While DJ’ing involves the skill of mixing one track into another seamlessly, an intricate skill in it’s own right, turntablism builds on the original role of the DJ and takes it to the next level. Turntablism features increased manipulation of sound, precision, and extreme levels of hand-eye coordination to create completely unique and original compositions. In collaboration with Estonian Museum Canada (VEMU) and Estonian Music Week, this workshop aims to rejuvenate and increase interest in our cultural history and bring it into the present day through the use of state of the art DJ techniques and technology. It’ll take place in 3 parts: a trip down to VEMU’s archives to peruse the collection and pick out historical records, discovering more about Estonian musical history and culture along the way. Part 2 is where we learn and apply the skills necessary for turntablism through a set of two 3-hour small group sessions featuring one on one opportunities to work with Erik, plus a 9 hour additional online workshop to further develop and practice skills and prepare. Prepare for what? Part 3, a final performance where participants will get to showcase their original compositions and newly acquired turntablist chops in the style of a live remix session. This will also be recorded and available for viewing online at a later date. Whether you’ve had experience with DJ’ing in the past or are completely new to it, all skill levels are welcome. If you’re between the ages of 16 and 30, this is the place to be. And the best part…it’s free!
Make sure to keep your Thursday nights in March and April free; stay tuned for the exact dates of the workshop via our websites vemu.ca and estonianmusicweek.ca and through our Facebook and Twitter accounts! Be quick about signing up, registration ends on March 13th and spots are expected to fill up quickly…. WHERE: vemuesc@gmail.com We would like to thank the Estonian Integration Foundation and the Estonian Studies Centre for their sponsorship and for making this project possible. For a taste of what Erik’s compositions sound like, check out his Soundcloud page https://soundcloud.com/eriklaar and https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SaOESGQPOc. See you there!
