Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra Adventures in Music Images and questions to support John Estacio’s Frenergy

Imagine being in an orchestra and playing John Estacio’s Frenergy. You sure would need a lot of energy! Being creative with energy and movement is inspiring for composers and artists.

Let’s look at how visual artists play with energy and movement in their artwork.

Visual energy and movement can be created in many different ways. Compare and contrast these two works of art. What is similar? What is different? How would you describe the energy or movement in each of these paintings?

The way a line or shape is made by an artist helps show energy and movement. Air-draw the lines in each of these paintings. What adjectives would you use to describe the movements you made?

The direction of lines and shapes creates different kinds of energy and movement in a work of art. Using body movement, show the different energy and movement in each painting. Put all three movements together to form a short dance.

The colours an artist uses affects the feeling of energy and movement in a work of art. Look carefully at these two paintings. Describe the energy and movement in each one. What is similar? What is different? How has the colour helped you feel this energy and movement?

Artists often repeat lines, shapes and colours to give the feeling of energy and movement. Imagine you are the artist creating these paintings. Act out how would you move your brush. Describe your movements in musical terms.

Energy and movement are everywhere! What strategies have these artists used to show energy and movement? Consider: line direction, repetition, colour, mark making Discuss.

This artist used a lot of physical energy and movement to make his paintings! Notice how he applied the paint to his enormous canvases. What might you title this painting? Can you combine an adjective and a noun as Estacio did for Frenergy?

What might artwork ‘sound’ like? What might music ‘look’ like?

Let’s look at art with our eyes and our ears. ‘Listen’ to each of these paintings. What do you ‘hear’? Which painting sounds most like Estacio’s Frenergy’? Explain your thinking. Talk about the lines, shapes, colours and repetition.

Look. Listen. Using this painting for inspiration, create a rhythmic pattern using body percussion. Share your ideas.

The title of this work of art is ‘High Energy’. It was created on a computer. What kind of music do you hear? What might the melody be? What tempo would you use?

Look. Listen. Experiment. Does this work of art inspire you to play your Orff instrument quickly or slowly? Would you use high notes or low notes? Would you play loudly or softly ? Experiment!

These two artists were fascinated with the challenge of capturing the feeling of energy and movement in their paintings. Compose a soundscape inspired by one of these paintings.

Creative thinkers inspire each other! Music inspires dancers, dancers inspire artists, artists inspire composers and so on. What musical sounds might be inspiring these dancers? Describe the energy and movement that inspired the artist to photograph the dancers.

This painting was inspired by Tchaikovsky’s Dance of the Flowers. The artist explored both the emotions of the music and individual sounds and notes. Silently, look at this image for one minute. What do you hear? Explore some of your ideas using your voice.

This artist paints on stage while the musicians are performing. What instruments might this artist have been listening to while creating this work of art? Consider the lines, shapes and colours. Discuss your ideas.

Now it is your turn to be an artist inspired by music! Listen again to John Estacio’s Frenergy. What do you see? Respond to what you hear using lines, shapes, colours and repetition. Have fun!