What is DREAM MUSIC TWO?

What is the need for Dream Music, what does it bring to our community? 

The power of art to play a healing role is well documented. In our modern secular society, we have lost physical spaces in which to come together and feel a sense of awe, a sense of connected-ness, and a sense of being in contact with something larger than ourselves.

DREAM MUSIC is a corrective measure to this modern phenomenon. This event combines music and light to impart the attendee with a sense of well being, operating with all of the same principles we find in yoga and meditation without the New Age baggage. DREAM MUSIC puts the listener in a safe, carefully curated setting, designed to deliver a unique and unforgettable experience. This format is an entirely new way of presenting and consuming music, infused with a new kind of spirituality. DREAM MUSIC is part of an international movement, which is being developed and workshopped in Sweden! DREAM MUSIC is a very unique, very special opportunity to experience and be part of this format, early in its existence.

What happens during the six hours, from the beginning to the end?

DREAM MUSIC is a six hour event, during which the audience member is free to come and go at any time. We invite you to come in loose clothing, to lie down, to be comfortable, to rest, and to turn off your phone and unplug from daily sources of stress. We will provide you with pillows etc, and a carefully structured environment, comprised of sound, visually pleasing elements, and lighting intended to bring about a contemplative state.

The day will begin with a guided meditation of approximately 30-40 minutes. Absolutely no prior experience with meditation is required, nor is participation in this expected. This will then be followed by a seamless series of performances, which will weave in and out of each other. This will begin with something like modern classical music (harp/ strings/ etc), moving into more jazz infused stuff (saxophone, vocals), into more "indie rock" material (guitars, light drums) into electronic music, touching on many genres and blending them together. The musicians who have been selected are masters at their craft. 

You are invited to enjoy the sound however you wish, and if you feel the need to take a nap, this is encouraged! The point of this whole thing is to give you a break. You will be in environment where you do not need to pose. You can let yourself be comfortable. No one is watching or judging you or how you chose to spend this time.

Throughout the day, food and drink will be available in the area outside the performance venue, and you are welcome (as mentioned) to come and go as you see fit. The lighting will be designed to shift with the progression of the day, moving through all the colors in the spectrum. For those who are interested in this sort of thing, these colors are related to the colors represented by the "chakras" in accordance with the Indian view of the body, but this is absolutely not important.

What basic/complex needs will be fulfilled through this event?

If approached with an open mind, this event will reward you with (at the very least) a deep sense of relaxation and relief from the modern addiction to the smartphone. Attendees have reported arriving at a meditation-like state, having the opportunity to look inwards, experiencing heretofore undiscovered memories.

Something akin to "light therapy" will also be experienced, much needed particularly in the midst of the darkest months of the year. People have described feeling a sense of connection to their neighbours in a profound way, much like one might experience when singing together in a choir, for example. In addition to the therapeutic effects of the music, there can be physical effects as well, as sound waves can provide the body with a "massage" of sorts. In addition to a heightened sense of well-being, expect to walk out of the event energized and focused. Again people might recognize this phenomenon from a yoga/ pilates/ meditation session. 

Because we are so addicted to our phones and accustomed to reaching for them the moment any difficult emotion or sense of loneliness emerges, we are invited to work on looking at alternatives to this quick-fix we've become so accustomed to. This may mean feeling moments of discomfort (what do I do now?), which then can be dealt with however you see fit. If this is too uncomfortable, step out of the room. If you want to dig deeper into yourself, stick with that feeling and be reminded of what our lives were like before we had a million ways to distract ourselves. And remember: nothing is expected or mandatory. This is all elective and the power rests entirely with the attendee.

For who is DREAM MUSIC TWO? 

DREAM MUSIC is designed for anyone and everyone who has an interest in :

- experimental music, modern classical music (Philip Glass, Terry Reily, Steve Reich, Arvo Pärt) indie pop/ dream pop (Cocteau Twins/ 4AD) , electronic/ ambient music (Brian Eno) and jazz (Alice Coltrane, Miles Davis, Archie Shepp)....as well as modern and traditional "ethnic" classical music (Ravi Shankar/ Nuserat Fakir Ali Khan)

- anyone who is interested in art, particularly performance (the work of Marina Abramovic, Yoko Ono, Laurie Anderson) or installation / light art (James Turrell, Dan Flavin, Olafur Eliasson)

- anyone who is interested in atmospheric film (David Lynch/ Peter Greenaway/ Lynne Ramsey), particularly that which relies on music to create a complete world

- and anyone who has interest in yoga, meditation, Qi-gong, Reiki, Pilates, Deep Listening, mindfulness, etc etc

- anyone who has an interest in reducing their stress levels

- students of music/ medicine/ architecture/ arts etc

- anyone who finds it interesting to participate in a brand new performance format, which is an international movement being developed and workshopped in Sweden, and is soon to be put on in places as far flung as Beirut and Havana