaborating with professional artists, finding confidence in their own voices, and creative problem solving/decision making.
“Chicago, From Scratch helped broaden and strengthen my student’s musicianship. During their multi-week program, my student, Sophia, learned about different instrumental techniques, sonic possibilities, notation systems, and music styles. She left the program with more confidence in their ability to listen, perform, compose, and form musical opinions—all of which will be invaluable for the future of their musical career. Joe and Hannah are fantastic mentors, collaborators, and communicators whose love for music and passion for exploration and pushing artistic boundaries are clearly demonstrated through their work in the program and with the students.”
John Ringor, private teacher of 2021 alum Sophia Luong
Engaging Audiences
In addition to educational programming, From Scratch is deeply committed to rethinking traditional concert formats. At the 2022 edition of Chicago, From Scratch, audiences were split into small groups to experience their own collaborative composition workshop, on the spot, and write their own multi-movement work. The performers and audience worked together to discuss the interpretation, then voted on the order of performance, and heard their own work performed right before their eyes.