Having just hosted Dutch experimental luthier and musician Yuri Landman as its latest Artist-in-Residence (AiR), Spazju Kreattiv is now holding an open jam session with instruments made by him and workshop participants.

Landman built his first instrument in 2001 to solve the inaccuracy of instant preparations. Since then, he has built experimental instruments for acts such as Sonic Youth, dEUS, Melt-Banana, Rhys Chatham, Ex-Easter Island Head, Half Japanese and Kaki King.

He was in Malta at the end of last year, working at Spazju Kreattiv’s AiR studio in Għarb, and as part of his stay, Landman hosted 15 people to workshops throughout the residency.

Launched in 2001, the AiR Programme aims to enrich cultural diversity within the national creative scene, and encourage productive interactions between international creatives and local creatives and communities, as well as physical and virtual environments.

Justin Galea, programme coordinator at Spazju Kreattiv, explained that Landman conducted an introductory session prior to his residency during which he performed using some of the instruments and effects he created. This allowed those interested to get an idea of what they could accomplish by participating in his workshops.

Aged between 19 and 55, all participants had a musical background, though they hailed from different fields, ranging from electronic pop music to indie rock and even classical guitar.

During the workshop, Landman helped participants work on a number of signature instruments that he developed throughout the years and that he recreates during such residencies as an upcycled instrument collection.

This is a great opportunity for Malta to be exposed to some unconventional and experimental music

“His methods are quite ad hoc,” Galea stated. “They consist of a variety of woodwork and soldering workshops, workshops about guitar pickups and wiring as well as sound in general, depending on the instruments that were being created at that moment in time.”

For his instruments, Landman makes use of recycled materials.

Thanks to Wasteserv, he was given the opportunity to select the materials that he needed from the tal-Kus civic amenity site in Xewkija. These consisted mainly of a variety of metal and wood. Wiring, guitar pickups and output jacks were used to amplify the instruments and allow them to be connected to effects and a sound system.

During the residency, it was also agreed that to make the instruments more interesting, they should be painted in a variety of ways.

Following years of research, Landman has developed designs of several instruments that now form part of his collection. His intention is to leave such collections in as many countries as possible.

Even though the instruments’ design in terms of mechanics is more-or-less a predefined one, since the instruments are made from waste material, their shapes and sounds differ from country to country. Participants also had the opportunity to discuss the possibility of altering some parts of the instruments.

Participating in the residency was quite an experience for Andrew Schembri.

“It demystified the instrument-building process for me. Seeing Yuri using anything he finds at hand as materials and tools and thinking on the spot made the idea of building an instrument easier to digest.

“I was drawn in by the prospect of listening to weird sounds and witnessing some of the little experimental music that makes it to our country. I would definitely repeat this experience, especially if it could lead to Yuri teaching us how to build some of the other instruments he has created.”

Spazju Kreattiv is now hosting an open jam lab session that allows people to interact with the created instruments in the collection and is especially geared towards all those who did not have the opportunity to try out the instruments during the residency workshops.

Schembri is also keen to join the jam, explaining that “with the instruments we created with Yuri being generally atonal, I believe this is a great opportunity for Malta to be exposed to some unconventional and experimental music.”

The organisers encourage those who wish to attend to bring along their effects and other instruments that they can connect to the sound system.

■ The open jam lab session is taking place tomorrow, Saturday, January 21 at 8pm at St James Cavalier in Valletta. Entrance is free.