Oorkaan launches an online platform centered around radio plays at hoorspelenmaken.nl
From Listening to Creating
What does a door that isn't really a door sound like? Can you create a thunderstorm using a baking sheet? And how can you use music to make something feel exciting? Oorkaan opens a new online environment centered around the radio play, where children can not only listen but, above all, get hands-on with music, text, and sound.
On the new website hoorspelenmaken.nl Children and families will find everything they need to create their own radio play at home. With instructions, tips and tricks, and a library of music and sounds, they’ll discover how everyday objects can be turned into sound effects and how to bring an entire world to life using only sound. The website also features the Oorkaan radio play *Vogelkind en Mammoetboom*, with music by the Oorkaan Ensemble and text and voice by spoken-word actress Jeannine Valeriano.
Classroom as a radio drama studio
Schools can also get involved with the radio play. Oorkaan offers the workshop ‘Create Your Own Radio Play’ for grades 5 through 8. A workshop leader brings a mobile recording studio to the classroom. In about an hour and a half, students create their own radio play. The results are recorded and can be listened to later via the website. The workshop can be booked separately for schools, festivals, and theaters, or as a supplement to a concert or performance.
Listening as a Starting Point
Oorkaan creates theatrical concerts in which music tells the story. Just as in their stage productions, the radio play centers on the expressive power of music: a sound can become a character, evoke a mood, or simply mark the beginning of an entirely new adventure.
Maaike-Merel van Baarzel, Manager of Artistic Affairs & Education at Oorkaan, on the added value of radio plays:
“Children are used to watching a lot, but listening actually offers so much room for imagination. A sound never tells you exactly what something looks like—that image is created in your own mind. With this website, we want to invite children to listen more attentively, use their imagination, and discover how many stories they can create themselves with music and sound.”