黃愉琇在愛丁堡藝穗節參加合唱演出(Yu-Hsiu Huang’s Choral Performances in Edinburgh, UK)

2016的夏天，音樂的種子散播到了歐洲些許城市及小鎮的角落。

 

英美系黃愉琇參加旅行者合唱團 (Wayfarers)，到英格蘭, 愛爾蘭, 蘇格蘭, 冰島, 瑞士及法國，巡迴演唱。

 

這是個由來自世界各地的華德福學生, 老師以及家長所組成的團體。28個團員來自台灣, 澳洲, 德國和義大利。年齡小至7歲，大至72歲。Wayfarer，意思是為了特定目的而旅行的旅行者。這群人聚在一起，便是為了分享音樂所帶來的喜悅。

 

巡迴演出的最高潮，是到英國愛丁堡，在全球數一數二的大活動，愛丁堡藝穗節(fringe)中演出。全城四百多個表演場所，上千場的表演節目。在這種狀態下，能有多少觀眾是無法預測的。他們走上街頭當起街頭藝人走唱，以中世紀的穿著，宏亮的歌聲及古老的樂器來吸引人潮，加以宣傳。他們的合唱演出，從12-13世紀的歌曲，基督教/天主教的聖詠到當代創作的古典樂，至最後一曲演唱者環繞全場模擬熱帶雨林的聲響。大多數為人聲無伴奏，部分有樂器伴奏。這些樂曲不僅提供聽覺上的享受，也將觀眾帶入完全不同的歷史情境。小王子音樂劇則是由Wayfarers團長Judith以法國著作Little Prince故事為題材，創作出劇本, 獨唱, 合唱與樂器的伴奏，並與一位團員指導演出者們表現方式與動作。所有的道具皆由演員們自行製作。最後他們在聖馬可教堂的So Good A Thing合唱以及小王子音樂劇的演出都分別得到了藝評家(reviewer)五顆星的極高評價。

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In the summer of 2016, the voices of a choral group spread the seeds of music through several European towns and cities. Yu-Hsiu Huang, a student of the English Language and Literature Department, traveled and performed in England, Ireland, Scotland, Iceland, Switzerland, and France with the Waldorf Wayfarers.

The Wayfarers is a group made up of worldwide Waldorf students, teachers, and parents. In total there are 28 members from Taiwan, Australia, Germany, and Italy, aged from 7 to 72. A wayfarer is a traveler who journeys for a specific purpose; this group get together to share the joy brought by music.

The culmination and climax of the tour was performing at the Edinburgh fringe festival, one of the world’s largest events, in Edinburgh, UK. The festival includes more than 400 venues and over a thousand performances. Because of this it is difficult to estimate how many people enjoyed watching and listening. Like street artists, the Wayfarers were wandering minstrels wearing medieval costumes, singing lustily, and playing ancient instruments to attract the crowds. Their choral performances ranged from 12th-13th century songs and Christian chants to contemporary classical compositions and a remarkable vocal evocation of being surrounded by tropical birds in a rainforest. Whether a capella or with instrumental accompaniment, the human voice leads us on sensory journeys through time and space. How versatile it can be!

The Wayfarers also performed a musical version, created by Judith Clingan the chorus leader, of the French story The Little Prince. Judith not only produced the script, vocal and instrumental music and arrangements, but also cooperated with another member to guide the group’s movements and other performance aspects. All the stage props were made by the Wayfarers themselves. Audiences were impressed: performances of So Good A Thing and The Little Prince in St. Mark’s Church received five-star evaluations from Fringe reviewers.