Organic sounds

The instruments used by The Vegetable Orchestra. These instruments are made from vegetables! Maybe we should start experimenting with our food to make the beautiful sounds from nature?

Next time, look at the vegetables on our plate in a different way.

Last night, I attended one of the Singapore Arts Festival 2006 performance by The Vegetable Orchestra.

It turned out to be a new listening experience for myself. I have never heard how interesting organic-like sounds could be produced from our commonly known vegetables: carrots, lettuce, onions etc. Last night, I became witness to the organic treat of sounds.

Aside from the sond, stage-lightings and visuals have been employed to enhance the audience's overall experience of the performance.



Imagine while listening to the music, one could see images of vegetables in all kinds of forms projected onto the screen. By the way, I personally think that the entire concert smell of vegetables throughout the performance. This must have been the most fragrant-smelling concert that I have ever attended.

I quite like the sound of the eggplant being hit upon by a mallet-looking stick. Somehow, the amplification technology has allowed the sounds of the vegetables to be magnified and heard. There was also this piece whereby vegetables (capsicums, onions and more) are rolled down an inclined board. That made interesting rolling-sounds.

Some of the sounds were fairly interesting. In one of the works, The Vegetable Orchestra produced sounds that sound like gorillas hitting their chest. I can't figure out how the sound of a mosquito flying about a jungle could be made just with vegetables. Anyway, these novel sounds have won the chuckles of a few of the young children who attended last night's concert.

What is more, after the concert, the audience were treated to vegetable soup that was served outside the concert hall. It tasted pretty nice.

By the way, the thing about having vegetables as instruments is that after the concert, these instruments have to be thrown away. But the Vegetable Orchestra has found a win-win situation to dispose of the vegetables and yet keep their curious audience happy. After the show, the members of the audience were invited to come near the stage to play on the vegetable-instruments. If they would like, they could even take these home. Wonderful way to win the hearts of the audience, don't you think?

Of course, that would mean that for every concert and performance, the Vegetable Orchestra would have to acquire fresh materials to make new instruments, out of vegetables.

To listen to how the Vegetable Orchestra would sound, check this link and click on the sneak preview.


Imagine what sounds could be derived from these vegetables.

Reference: http://www.singaporeartsfest.com/Music/vegetable.htm