OPEN BAND 开放乐队从2024年4月第一次举办活动，至今已经举办了12次线下活动，以及3次特别活动。十分感谢所有让这个项目成为现实的所有朋友们！
Since its first event in April 2024, OPEN BAND has held 12 regular gatherings and 3 special events. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this project a reality!
fruityspace 作为活动场地无条件地支持，让每一次的聚集成为可能；初夏、桐歌、姜、申奥、经纬、大红、Bowrain、东旭、昊斌、伯翰作为主持人给活动镶上了气质各异的氛围；所有的参与者带着热情加入到一个不可预测的空间中，让每一次活动走向不同的方向……
Fruityspace has unconditionally supported us by providing the venue, making every gathering possible. Our wonderful hosts—Chuxia, Tong Ge, Jiang, Shen Ao, Jingwei, Dahong, Bowrain, Dongxu, Haobin, and Bohan—each brought their own unique vibe to the sessions. And to all the participants: thank you for stepping into an unpredictable space with such enthusiasm, allowing each event to unfold in its own direction...
我很感激大家放下拘束，让发声开始！开放乐队不在舞台上，也不在别处，只存在于我们之间。
I'm deeply grateful that we’ve all let go of inhibitions and allowed the act of sounding to begin. OPEN BAND isn’t on a stage, nor anywhere else—it only exists between us.
开放乐队的最初的设想其实来自于我读大学时参与的即兴社团，它由Iris Garrelfs主持。它在固定的时间大门敞开，欢迎所有人进入。这里很快就成为了我感到舒服的地方，我在这里放下了技巧与符号，以身体上最舒服的方式和携带各自听觉经验的人们交流。
The original idea for OPEN BAND actually came from an improvisation group I joined during my undergraduate years, hosted by Iris Garrelfs. At a fixed time, its doors would open wide, welcoming anyone to step in. It quickly became a place where I felt at ease—a space where I could set aside technique and symbols, and communicate with others, each carrying their own auditory experiences, in a way that felt physically natural to me.
这种交流没有任何的攻击性，温柔且人性。当发出的声音得到了回应，我总是会在心底涌上一股暖意，这也许就是善意的交流。在我享受这个氛围的同时，愈发感到这种力量需要得到延续，这便有了开放乐队。
This kind of exchange was never aggressive—it was gentle and human. Whenever a sound I made was responded to, a wave of warmth would rise in my heart. Perhaps that’s what benevolent communication feels like. As I immersed myself in that atmosphere, I increasingly felt that this power needed to be carried forward—and so, OPEN BAND was born.
Yes, that probably means I started this project from a selfish place. And that’s true—almost all of my creative work begins with fulfilling my own needs, because that’s what gives me the strength to keep going. But closely following that is the hope that the work itself can extend beyond me—to reach others, and perhaps fulfill them too.
每一次的OPENBAND都由四个部分组成：1 试音 2 创意环节 3 二重奏 4 大合奏，其中插入自我介绍以及讨论环节，活动以大合奏作为目标展开。
Each OPEN BAND session consists of four parts: Sound Check / Creative session / Duo & Trio / Group Ensemble Self-introductions and group discussions are interwoven throughout, with the group ensemble as the central goal of the event.
活动由试音开始，以开放的方式邀请所有在场的人携乐器加入，打破尴尬大胆发声；创意环节根据上次活动中出现的不够融合的情况进行设计，为这次活动的大合奏打下聆听基础，强调音色与质感的演奏，去除乐队中不同器乐之间存在的等级制度；二重奏构建小范围的合奏，强调参与者彼此亲密的交流；大合奏是经历前面的交流融合后的一次有意识的合奏。
The session begins with a Sound Check, where everyone present is openly invited to join in with their instruments—breaking the ice and encouraging bold, uninhibited sound-making.
The Creative Segment is designed in response to moments of disconnection observed in the previous session. It lays a foundation for deep listening in the group ensemble, focusing on tone and texture, while intentionally removing the hierarchy often found between different instruments in a traditional band setup.
The Duo & Trio create space for more intimate interactions, allowing participants to connect closely with one another through sound.
Finally, the Playing Together brings everyone together in a conscious, collective improvisation—built upon the communication and blending that has taken place throughout the session.
自闭与焦虑曾经是必须面对的，交流逐渐变得令人绝望，越来越偏激，那些执念又具体又虚弱，内火外寒。
Social withdrawal and anxiety were once things I had to confront. Communication gradually became disheartening, turning into something painful and extreme. My obsessions were at once specific and fragile—burning inside, yet cold on the surface.
