Space to Begin: Kasia Eliasz reflects on her Navigator Residency at Courthouse Arts Centre

Tinahely is such a charming little town. The weather was beautiful for most of the week, sunny and bright, and the forests and open views nearby made the residency feel even more refreshing and mindful. Courthouse Arts Centre is a lovely old building with a real sense of community. There were concerts, exhibitions, school visits and many different activities happening around the building. It felt like a place that is genuinely part of the life of the town.

My aim for the residency was to begin creating ShooBeeBop from scratch. It is a new musical story for children about two bee friends, ShooBee and BeeBop, and their adventures through sound, rhythm and imagination. I came to Tinahely with an early idea for the project, but during the residency I was able to start writing the story, shaping the characters and beginning to imagine their musical world. The residency also gave me time to experiment with how scat singing could become part of the story.

I wanted the music to feel playful, funny and easy for children to enter. I spent time trying out sounds, small melodies, vocal games and musical characters, allowing the world of ShooBee and BeeBop to slowly take shape. What interested me most was finding ways for scat singing to become a language children can join without needing to know the right words.

As a Polish artist living and working in Ireland, I am very aware that language can sometimes be a barrier in children’s performance. Not every child will understand every word, feel confident singing in English, or want to join in through spoken language. I wanted ShooBeeBop to be a musical world that children could enter in their own way. Scat singing felt like a natural starting point because it is expressive, playful and does not depend on words. A sound, rhythm or funny vocal phrase can be shared across languages.

As a mum of a young baby, I was not able to be in the space for full days, but I had something I had not had for months: a few hours of time on my own. That was very meaningful. I could sit with an idea without rushing, write, sing, make mistakes and follow things that might not lead anywhere straight away. That kind of time is often where a new project really begins.

During the residency, I also visited the local school and had the pleasure of meeting the children, getting to know them a little and trying out some early ideas for the project. Their reactions reminded me that the work needs space for silliness, repetition, surprise and participation. It was useful to begin imagining not only what ShooBeeBop will sound like, but how children might respond, copy sounds, invent their own rhythms and become part of the musical world.

I will return to the school to deliver workshops with pianist Leopoldo Osio. This feels especially important to me, as I am excited to introduce the children to his music and to continue developing ShooBeeBop through their voices, responses and imagination.

I am hopeful that this residency is the beginning of a longer-term relationship with Courthouse Arts Centre, such a welcoming and inspiring place to work. It has also given me an important starting point for ShooBeeBop, a new playful live-music project for children that I hope will continue to grow through workshops, collaboration and time spent listening to young audiences.

Thank you to Improvised Music Company and everyone at Courthouse Arts Centre for making the residency possible, and for giving me the time, welcome and space to begin.

kasiaeliasz.com
courthousearts.ie