Otoasobi Project UK Performance

To mark the end of this important collaboration, the Otoasobi Project participants will perform Scottish musician and composer Bill Wells' new commission Summer Dreams. The evening will also include collaborative and individual performances by the project collaborators, followed by the Otoasobi Disco.

The Otoasobi Project

AC Projects and Café Oto London bring the pioneering Otoasobi Project to Glasgow from Japan for the first time. Working with Sonic Bothy, Sense Scotland and Artlink Central, the project will explore cross cultural approaches in creating innovative opportunities for individuals with learning disabilities.

The Otoasobi Project consists of 16 people with learning disabilities (include autism, Down syndrome, Williams syndrome), their families and about 20 artists from various fields and music therapists. The participants ages range from 8 to 42 and collaborate freely with artists including free improvisers, pop musicians, butoh dancers, installation artists and more. Over 50 guest artists have been involved so far to create new performances. Parents of the people with learning disabilities are also important members who make their own music using cardboard boxes, kitchen utensils, rope with bells or hoovers.

The Otoasobi Project has held more than 30 concerts and public workshops. At their first concert Oto-no-shiro (Castle of Sound), various spaces of an old western house are used to perform improvised ensembles. At second concert Oto-no-Umi (Ocean of Sound), 27 ensembles performed in a hall located on an artificial island in Kobe. The music making process was documented by young film director and released as a documentary in 2010. From the live recordings of these concerts, a CD was released and was used as a soundtrack for the movie German + Rain. The group still continuing making new style of performance such as "rock-papers-scissors" performance, "air ensemble with no sounds" or multi-conducted ensemble.

Performers: Numata Rii, Aoki Shiori, Udo Ayako, Udo Mariko, Kanazawa Risa, Kanazawa Eriko, Goto Yuta, Goto Rika, Sakaguchi Tomoki, Sakaguchi Masahiro, Tomisaka Yuri, Tomisaka Michiko, Hama Tsubasa, Hama Kazuhiro, Fujimoto Masaru, Fujimoto Kazuko, Miyazaki Momoka, Miyazaki Moko, Miyoshi Yuka, Miyoshi Sonoko, Mori Taisei, Mori Mayu, Yoshimi Masaharu, Yoshimi Kayoko, Iwashita Toru, Kamata Makiko, Otomo Yoshihide, Suzuki Masaru, Nakaoji Emiko, Hosoma Hiromichi, Mitsunaga Koreyuki, Morimoto Ali, Nakajima　Kaori, Homma Tomoko, Ebisu Miki, Shimamura Ayane