即兴作为我长期的创作手段之一，是我构建灵感调色盘的方法，又是我从执念中跳脱出来的路径。我通过即兴拆解自己练习的乐曲为更小的单元，重新排列组合成可以让我感到刺激的新玩意。这些都使我感觉，学习以即兴为主要创作方式的音乐是我的唯一出路。
Improvisation, as one of my long-term creative methods, became both a way of building my palette of inspiration and a path out of obsession. Through improvisation, I break down pieces I’ve practiced into smaller units, rearranging and reassembling them into something fresh and exciting. This process has made me feel that learning to create through improvisation might be my only real path forward.
If divergences can’t be completely trimmed away, then how might they be woven into collective playing?
We bring our own fixations into the space, waiting for others to observe them, maybe even alter them. This will destabilize our world, sure, but maybe that’s the norm.
It’s like suddenly finding a chunk of tripe in your beef noodle soup… sometimes life is just like that.
How do we cultivate an aesthetic for the unexpected?
By suspending our obsessions, even briefly, and trying to listen to something else—communication begins.
在执念的拆解与重组中交流发生着，OPENBAND希望已经创造了这样的时刻。每个人都是宝贵的记忆携带体，在反复打开供人参观时，新的东西总会留在里面。碎片化的信息时代将所有形式的文化记忆提取成胶囊，喝水一并服下。MBTI、星座或者什么别的，我们真的可以这样分类吗？我表示怀疑，又或者我们没必要完全理解他人。
xchange happens in the disassembling and rearranging of obsession.
OPEN BAND hopes it has already created such moments.
Each person is a carrier of precious memories, and each time we open ourselves up for others to visit, something new always finds its way in.
In this age of fragmented information, all forms of cultural memory get condensed into capsules—take one with water and move on.
MBTI, star signs, or whatever else—can we really be sorted like that?
I’m not so sure.
Or maybe, we don’t really need to fully understand each other.
反过来修剪自我以匹配一些既定框架很实际，它会带来一些精神所需的必要物质。但这些练习却带有一丝令人怀疑的负面意味，“真实的自我可能无法被接受，修剪过的人才有可能获得爱。” 这种牺牲看上去是必需的，但应控制以防深入组织。想象一座大楼的构建是由中空的结构组成，谁又有能力作为承重墙？看似分野清晰的也有很多重叠可以探索，而渺小与强大其实也取决于信徒的多寡。
Trimming ourselves to fit certain frameworks is practical—it provides the material security our minds sometimes need.
But this practice carries a troubling implication:
“The real me may not be accepted; only the edited version is lovable.”
It’s a sacrifice that may seem necessary—but one that must be managed carefully, before it cuts too deep.
Imagine a building constructed from hollow structures—who then bears the weight?
Even what appears clearly divided holds overlaps worth exploring.
And perhaps—
Smallness or power depends only on how many people believe in it.
OPENBAND 开放乐队作为一个即兴活动，但却只字未提“即兴”二字，原因是一部分人认为“即兴”这个词语已有较强的风格倾向。为了不掉入另一个话语中，使用“开放”这个字眼就显得更加模糊与轻松，更多人因此愿意参与。说它是一个声音创作活动，其实也是一种社交；也就是说除了鼓励在音乐上相互聆听和交流之外，构建良好的社群氛围也是实践之一。
Although OPEN BAND is an improvisation-based activity, the word “improvisation” is never actually mentioned. That’s because, for some people, the term already carries strong stylistic connotations. To avoid falling into yet another fixed discourse, we chose the word “open” instead—it feels more ambiguous, more relaxed, and as a result, more inviting.
Calling it a "OPEN" activity is also, in a way, calling it a form of social practice.
That is to say: beyond encouraging mutual listening and musical exchange, a core part of the practice is also about fostering a healthy and welcoming community atmosphere.
参与者并非都对自己的表达信心十足。有舞台恐惧的音乐演奏者、不相信自己会合群的独奏者、或社交压力与表达欲望都很大的矛盾体…… 我通过将目标锚定在把不同乐器的表现力拉平来设计环节：每人都只能发出单次声响的“投硬币”，鼓励在团体即兴中找突破的“突然地独奏”，再到小范围沟通的“二重奏”，确保每个人以及小组都能有表达的机会并被听到。
Not every participant arrives with full confidence in their own expression.
Some are performers who experience stage fright. Some are soloists who doubt they can ever blend in. Others are bundles of contradictions—carrying both social anxiety and a strong desire to express.
So I design the sessions with the aim of leveling the expressive playing field across different instruments:
from “Coin Toss”, where each person is only allowed to make a single sound at a time,
to “Sudden Solo”, encouraging spontaneous breakthroughs during group improvisation,
to “Duets”, enabling intimate, small-scale communication—
these formats ensure that everyone, whether alone or in a group, has the chance to express themselves and be heard.
其实发出意料之外的声音也很令人兴奋，甚至是那些荒唐好笑的声音。
In fact, making unexpected sounds can be exhilarating—even the strange, absurd, or funny ones.
