A research group to examine the best way to expand education in media art in a practical manner. The workshop’s first theme was “The Here and Now of Musical Instruments and Ensembles.” Planned by art critics MORIOKA Yoshitomo and ARIMA Sumihisa, with the participation of artists NAKANO Teruo, HIRANO Jiro, MAEBAYASHI Akitsugu, and SAKAKIBARA Ken'ichi. Reconsidering the concept of the musical instrument and the act of musical performance by viewing instruments as “tools for converting information” and “processes of communication” conceptually new types of musical instruments were created. Over the course of about three months, this research group analyzed the history of musical instruments and investigated the structure of modern electronic instruments. The relation of electronic instruments to the body and methods of communication were also discussed. Next, the group created about 10 instruments including: an instrument that used the whole body to play an analog synthesizer, an instrument that controlled pitch by means of distance sensors, and an instrument that used the performer’s heartbeat as a trigger. The group used the concept of communication as their starting point, and in creating instruments conducted research on the form of the ensemble and then held a performance.