Saturday 9th December 2023, from midday GMT, to mark International Human Rights Day, we joined Peace Frequencies, a network of radio stations worldwide for an emergency 24-hour broadcast, in which audio makers across the globe explored what peace means to them.

Broadcaster, writer and agitator Gemma Cairney brought together a unique collection of presenters, audio makers, activists, sound recordists, storytellers and musicians, for a mixture of conversation, reflection, provocation and music.

It explored the meaning of peace at a time when the concept feels increasingly distant; bringing together voices from around the globe, including Australia, Uruguay, UK, Japan, Palestine, Croatia, China, and more.

Our segment, Innocence Interlude (Music By Children), was compiled by LOOSE founder Mark Three:

“I’ve always loved listening to children performing music. Sometimes there’s something in the oddity of tempo or the energy in the attack that can’t be replicated by a grown-up. Sometimes the music talks harder, the saddest notes keening through the performer’s inexperience. Sometimes humility, egos not yet hardened by life’s expectations, belies a dormant genius (for example, when 11-year-old Kalina here completes a near-virtuoso violin recital and grumbles “that was wrong”). When asked to provide a program on the theme of “peace”, this is where I immediately went. These most fragile voices should not be forced to suffer by men who unleash violence in pursuit of power. Here are recordings - some found, some known by me personally, some published last century - of music performed by, or elevated by the performances of, children."

LOOSE.FM

PEACE FREQUENCIES - INNOCENCE INTERLUDE W/ MARK THREE - 9 DEC 23

If memory serves, this was the second song I ever wrote (the first was "Rusty, My Favorite Dog"). It was 1968 and I was ten years old. I specifically remember that when I heard the Beatles’ “Goodnight,” I thought to myself: I came up with my song first. This short version represents the state of the song as I left it when I originally created it. The lyrics cut off after “Listen to the birds sing everyday…” I imagined an elongated section that would repeat into a sunny dreamscape. I didn’t have the patience to compose the extension while young. Happily I have since recorded the song with the extended section. Here’s where you can hear the finished version: https://on.soundcloud.com/4sFgG4TJY5HhugNc6. Here’s a musical sketch: https://on.soundcloud.com/5XDwwVXA4tihE5em9.

Goodnight Everybody

If memory serves, this was the first song I ever wrote. I was around 9 or 10 years old. My brother Monte Paul Bohacz and I liked to sing it with our niece and nephew Donna McFarland and James Mefford, celebrating their pets Rusty and Tiki. Finley the fish was my pet. I didn't get around to recording this until 2024.

Early Bohacz Music

Rusty, My Favorite Dog

If memory serves, this was the second song I ever wrote (the first was "Rusty, My Favorite Dog"). It was 1968 and I was ten years old. I specifically remember that when I heard the Beatles’ “Goodnight,” I thought to myself: I came up with my song first. This long version finishes the song the way I more or less imagined it as a child, with an elongated section that would repeat into a sunny dreamscape. I didn’t have the patience to compose the extension while young but now it’s finished with the dreamscape transformed into a nightmare. Trish Happel produced this version. Here’s where you can hear the earlier version: https://on.soundcloud.com/91WPYHhbsD46ztm99. Here’s a musical sketch: on.soundcloud.com/5XDwwVXA4tihE5em9.

I consider myself a fringe conceptual artist and have experimented with all kinds of media like drawing, performance, writing, music, painting, moviemaking, game design since I was quite young. I'd love it if you would check out what I've got going here in the sound department.

New tracks tagged #music by children