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I never imagined that the many limitations enforced by coronavirus would act as a creative stimulus, but I\u2019ve consistently been astonished to see profound, moving, astonishing and wonderfully silly moments on social media since the advent of corona virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It\u2019s got me thinking about creativity and constraint. Constraints can push us into new and unexpected territory. As artists, we often find it useful to impose deliberate constraints upon ourselves as a way of firing up new ideas. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Some poets and writers give themselves prompts, for example including a certain number of unrelated words from a list, writing in a particular form, or in words of only one syllable. Not having access to the words we normally use can oblige us to experiment and thus make new discoveries. It might sound strange on one hand, but, on the other, it can result in fresh and interesting work, and the writer avoids the terror of staring at a blank page and wondering what to say.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Likewise, musicians may give themselves limitations, like only practising a few bars of a piece or using a specific technique, or only composing for a particular ensemble, or using an unusual scale or rhythmic pattern.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In the following clip, we get to experience an orchestra as individuals seen up close and personal in their own living quarters, finding ways to make music together nonetheless.<\/p>\n\n\n\n