The line-up for the industrial, EBM and synthpop festival E-tropolis in Turbinenhalle in Oberhausen, Ruhr, on March 28 is complete.
For the most part, though, people just happening to pass by the two-block campus during Public Practice sessions are at the best advantage to enjoy the notes in the air, mixing with the environment. �We organize it so that several musicians are playing concurrently, in different areas of the campus,� explains Ming Ng, director of Active Arts. �So, there is a �soundscape� that is created as you walk from one musician to another.�
Like exhibits in a museum, the participating musicians are set up with signs next to them, explaining who they are and what they are doing. Once in a while, people will stop to listen or to ask the musicians a quick question, but some don�t quite know what to make of the situation. �One man tried to drop a dollar into my saxophone case,� Oto recalls with a laugh.
Since Public Practice is such a unique experience, it�s no wonder that the participants tend to create lasting bonds. The relationships begin outdoors on the Music Center campus, when one musician might stroll up to another to sight-read through some duos. At the end of the project everyone takes part in a group dinner and discussion, and the relationships often extend far beyond that day. The participants have found many benefits to �taking it outside,� but the best part, as both Price and Oto explain, is simply the opportunity to try something new with their music.