互联网让人们更虚弱，更孤独了。自我封闭的倾向喂养着不信任感，进而演变为更加谨慎的信息交换。当习惯了将生活作为展示品，眼下的生活就变得十分虚幻。而线下活动的意义，就是以某种方式团聚。
The internet has made people more fragile, more isolated.
Our tendency toward self-enclosure feeds into mistrust, which in turn leads to ever more cautious exchanges of information.
When life becomes something we’re used to displaying, the present moment starts to feel unreal.
In contrast, the meaning of offline gatherings lies precisely in coming together, in some form or another.
OPENBAND 想要以定期出现的方式，让器乐演奏具有创演属性。与其塑造某个作品，更多是以社会的角度看待音乐中如何构建合作、等级、沟通与互动。这样的形式剥离了音乐作为展示品的属性，更自然地将本地元素融入到声音中。语言、乐器、乐句、手法…… 每个人都在这个地方以自己的轨迹生活着，而他们的演奏就是这片土地真实的映射。
OPEN BAND aims to make instrumental performance a space of co-creation, simply through regular appearances.
Rather than focusing on crafting a finished “work,” the intention is to explore, from a social perspective, how collaboration, hierarchy, communication, and interaction are constructed in music.
This kind of format strips music of its role as a display object and allows local elements to naturally flow into the sound—
languages, instruments, phrases, techniques...
Everyone lives their own path in this place, and their playing becomes an honest reflection of the land they inhabit.
虽然活动不以塑造“动听的音乐”为目的，但仍然有许多令人兴奋的时刻，这取决于彼此之间的聆听。自发地情愿聆听，身体舒适地放松聆听，空间中的回响以及反馈…… 这些都决定了对声音的觉知程度。
Though the goal is not to create “beautiful music” per se, there are still many moments of excitement—
they arise from listening.
A willingness to listen, voluntarily and with ease.
The comfort of relaxed bodies.
The reverberation of sound and the feedback of space...
All of these shape the depth of our awareness of sound.
在文字/图像主导的信息世界中，声音被看作是一种过于抽象的交流，是填补信息缝隙的辅料，但它也可以抽象成某种实感。某个音景塑造某个空间，某个声响代表某个事件，某个流派代表某类人群，某个频率刺激某个脑区…… 有没有可能不用文字进行交流？
In a world dominated by text and images, sound is often seen as too abstract to serve as a primary mode of communication—something supplemental, used to fill the gaps between more “concrete” information.
Yet sound can also be abstracted into a sense of reality:
a soundscape shapes a space;
a sound signifies an event;
a genre speaks for a community;
a frequency activates a part of the brain...
So—is it possible to communicate without using words?
再回到主持人上。大家真的是用爱发电了，其实我并不想这样的情况出现。主持人需要准备得挺多：商量创意环节内容、熟悉活动流程、偶尔需要打印议程等。由于活动本身的主角是参与者，主持人发挥的空间就十分有限。他们对场内的人群要有所感知，但又不能干扰太多，同时还要调动领导力和自己对音乐教育的理解…… 大家真的辛苦了！
Returning to the topic of our hosts:
They’ve truly been running on love alone, and honestly, that’s not something I ever wanted to rely on.
There’s quite a bit of preparation involved in hosting—discussing the creative segment, getting familiar with the event structure, sometimes even printing the agenda.
And since the main characters of OPEN BAND are always the participants, the role of the host often feels restricted.
They have to stay attuned to the group without interfering too much, while also exercising leadership and drawing on their understanding of music education...
I’m really grateful. It’s not easy.
总而言之，活动目给了我很多的思考，很多并没完全思考清楚。恐怕这是需要结合实践才能得出结论，而我大多数时间都只能坐在电脑前想象以及反复聆听录音。或许一周年之际它到了瓶颈期，该稍微暂停一段时间。
All in all, this project has given me a lot to reflect on—many things I still haven’t fully figured out.
Perhaps some answers can only emerge through ongoing practice.
But for most of the time, I’m stuck behind a computer screen, imagining possibilities and listening to recordings on repeat.
Maybe, now that we’re reaching the one-year mark, OPEN BAND has hit a kind of bottleneck—and it’s time to take a small pause.
This month marks OPEN BAND’s first anniversary.
We’re planning two events:
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“OPEN SCORE”, a special session we host every four gatherings, will take place on Sunday, April 13th, 2025, from 2–5pm at Xiaozu Gongzuo, hosted by Chuxia.
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The regular OPEN BAND anniversary event will happen on Tuesday, April 15th, 2025, from 8–10pm at Fruityspace, hosted by Tong Ge.
Thank you all for your enthusiastic participation throughout the past year!
Wishing everyone good creating—and good living.
