Here’s another form originally designed to blur the walls between audience and performer.
Here’s how it works:
Form two ensembles, one small – a trio or quartet, but no larger, and the other fairly large – eight or nine players. The large group needs to be big because they are going to form a circle around the other, smaller ensemble. Both groups are sitting in two concentric circles with their instruments. The inside circle begins to play an improvisation using any form with which they are comfortable. In the beginning, the outer circle just listens. Then, as the music in the inner circle develops, the members of the outer circle can begin to play. They are to respond to what they hear in the inner circle. They can do this in a few specific ways. They may repeat or imitate something they hear in the inner circle, they may add something new to what they hear in the inner circle, or they can harmonize with what they hear in the inner circle.
The inner circle represents the performer, and the outer circle represents the listener. In this form, the listener may interject into the performance at any time. If they hear something they like, they can call it back by repeating it or imitating it. They might want to accentuate the music by harmonizing with it, or if they don’t like what they are hearing for whatever reason, they can add to the music and influence it to change.
This is a wild exercise for both groups – the inner and the outer circles. For the players in the inner circle, it can be very jarring to hear more music coming from all around, especially from behind. And then to know that you can respond in some way to that other music that is happening outside the ensemble, can be both freeing and stressful, sometimes simultaneously! For the members of the outer circle, they have become empowered listeners, engaging deeply and intimately with the music they are hearing. They also have a tremendous responsibility, which is to influence the playing in the inner circle. Their listening can and will direct the direction of this improvisation.