Vocal Statements is an educational project that aims to empower young people—particularly those from low socioeconomic backgrounds—by engaging them in choral singing and vocal expression. Working predominantly with students aged 12–16 in neighborhoods where arts education is limited, Vocal Statements helps participants discover their voices, both literally and figuratively. Through learning songs in various languages from around the world, students not only experience the joy of singing but also develop skills that are essential in any future profession, emphasizing the universal need for voice and self-expression.
During this workshop both Carmen Hovestad and Jaap de Jong will present the methodology of Vocal Statements, as well as the implementation into the curriculum of the Music in Schools department of ArtEZ University of Arts, in Zwolle, The Netherlands.
Through group performances and collaborations with local institutions, Vocal Statements nurtures students' sense of identity, voice, and agency, enabling them to engage actively in society by learning to communicate who they are through music and the arts.
The methodology centers around creating a safe, inclusive environment in which playfulness, vulnerability, and connection are prioritized. Carmen Hovestad, a vocal educator, and her team foster group cohesion, allowing students to express themselves on social issues through group singing. The project’s origins trace back to 2017, initiated by opera singer Anthony Heidweiller and choir conductor Rohan Poldervaart, who envisioned diverse artistic representation by integrating arts education into pre-vocational secondary education in culturally diverse areas. Heidweiller’s vision, alongside educational approaches by Rohan Poldervaart laid the foundational principles of Vocal Statements, combining embodied singing and vocal leadership with inclusivity.

This workshop builds on Ellis P. Torrance's (1966) Torrance Test of Creative Thinking, originally developed for assessing creativity in drawing. Through further development supervised by the second author of this workshop (Kasak, 2017; Lait, 2018), these exercises have been adapted to the fields of movement and sound, unlocking new forms of creative expression in music education via multisensory methods. This workshop aligns with the conference theme by encouraging participants to explore and express their individuality, while introducing approaches to nurture creativity and shape the future of music education through dynamic, embodied practices.

The primary aim of this workshop is to engage participants in creative thinking exercises that foster improvisation through the combination of movement and sound, supporting participants to explore the relationship between body movement, sound, and creative expression.

The workshop progresses through three stages:

1. Use: Participants are guided to creatively use one body part and at the same time one sound.

2. Combine: Two body postures and three movements (walking, jumping, spinning) are combined, while simultaneously exploring two to three sounds.

3. Complement and expand: Participants will explore complex movements across a room by connecting distant points through movements. Similarly, sound exploration will expand by filling an octave or larger interval with multiple sounds.

These exercises are performed in groups, fostering polyphony, harmony, dissonance, and interaction. By integrating movement and sound improvisation, this workshop provides music educators with practical tools to unlock their students' creative potential. The exercises encourage participants to explore their own creative voices while fostering collaboration in group settings. This approach helps shape the future of music education by promoting active, embodied learning and encouraging students to express themselves through innovative, multisensory methods. These techniques can be adapted to a wide range of educational contexts, offering new ways to nurture creativity and personal expression in music learners.