Co-curated by Black History Month Florence and Pietro Gaglianò
In collaboration with The American Academy in Rome, The International School of Florence and Boomker Sound Studio

Investigations of Freedom, Spirit and Love is a workshop-based project directed by composer and pianist Courtney Bryan, a current Rome Prize fellow at the American Academy in Rome.
The workshop is dedicated to the explorations of sounds of freedom and is carried out with a range of participants across art and music as a cross-generational dialogue and exploration of the power of sound to unlock memory, spirit and emotionality.
Drawing upon her compositions exploring conceptions and sonic underpinnings of freedom including her album in process “Sounds of Freedom”, students will be pushed to generate sound elements that will come together into a collective sound work accompanied by visuals created during the two workshop sessions scheduled for the 21st and 22nd in collaboration with The International School and SACI. These works will be recorded and documented through video and photography and elaborated into a sound work and video.
The 23rd of February, Bryan will record a composition inspired by the workshop sessions in collaboration with Boomker Sound Studios. This recording will be coupled with a videoscape created during the workshop.
This project seeks to amplify the capacity of sound to unpack abstract and complex concepts and will draw upon Black History Month Florence’s Fifth Edition theme OBBLIGATO as a meditation on the use of this term in musical notation and as a reflection on social obligations.

Detailed programme

Friday February 21
Workshop for the students of The International School of Florence

Saturday February 22
from 4pm: Open workshop (info and registrations bhmf16@gmail.com)
7pm: Listening session dedicated to a range of compositions by Courtney Bryan and conversation in dialogue with Justin Randolph Thompson, director of Black History Month Florence

From Monday February 24 to Friday February 28
from 4pm to 7pm: sound installation

For the full programme of Black History Month Florence
www.blackhistorymonthflorence.com