Things are about to get loud in Cork...

Bangers and Crash, a percussionist sextet, is about to smash, bang, wallop its way into Cork. This means things are about to get loud.

The clamorous collective is made up of renowned percussionists Alex Petcu, Emma King, Caitríona Frost, Brian Dungan, John Rousseau-Parlane, Paddy Nolan and guest Patrick Lynch.

Their music will come from anything they can hit, from rare, expensive instruments to what you can find in the kitchen.

That’s according to Musical Director Alex Petcu, who is also excited to tell The Echo that they won’t be going alone in this latest celebration of sound. Young musicians of any instrumentation and skill level are invited to be part of this exciting concert.

The sextet are looking for eager volunteers to workshop sounds with them, before performing at The Everyman Theatre on October 1. This special, one-off event will also feature a debut performance of a new participatory composition by Alex Petcu himself.

“My piece is for everyone,” he says. 

We will teach young musicians all they need to do. The aim is to challenge people to their level so we don’t need people to have any particular technique.

“The biggest challenge will be in asking them to concentrate for an hour. Listening to the collective sound is another one. These young people will get to experience listening to a room, not just themselves. That is when the magic happens.”

Alongside expected instruments like tambourines and drums, a Cork audience will get to experience the group’s creative use of ad hoc materials like scrap metal and household materials, pushing the boundaries of sonic exploration and crafting a mesmerizing fantasia of percussion sonorities.

A teacher in Cork’s school of Music, Alex is well used to taking younger musical charges on such journeys.

“We are looking for people between the ages of 11 and 18, somewhere in that range,” he said. “Most of our participants will come from existing music schools in Cork, but if other people want to get in contact, they certainly can.”

He doesn’t want anyone to feel like they’re not up to the job.

“One of the missions of this project is to bring the joy of music and music-making to as many people as possible. When you are in an orchestra, people always approach you to have a tap at the end. It’s more accessible than some of the other instruments. This project is about getting people involved in a more direct way than sitting in the audience.”

The ‘taster’ nature of the project is reflected in its short span. It requires no real investment of time, but it may reap considerable rewards, says Alex.

“It really is about giving people an experience. When I was a kid, we had music in the family. Both of my parents were violinists. However, I know professional musicians for whom it was just one experience that gave them the bug.”

Despite his musical heritage, he relates to those once-off magic moments.

“I remember seeing people doing crazy stuff with music when I visited France at about 15. Another memory is going to see a production of West Side Story in the Opera House. 

I was only about 13, but I remembers looking down and seeing all the sections of the orchestra.

“Honestly, if only one young person gets the bug from what we’re doing, this project will be a success.”

Beyond that, the Musical Director is not stressing about any specific outcome.

“It’s a loose group. I run it but it’s more of a collective of percussionists wanting to reach people. Catriona Frost and I have gone around doing workshops in primary schools and some secondary schools for years.”

He loves the school visits.

“The great thing is you get to everybody. Students ask us if we’re famous, and we assure them that it’s the least important thing. Music is for enjoyment and to learn something as well.”

The ease with which people can approach percussion helps.

“My feeling is that percussion is a good opener. It is easy to understand how the sound happens.

“You know, the higher you raise the stick, the louder the sound. It is a simple relationship, and it is attractive that way. It is also good at introducing them to crazier things. With other instruments, it can be harder to decipher what’s going on.

We hope that the young musicians and the audience might hear something that they might not have heard before or expected. We just want them to go with it and to be open with it.

Trust is key to the concert working he feels, something that must be formed quickly in rehearsal, given the tight turnaround.

“We will build their trust within however much time we have. We will start with general rhythm work, getting an awareness of the beat going.

“Some pieces will use body percussion. Everyone will be asked to bring things in from home. Tinfoil, baking paper, any item that is portable.”

Alex Petcu is excited to share his joy of music.

“I grew up with it and so I got a head start. We want to at least give people a choice. Anything that gets people playing is wonderful, doing it rather than learning about it.”

For further information and to sign up, please visit: www.soundwavesmusicspace.com