Beginner Workshop : Singing & Rhythm with Signs

We’re thrilled to welcome Aixa Figini (ARG-PT) to Brussels on May 31st for a discovery workshop: Singing and Rhythm with Signs!

Aixa Figini is an Argentinian singer, musicologist, producer, and educator. She has taught singing and vocal technique in Argentina and participated in various projects as a tango singer and performer of Argentinian folk music, Latin American music, and vocal improvisation in Buenos Aires and London, where she lived for several years.

Passionate about the creative possibilities of musical improvisation, she studied the system of conducted improvisation known as Rhythm with Signs (Ritmo con Señas), developed by Argentinian percussionist Santiago Vázquez. She is part of several rhythm and improvisation ensembles that use this language and became a certified trainer in 2018 through Musicians Without Borders, an international organization specializing in the use of music as a tool for community building and social cohesion.

Since 2018, she has been based in Lisbon, where she develops several musical projects as an artist, artistic director, and producer. Among them, she leads the all-female vocal improvisation ensemble CIRCULAR, performs with her Latin American music group, and regularly conducts vocal improvisation and singing workshops.

Learn more: www.circularvoices.com

GOAL
The workshop is led by Argentinian singer Aixa Figini and is based on the Rhythm with Signs method. This gestural language allows for real-time conducted improvisation to create original musical compositions and soundscapes in a playful and creative way.

Throughout the workshop, participants will engage in rhythmic games and exercises using voice and body percussion, and will learn traditional songs and rhythms from around the world to enrich their musical vocabulary for improvisation.

RHYTHM WITH SIGNS
Rhythm with Signs is a gestural language used to coordinate group rhythmic improvisations. It can be used with any type of instrument: voices, body percussion, beatboxing... Created in 2005 by Argentinian musician Santiago Vázquez for his group La Bomba de Tiempo, it quickly became a cultural phenomenon and a revolutionary tool that shifted the artistic landscape in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Today, it is used by musicians, educators, and therapists in over 30 countries for its innovative and pedagogical value.

It is also included in the official training programs of several schools and universities worldwide.

The language consists of over 130 hand and body signals used by a conductor to guide musicians through real-time improvisation and create spontaneous compositions. Each gesture directs the group toward different compositional parameters (rhythm, melody, harmony, etc.), shaping the sound material into a unique piece of music.

DATE & TIME
Saturday, May 31st: 2 PM to 5 PM

VENUE
Maison de la Solidarité, Salle Salam
Rue du Viaduc 133, 1050 Ixelles