A classic photo from another life... busking in the street in Chinatown, Downtown Tiohtià:ke / Montreal.
Photo credit: Benjamin Arkless-Bergen
Playing in the street has always been a part of our life. We love this practice for the connection it brings, to people, to lands and place.
Cello is traditionally an instrument meant for indoor playing. It's a challenge to pull enough sound to cross the street, reverberate the trees. There were times when our teachers told us to stop because it was 'ruining our technique'.
Today, we realize that this experience has shaped who we are as a musician, looking for strange and unusual sounds that startles passers-by. Looking for how to flow sound with a space and the hidden currents within it.
There is a rasp and directness in our playing that communicates who we are, the feeling of hours spent with a tired hand on the street, talking to strangers, playing Bach and random improvisations until the sun goes down.
When we busk in Chinatown, we think of our ancestors and things they may have lived through. 100 years ago China was a very different place. We don't even know our mother's language very well. But we feel something when we sit there and play. The music reveals we are all connected to our past, and to everyone and everything around us.
About the Author
Fili 周 Gibbons (we/they/us) are an artist and recording engineer working across a range of community and professional contexts to support plural voices, expressions, and sonic experiences.
They work with artists and creators, drawing on listening, memory and intuition as guiding forces in collaborative making practices with sound and video medias.
They are the creator of Soundgarden, an artist-accompaniment service offering sound skills training for creators.
