Overtone and Varsavia Galante: a transdisciplinary residency at the Quartier des Artistes

How did the artistic collaboration start between your two companies, Overtone and Varsavia Galante? 

“Members of both groups met each other in Warsaw and started to speak about the idea of a common project. The concept of working on Boismortier´s Serenade was the first and obvious choice so this was the base for our project.”

Both of you are following the stricts directions of the baroque style, while adding a creative dimension in your performances. How did you organize the creation process during your residence?

“First part of residency was dedicated for Overtone to prepare the piece by J.B. Boismortier - Sérénade en trois parties en sol mineur no. 1, op.39, which we recorded (homemade recording) in its 'original' form.

The second step was the attempt of piece deconstruction by using tools such as augmentation, loops, playing in inversion, canon, adding cadenzas (in baroque style, minimal music or mixolydian scale) etc. All that to prepare ground for more experiments with the dancers in May. We both agreed to call the project 'a Baroque performance”, inspired on the theme of voyage (Odyssée). Together with dancers we explored our range of movement possibilities on stage. Knowing the piece by heart by then, it encouraged us to play in movement - while walking, lying down, being carried etc. Together we formed a group of performers telling a story without division on musicians and dancers.

After the education in the early music field, our knowledge allowed us to experiment with the musical material based on the composing techniques such as augmentation, inversion, canon, phrasing and timing. Each of us have the experience also with other musical styles and techniques, including contemporary music and modern technique, or on the other hand the medieval and folk instruments. Thanks to that we realized that similar things could have be done also with the composition of the Baroque period. The important part of that is also a physical movement during playing the instrument, so this was kind of experiment and going out of the comfort zone of our daily routine.” 

Your residency at the Quartier des Artistes int Thiré happened as part of the Odysée program of the French Ministry of culture. Why did you choose this place? How did the gardens of William Christie inspire you?

“From all recommended institutions, William Christie´s Foundation Les Arts Florissants and his Gardens seemed to us the most accurate choice since the chosen piece by Boismortier pictures the peaceful life of French countryside. The symmetry, the beauty and its natural shapes inspired us to use these ideas in our performance and stage movement.”

What do you remember about this residency? What did you learn, create, work? 

“This residency gave us the time and space to work on two artistic fields, and to inspire each other and share different stage experience which does not happen in everyday life during short projects. The bonds of our ensemble got stronger, we could spend more time together, while not only playing the music, but also discuss and work on our future projects. The time spent together is priceless in this fast-going world and the calmness of the French countryside gave us a lot of space and offered possibility to focus on our goals.”

Pictures of the Overtone and Varsavia Galante residency at the Quartier des Artistes 

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