Journalism of Courage
German actor and singer Sabine Bundschu will be in the city to conduct a workshop on the spiritual connection of music
For German actor and singer Sabine Bundschu,India was at the centre of a life-defining epiphany. She had been touring with many bands and musical performers for years when she realised something was amiss,something that touched my soul. But one day,sitting on her couch and watching television,something changed her world. It was a broadcast about rhythm cultures of the world. The biggest part was about India,drum languages,Konnakol and difficult structures which sounded so wonderful to me. And there was this Austrian guy,Reinhard Flatischler,talking about his time in India. He was a percussionist and had learned the tabla,and developed a way to do rhythms with the body.
In spite of just being one-day long,the agenda for the workshop is expansive. The workshop will be on one hand using Taketina as a way to experience rhythm with your body by using your voice,your steps and the clapping. It is a kind of moving meditation. The different rhythms only can unfold when the mind is still, says Bundschu. The other aspect of the event will cover chants. Bundschu is a great believer in the energy of chants and has collected them from all over the world for years. Then there are elements of body percussion,I use the system of Keith Terry. The other thing I like to combine with all that is ‘Circle Singing’. It’s a way of improvising music in a circle. The leader divides the group into parts and gives every small group a different pattern to sing. A very joyful way of singing together, she says.
The whole experience will be fascinating for people who have never before heard of Taketina. You don’t need to learn an instrument to do it,because you have it within you: your voice,your feet,your hands, Bundschu says. Though music dominates her life currently,acting still is on her mind. My acting is sometimes still alive when I do lectures and when I teach in theatre school. It’s more integrated in what I do now,and I still have my jobs as a speaker for radio stations,voice-over and dubbing. Bundschu’s workshop in the city has been organised by Original Movement Therapy,and she is but naturally excited about her visit to India. I would love to find out something about the Indian way of singing,because it is so different from our culture. Maybe I can have a lesson somewhere, she says.
