Musical Clay: Whistles & Ocarinas with Fiona McLeod

Musical Clay: Whistles & Ocarinas with Fiona McLeod - Image 2

Musical Clay: Whistles & Ocarinas with Fiona McLeod

$250.00

Explore the playful possibilities of sound and clay as you learn to make whistles and ocarinas in this two-part course. Using handbuilding techniques, discover how shape and airflow create sound, and experiment with adjusting your forms to get them singing. Suitable for beginners and more experienced potters, with plenty of scope to play with form, decoration and ideas that can be carried into your own practice.

Date:	Saturday 30 & Sunday 31 January 2027
Time:	3:30pm - 6:30pm each day
Teacher(s):	Fiona McLeod
Location:	Workshop One

10 SPOTS LEFT

Description

Bring sound to your ceramics in this hands-on course exploring the fundamental forms and techniques used to create ceramic whistles and ocarinas.

Participants will learn how to construct hollow musical forms using pinch pots and coils, then explore the key elements that transform clay into a sound-making piece. The course will cover creating the air channel and aperture, adjusting and refining forms to improve sound, and troubleshooting common issues.

Participants will build, test and refine their instruments before decorating their finished pieces. The emphasis is on understanding how shape, hollow form and airflow work together to create sound, with opportunities to experiment and develop individual forms.

Suitable for beginners and more experienced potters, this course offers an opportunity to explore the relationship between form and sound. More experienced makers can also apply these fundamental principles to their existing practice, including incorporating sound-making elements into wheel-thrown or other ceramic forms.

THROUGHOUT THE COURSE, YOU WILL:

Build whistles and ocarinas using pinch pots and coils.
Learn to create the air channel and aperture that produce sound.
Test, adjust and troubleshoot your instruments.
Refine forms to improve sound.
Experiment with decorating your finished pieces.
Explore ways to incorporate sound-making elements into your own ceramic practice.

FACILITATOR BIO

Fiona McLeod
Fiona McLeod is a Canberra-based ceramic artist with a particular interest in musical instruments and playful objects. Her practice explores handbuilding, form and sound, bringing a practical and experimental approach to creating and teaching ceramic whistles and ocarinas.

COURSE STRUCTURE

Session 1: Building & Making Sound
An introduction to ceramic whistles and ocarinas, exploring how shape, hollow form and airflow work together to produce sound.
Participants will learn handbuilding techniques using pinch pots and coils, then explore the construction of air channels and apertures. Time will be spent testing forms and making adjustments to develop working instruments.

Session 2: Testing, Refining & Decorating
Participants will continue developing their instruments, testing and refining forms to improve sound and troubleshoot common issues.
The session will also explore decorating finished pieces, with opportunities to experiment with individual forms and consider how sound-making techniques might be incorporated into other ceramic work.

OUTCOMES

By the end of the course, you will have:

Developed an understanding of the basic principles of ceramic sound-making.
Learned handbuilding techniques for constructing whistles and ocarinas.
Explored how air channels, apertures and form affect sound.
Practised testing and refining instruments.
Created ceramic musical pieces with opportunities for individual decoration.
Gained ideas for incorporating sound-making into your own ceramic practice.

Notes
This course is suitable for beginners and more experienced potters interested in exploring sound and clay. Some handbuilding experience may be helpful but is not essential.
Fees: Include tuition, studio access, clay, and bisque firing and clear glazing of up to two pieces by Canberra Potters technical staff. Finished pieces will be ready for collection five weeks after the final class.

WHAT TO BRING

An old towel and an apron.
A water bottle.

Wear sturdy, covered shoes. Long hair must be tied back, and please leave precious jewellery at home for safety.

Important Information

Duration: Two days – 3:30pm to 6:30pm each day
Fees: Include tuition, studio access and clay. Canberra Potters technical staff will bisque fire and clear glaze up to two pieces per participant.
What to Bring: Please bring your basic pottery toolkit, a cleaning sponge, an apron, and clean towels. Wear sturdy, enclosed shoes, tie back long hair, and leave any precious jewellery at home for safety.
Studio Clean-Up: To maintain a safe and healthy environment, it is a requirement of class attendance that participants clean their workspaces and assist with the general clean-up of the workshop at the end of each class.

Terms and Conditions

Refund Policy – Classes & Short Courses:

Class fees will be refunded, less a 10% admin fee, if cancellation is notified more than 10 business days before the first class date.
If less than 10 business days’ notice is given then a refund, less 10%, will only be given if the place can be taken by another student otherwise the full fee is forfeited.
Please view your booking as a commitment to attend.
Classes cannot be transferred from one term to another or one year to another.
If a class is cancelled due to lack of enrolments, 100% of your class fee will be refunded.
All changes to bookings and refunds incur a 10% administration fee.
Canberra Potters will not issue refunds for missed classes or missed emails. Please ensure you have saved the following Canberra Potters emails to your contact list.
Canberra Potters is a teaching facility and students attend our classes to learn about pottery. Imperfect, broken and cracked items are part of the learning process. We do not provide refunds for work that cracks or breaks while drying, during firing or in general class activities.