From score to freedom

The stage director Nicola Hümpel and her group “Nico and the Navigators” are dedicated to very special, independent working methods: "We work exclusively through improvisation, so that every member of the ensemble navigates the piece" says Hümpel. Her method, which she has taught for ten years at renowned conservatoires and drama schools, is called “guided Improvisation”. In a close dialog with “Nico” the performers, singers and musicians find and create their own artistic expression. By body-work they are developing their individual languages on stage - including motions, sounds and  their very personal interpretations from traditional scores. Every artist is individually involved with his or her specific character and cultural background. 

The theme of the workshop is “upheaval” and will be a journey through arias and music pieces from different times, that where composed during great political and social changes. During the research phase, the participants of the workshop will study phenomena and behaviours of societies during upheaval eras in collaboration with Nico Hümpel.

Nicola Hümpel and all participating artists will develop first ideas for a new piece : How to focus on the subject to work on? What am I interested in? How and what kind of research is needed? How could ideas be realized on stage? 
 

As a beginning of a creative process that involves a renewal of classical forms the objective of the workshop is to facilitate building bridges between high culture and every day life, to develop close dialogs between musicians and performers beyond illustration. Base for this is a workout to get away from artificial gestures finding an individual connection between voice and body/instrument and body. 
 

This workshop is part of a two-workshops cycle mentored by Nicola Hümpel. The second workshop will take place at the Theaterakademie August Everding (Munich) in December and will deepen the method of involving performers in the creative process. The participation in both workshops is not automatic nor compulsory and the application to each of them should be done separately.


Singers, pianists, composers, stage directors, dramaturgs, lighting and set designers are invited to apply. 

>> 11-15 December 2018, Part 2: Improvising as music theatre creation / Theaterakademie August Everding

OUTPUT FOR THE ARTISTS

- to develop needed skills regarding different working periods: from idea to concept, 
from concept to realisation on stage 
- involving the performing artists into the whole creative process
- to define the own individual artistic style and the artistic style of the ensemble at the same time 
- to improve work regarding improvisation  
- voice training coaching
- body work training  

 Application process

 Specifications

 Practical information

 Artistic requirements