Interactive electronic music installation in a Coventry shop

Another wonderful outing with Bladder and String Theatre: to collaboratively produce an interactive sound installation for  ‘Echoes of Inventions’ – an audio (voices and music/sound) radio art piece presenting Coventry voices talking about deep stuff like faith, dreams, ageing and the afterlife, as part of Coventry’s year as City of Culture 2021/22.

We cooked up 5 stations inviting interaction and opportunities to transform sounds and make music – much like Coventry born and bred Delia Derbyshire did. This involved a sampler on ipads, a Playtronica triggered “study” set up with objects imbued with sounds and words, a tape playing room, a window sensor interaction and a Fablab made synthesiser station with oscilloscope. All set up in a disused shop unit in Coventry City Centre.

We had over 600 visitors of all ages and many gave us wonderful feedback after they enjoyed the experience. The words fun, amazing, imaginative, inventive, awesome came up more than a few times. Well done Bladder & String and here’s hoping the interactive installation has further opportunities to enchant and inspire!

‘Echoes of Invention’ is a modern reimagining of ‘Inventions for Radio,’ by Barry Bermange (words/voices/concept) & Delia Derbyshire (music/sound). The collaboration, which began in 1964, brought a diverse range of voices from across the country together as they shared their very personal thoughts and experiences around subjects such as faith, death, dreams…

Funded and/or supported by: Arts Council England, Coventry University, Coventry City Council, Fablab Coventry

We would like to give special thanks to all of the featured participants who so kindly took the time to share with us and who trusted us with their words.

Project Director: Connor Alexander

Project Producer: Lisa Franklin

Lighting designer: Cath Cullinane

Composers: Charles Craggs, Indira Lakshmi & Caro C

Vocal Performances: Amy Kakoura, Mary Mahon, Wes Finch and Tom Simkins

Mastering: Blacklisted Mastering