“KITCHEN MUSIC AND THE BUCKET BRIGADE”: MAKING MUSIC WITH ORDINARY THINGS
April 13, 2008
Longy School of Music, Pickman Hall

Kids who attended "Kitchen Music and the Bucket Brigade" on April 13 went home with plenty of ideas for making music with ordinary household items: pots and pans, metal bowls, utensils, and plastic bags and bottles filled with dried beans and rice, shaken percussion style. Serving up these fun-packed "musical meals" were "chefs" Takaaki Masuko and Matthew Taylor, creators and directors of this popular annual performance. The Bucket Brigade featured students from the John W. McCormack School, Boston Latin School and the Community Music Center of Boston. This was the fourth and final performance in Longy's 2007-08 Family Series, generously supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts.

(a)Takaaki Masuko and Matthew Taylor were the “music chefs” for the “Kitchen Music” performances held at Longy. (b) Nothing like a metal laundry tub to make big sounds! (c) Shaking beans in plastic containers, four children from the audience create a new band; from left: Alan, age 9, of Somerville; Cameron, 7, of Stowe; Nathan, 11, of Attleboro; and Casey, 7, of Belmont. (d and g) Members of the “Bucket Brigade” thrilled the crowd with beats that combined elements of drum corps, African rhythm and hip-hop. (e) Samantha, 4, of Chestnut Hill, attended with her aunt, Liz Witherspoon, and sister Izzy, 6. (f) Charlotte, 4, of Arlington, waited patiently for the show to begin. (h) Cameron was one of the kids who got to go on stage; see photo “c.” (i) Tossing beans in a plastic bag makes a delightful “swishy” sound.

Photos by Steve Gilbert.