Instrumental Flow is an exploration into the magic of improvisational play and collaborative creation.
Part jam session, part co-created composition. Part conducted piece, part free flow. This is a jam where we’re focusing on connection, on flow, on the dance of taking up space to do your thing and offering space for others to shine. Join us as we explore what we can create when we really listen: to ourselves, to each other, and to the music.
WHO IS THIS EVENT FOR?
All are welcome!! Instrumentalists, singers (the voice is an instrument too!), beginners, and experts alike! Everyone will be invited to participate in some way or another, but feel free to choose your own adventure as you decide how deep to dive into the flow.
WHAT WILL WE GET UP TO?
Our facilitator will lead us in a series of musical improv games and exercises that explore creation from a variety of angles, always with the intention of moving towards deeper listening, greater connectivity, and richer musicality.
7:00pm - DOORS ~ The space opens for mingling with our new friends!
7:15pm(ish) - PLAY ~ We’ll begin by messing around on all the different instruments: ones that are known to us, ones that are new, just a bunch of play time.
7:30pm(ish) - CONNECTION ~ We’ll spend some time connecting & sharing as we learn more about our fellow players and what sorts of places we’re coming from / moving towards.
7:45pm(ish) - GAMES ~ All sorts of experiments and adventures exploring:
rhythm
melody
harmony
groove
song form
genre
duet
improvised cover songs
small ensemble composition
building up to…
9:00pm(ish) - FLOW ~ Free flow, listening in as we follow the music!
These music games, inspired by Rhiannon’s Vocal River curriculum, the Musica do Circulo practice, Bobby McFerrin’s Circle Song School, Jeffrey Noordijk’s Conducted Composition classes, and our own ideations, give us the tools to craft spontaneous compositions that center deep listening, trust, flow, and self-surprise. Together, we will ask ourselves, “How can I listen more deeply to my inner creativity, to my partners, and to the music itself? What does the music want in this moment, and how might I serve the music?”
What a joy, to dip our toes into the flow of collaborative instrumental improvisation. Come on in, the water’s fine!
WHERE ARE WE HANGING?
This event will be held at the amazing Delight Factory, an arts space in Bed-Stuy that was lovingly designed to host jam sessions just like this! (Check out their monthly Ego Free Jam)
SHOULD I BRING INSTRUMENTS?
Delight Factory has all sorts of instruments and music toys on site to play with: pianos, guitars, bass, drums, mics, percussion, melodica, etc.
We also invite you to bring your favorite instruments and music toys of your own! How many different musical colors can we bring into the mix to paint with??
LED & FACILITATED BY:
Jeffrey Noordijk (he/him) is a singer, improviser, creative music leader and vocal coach based in Soest, The Netherlands. He studied at the HKU Utrechts Conservatorium where he started in 2010 at the Bachelor of Music in Education. As a singer he is active as the lead singer in a semi-acoustic duo together with a guitarist, as a sub in various professional coverbands and in 2022 he started to pursue his dream of taking vocal improvisation to the stage. To get himself inspired, he participated in a course led by the legendary Rhiannon which really lighted up the fire. During this course he met three singers from the Vokal Orchester NRW and from August 2022 on he is now also part of the Vokal Orchester NRW.
🌱 🌿 🌳
RESPECT THE SPACE!
This is a beloved venue and we want to honor them! Please be considerate of the space.
LOW-PRESSURE PARTICIPATION
Gaia Music Collective events are participatory, but low-pressure. You'll be invited to sing along and make music with us, but we encourage you to draw your own boundaries and engage at your own pace - we pride ourselves in creating a judgment-free community where you can express yourself however feels right!
LATE ARRIVALS
We ask that you arrive no later than 30 minutes after start time, after which we close the doors (lovingly) in order to preserve the intimacy and trust of the musical container we’re building. Thank you for understanding!
COVID VACCINATION & BOOSTER RECOMMENDED (but masks not required)
CANCELLATION POLICY
Tickets are refundable up to 24 hours before the event, after which we are no longer able to offer refunds. This policy helps us keep these events financially sustainable for both our community and our team. If you RSVP but are no longer able to come, please let us know so that we may offer your spot to someone else! We want as many people to be able to experience these gatherings as possible, and since capacity is limited, each spot is precious.
For more info, contact us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com.
MEDIA CONSENT
Because we want to share what we’re up to with people who can’t join us in person, there will be photographers and videographers present — by attending, you consent to being a part of that media, some of which may be posted online! Please email us with any questions or concerns at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com
NO ONE TURNED AWAY FOR LACK OF FUNDS
Gaia is funded by sliding scale ticket donations, with a “no one turned away for lack of funds” policy. It is of the utmost importance to us that these events remain affordable and accessible - we never want money to be a barrier to making music together. If a ticket scale is financially prohibitive to you, feel free to donate outside of the scale at whatever amount is sustainable for you, or to email us at gaiamusiccollective@gmail.com for volunteer opportunities or assistance!
GAIA MUSIC COLLECTIVE MISSION
Gaia Music Collective is an NYC-based creative community seeking to foster a more connected world through collective music-making. Founded in June of 2021 in a living room in Brooklyn, this project was born out of a desire to create accessible, inclusive, playful spaces for people to explore connection, expression, healing, and release through collaborative song - spaces where folks feel empowered to make music free of judgment or expectation, and to make new friends as our full, beautiful, authentic selves.
We believe that communal music-making is a fundamental human practice, and this project seeks to build spaces for folks to nurture their relationship to music, whether they're shower singers, professional musicians, or anything in between.
All are welcome in this community. Gaia seeks to foster spaces of belonging for humans of all ages, races, genders, sexual orientations, classes, religions, abilities, national origins, languages, and musical experiences. All we ask is that you bring an open mind, a desire to connect, and a willingness to leave judgment of self and others at the door.