My composition was initially inspired by the lecture ‘Seeing Voices: Using Art and Science to Understand Psychotic Experience’ by Beth Elliot and Dr Sukhi Shergill.[1] I was particularly interested in the artwork, “To the Farm” by Bryan Charnley, presented by Beth. This work, by an artist who had schizophrenia, expresses the internal and personal nature of hearing voices. Through showing the complex variety of things dominating his mind, such as bugs and ears with mouths, Charnley is able to represent how these hallucinations can take over. The concept of splitting his own head in half, in order to demonstrate what he thinks and feels whilst having a schizophrenic episode, may represent that although doctors are able to diagnose patients with schizophrenia, they are unable to truly understand how a patient experiences these hallucinations. After researching the diagnosis of schizophrenia and the treatment of auditory hallucinations after diagnosis, I found that there is little interest in finding out what the voices are actually like for the people who experience them. For example, whether the voice is male or female or whether the voice is evil or comforting.[2]

            As a result of this initial research, I aimed to create a composition based on specific phrases heard by schizophrenic patients. I studied people who suffer from auditory hallucinations and, through using their description of the voices they heard; I attempted to simulate elements of their hallucinations. In addition to this, I planned to create a composition for two flutes, electric piano and double bass – thus creating a continuous backing for my audio samples.

           It is important to note that this composition does not intend to truly represent what people with auditory hallucinations hear. However I aim for it to trigger the listeners’ interest and curiosity into what people with schizophrenia really experience whilst having auditory hallucinations.