Kaja Majoor – violin & illustration
Diederik Smulders – cello
Seeing Sounds is an interdisciplinary performance that explores the fascinating phenomenon of synesthesia through the medium of self-made graphic scores.
Illustrator and violinist Kaja Majoor and cellist Diederik Smulders are both classical musicians who share a passion for contemporary music and a fascination with performance art. They are combining these different art disciplines in the Seeing Sounds project.
During the performances, colours, shapes and movements are transformed into harmonious melodies and extraordinary sounds. The graphic scores will be projected on a large screen in order to give the audience the chance to follow both the improvised music as well as the graphic scores. This event offers an opportunity to explore the interfaces between music and art and push the boundaries of imagination.
With the Seeing Sounds project, Kaja Majoor wants to investigate how graphic scores can be used to create visual representations of sounds, giving both synesthetes and non-synesthetes a chance to experience music in a multi-sensory way.
The project caught the attention of Galerie Ron Mandos in Amsterdam and was selected for the 'Best of Graduates 2023' exhibition. The live performances took place multiple times at the Kröller Müller Museum in August 2023, with additional performances already planned for the coming time.
Performances:
6 July 2023 – Willem de Kooning Academy | Rotterdam
1 August 2o23 – Kröller-Müller Museum | Otterlo
3 August 2o23 – Kröller-Müller Museum | Otterlo
8 August 2o23 – Kröller-Müller Museum | Otterlo
10 August 2o23 – Kröller-Müller Museum |Otterlo
13 August 2023 – Galerie Ron Mandos | Amsterdam
2 September 2023 – Festival de Oversteek | Nijmegen
3 September 2o23 – Kröller-Müller Museum | Otterlo
19 September 2023 – Zefir Zeven 'New Signatures in Stroom | Den Haag
26 October 2023 – Opening EUREKA! Rozet | Arnhem
30 November 2023 – EUREKA! Rozet | Arnhem
12 April 2024 – Master Research Symposium (KC) | Den Haag
20 May 2024 – Leidse Hofjes Festival | Leiden
25 May 2024 – Dat Bolwerck | Zutphen
24 August 2024 – Quartair | Den Haag
12 September 2024 – TorenTuin | Rotterdam
17 October 2024 – Young Professional Event in Amare | Den Haag
22 November 2024 – Joint Research Day (KABK & KC) in Amare | Den Haag
'Let's go Klassiek' – NPO 4
Galerie Ron Mandos Amsterdam – 'Best of Graduates 2023' expositie
Galerie Ron Mandos Amsterdam – 'Best of Graduates 2023' expositie
Intersilence (2024)
In August 2024, Kaja created Intersilence, a new work that continues her exploration of graphic scores and synesthesia. The piece encourages performers to pay attention to the spaces between sounds, showing how silence can be just as important and expressive as the music itself.
For this work, Kaja took a new approach by designing the visuals first and then composing the music to match them. She focused more on shapes than colours, using only four colours with different textures.
Graduation performance and exposition in Quartair Den Haag, August 2024