Hearing colours, feeling sounds, tasting shapes.
- Music
Have you ever experienced hearing a sound when you see a color? Or seeing colors when you encounter specific numbers? This fascinating blending of the senses is called synesthesia. Sarah-Jane Himmelsbach, a violinist, composer, and master's student Jazz & Pop in Arnhem, has become intrigued by this phenomenon. For her graduation project, she explored how sensorial experiences can be used as an artistic tool to create music and dance.
Sarah-Jane also thinks she has some degree of synesthesia. "For example, when I look at a picture, I immediately take it in musically. This means that my brain uses a different sensual modality to perceive it." Sarah-Jane is working with dancers on her graduation project. "I try to ask myself: how do movements sound to me? But I also ask my dancers to discover the multi-sensory within themselves—what does this image mean to you, what does this sound mean to you, or how would this color or texture look as movement? I also ask myself: how can this exploration of meaning help me unleash my creativity? And then there is, of course, the audience with their own interpretation."
Everyone has a little bit of synesthesia
During her final performance, Sarah also wants to have a conversation with the audience about her research. "Just to explain to the audience what I've been experimenting with during my master's course and to make explicit what I've discovered during my studies at ArtEZ. Apart from that, I believe that everyone has a little bit of synesthesia—we associate light colors with high, light tones and dark colors with deeper tones."
I thought: O, this is heaven. When I ask for help, I’m asking people who are really good in their specific field.
A passion for merging different senses
Sarah-Jane, a classically trained violinist with a diploma, boasts an impressive twenty years of on-stage experience in tango music, independent pop music, and acoustic folk music. Her fascination with sensorial experiences in music began during a visit to the 'Musicube,' a renowned school in Bonn, Germany. "My lecturers there noticed my keen interest in merging different senses and recommended that I pursue the master's course in Jazz & Pop in Arnhem."
Enthusiastically embracing their advice, Sarah-Jane embarked on the master's course, electing to specialize in composition for film and theater. When asked about her motivation, she eloquently explained, "I was drawn to film and theater because they truly excel in merging the senses. Composers in these fields must grasp the essence of each scene to create music that seamlessly complements the storytelling."
Upon joining ArtEZ, Sarah-Jane immediately felt a sense of belonging. "ArtEZ provides a nurturing environment where one can freely choose their teachers and pursue their specific interests. It though: 'O, this is heaven.I thought: O, this is heaven. When I ask for help, I’m asking people who are really good in their specific field'"
Be brave
After she graduates, Sarah-Jane plans to pursue a PhD. “Artistic research on the sensorial experiences as part of the artistic process really captivated my interest during my time at ArtEZ: this is truly my subject! I feel less alone when thinking about how things are connected.” She advises interested students to find their own subject. “Just something you really want to dig into. The master’s course is more than a prolonged bachelor: it’s about finding the essence of you as a person and an artist.” After taking a moment, she adds: “Be brave. Talk to lecturers, talk to the other departments at ArtEZ if you feel there you can find answers to your questions: there is a rich pool of knowledge and help at this university. Articulate what you really need as the lecturers and head of course work hard to make as much possible as they can to help you reach your goals. It will help you in the end if you are clear about this.”
