Project: Elements
MUSIC, NATURE, FUTURE
"Elements Festival" is an artistic and educational platform which aims to stimulate environmental awareness and responsibility of each member of the society for the future of the Earth.
"Elements" is a symphonic poem by Pawel Pudlo which has become the basis of the "Elements Festival" combining music and environmental education. The idea behind the creation of the "Elements" project was the observation of the changing world today. It is undeniable for all of us that it is essential to solve the problems related to the impact of people on the world around us, e.g., the problem of smog or a pervasive plague of plastic garbage. The latter issue may be one of the biggest challenges that we, as humanity, will have to face in the foreseeable future.
The premiere of the project, which was attended by about 1,000 people, was held in Walbrzych (Poland), on 5-8 December 2018. Spaces for the project included five locations throughout the entire city: the Sudeten Philharmonic Concert Hall, the Pod Atlantami Library, Porcelain Museum, and the Orzeł Biały State Primary School. Within the framework of the "Elements" project, between 5 and 7 December 2018, lectures and educational workshops were conducted on ecological issues that were addressed to almost 500 students from eight Wałbrzych schools (from kindergarten classes to the high school youth).
MUSIC ALBUM
A one-hour symphonic poem of "Elements" is a story about the forces of nature which have formed the world around us for centuries. The symbolism of the elements was used because of its universal recognition, a simple association with natural life and the possibility of metaphorical and artistic expression of the processes occurring in the environment.
The combination of classic ideas and contemporary reality reflects the use of both the great symphony orchestra, ethnic instruments from Africa and Asia and modern electronic instruments in the composition, but also those built with garbage – disposable, plastic bottles and packaging and drums of washing machines. The text layer is sung in Swahili and Latin.
In its symbolism, the work refers to natural elements (earth, water, air and fire). Nowadays, it is becoming more and more obvious that the classical elements have been joined by a new one - humanity, drawing handfuls of Earth's resources for their own needs. "Elements" tell a story about the struggle between the creative and destructive forces, about how people try to tame nature, and the fact that it does not always obediently submit to human actions.