Ação Sonora com Pastor, Cabras, Cão,

Noemi Fidalgo and I participated inan artist residency in Nodar in 2007 with two sound and musical interventions that sought an interaction with the environment and the involvement of the Nodar population.

First intervention: Sound-walk with shepherd Fernando and his herd of goats.

At first, Noemi and I followed the goats while playing typical street music (“pasacalles”), with a drum and a bagpipe (at this time,the goats looked like they wanted some fun).

After arriving in the farmyard, we switched instruments and held an improvisation with percussion,saxophone and pre-recorded and manipulated computer sounds.

This improvisation was more intimate and relaxed as we concentrated on the movement of sounds.

In the end,Noemi interviewed Fernando. As if they were on the radio, with a microphone on her hand,she asked him about his life, if being a shepherd had some kind of future, if it was true that the wolf had eaten half of his herd, if he liked to dancein the village parties. Fernando replied always so cheerful and light weighted. The twenty people in the audience listened attentively from across the field.

Second intervention: Concert with the Orchestra “Sons da Beira Alta”.

“Sons da Beira Alta” is a group of musicians who play traditional music from the Paiva River region.The instruments they use are violin, two guitars, accordion, saxophone and voice. One of the members of this group is Quim, the shepherd of Parada (a village next to Nodar),whowe already knew from our previous tripsto the region. Despite his old age,he is one of the most active persons in the area.Thanks to him we could enjoy there hearsals they do every Sunday.Noemi and I, respectively with the saxophone and the drums,joined the group and learned the songs from their repertoire.Luis Costa (from Binaural/Nodar) organized a ball in the village of Sequeiros.That party,happened at the end of the artist residence and it was a great moment of gathering among the local residents.No one stopped dancing during the three hours that the ball lasted.