This lecture was given by Thomas Caplin. During his lecture he expressed the importance for a conductor to have positive mind set when it comes to a new musical piece. If this attitude is not acquired by the conductor, it is possible to send a negative subliminal message which being interpreted by the choir in an subconscious way.
He stated that parts of our brain cannot be controled by us but by others. This is where body and signs language come into place. The conductor can transmit what he wants from the choir by making small gestures with his hands and body.
Not only do gestures and movements influence a choir, scores and colors can take part in the choirs performance. Music and gesture helps remember certain interpretation of symbols. 5 - 10% of the messahe is communicated verbally. 30 - 40 % is how it is expressed. 50 - 60% is how it is comunicated through body language and facial expressions. This is why one unfortunate gesture can ruin everything.
The singer also plays an important role. The singer is known as "the mind reader". It is important that the singers are given freedom so that they too are able to express themselves.
He concluded that the choir director is a guide and a mind controler. The conductor can make the people think, feel and control how they express their musical mind and inner life.
This was a very informative and well presented lecture. It was given with great passion and enthusiasm. Conductors and performers don't realize the effect this can have. It is something that they should all be aware of so that the wrong message is not being transmitted.
Mark Nutley and Charisse Marroquin
Tuesday, 6 May 2008
Saturday, 3 May 2008
Little Amadeus - The Adventures of Young Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Peter Will, producer of Little Amadeus, claims that the show is the biggests success in Germany and expects to compete with Sponge Bob worldwide. At the moment Little Amadeus is being broadcasted in USA, Spain, Portugal, Russia, China, countries in northern Africa and, of course, Germany, amongst others. They are currently negotiating with countries such as Canada, Mexico, Australia and some countries in South America. Some of the targets for 2009 are Central America, Brazil, Scandinavia and Oceania.
Peter Will explained that the purpose of the TV show is to educate children through entertainment. The main objectives were to bring classical music to the kinds and to incentivize musical activity in them. For this, they created a hero that children could look up to but at the same time feel related to him. Mozart and his music seemed to be the right choice. The stories are fictional but some parts are based on true stories. The show is supported by a website and some live events dedicated to children. All of this is run by a non-commecial foundation.
All of the music in the show is recorded live and Will assures that there were no synthesizers used to record any of the songs. All of Mozart's compositions were recorded again for the show by different orchestras. In live shows, there is an orchestra playing the music whille the actors are on stage.
The Little Amadeus Foundation sponsors a 'Special School Day' event, in which professional musicians visit different schools and play for the kids. In these visits, musicians teach the kids something about the instruments so that they can get interested in it. Children are also allowed to explore the different instruments.
Little Amadeus has had a greater success with kids between 3 and 5 years of age and found a little more audience in girls than boys. In the future, Will explains, they expect to create more episodes and perhaps even a film. If things go very well they might even try to create another hero and bring other 'valuable' music to the kids.
Peter Will explained that the purpose of the TV show is to educate children through entertainment. The main objectives were to bring classical music to the kinds and to incentivize musical activity in them. For this, they created a hero that children could look up to but at the same time feel related to him. Mozart and his music seemed to be the right choice. The stories are fictional but some parts are based on true stories. The show is supported by a website and some live events dedicated to children. All of this is run by a non-commecial foundation.
All of the music in the show is recorded live and Will assures that there were no synthesizers used to record any of the songs. All of Mozart's compositions were recorded again for the show by different orchestras. In live shows, there is an orchestra playing the music whille the actors are on stage.
The Little Amadeus Foundation sponsors a 'Special School Day' event, in which professional musicians visit different schools and play for the kids. In these visits, musicians teach the kids something about the instruments so that they can get interested in it. Children are also allowed to explore the different instruments.
Little Amadeus has had a greater success with kids between 3 and 5 years of age and found a little more audience in girls than boys. In the future, Will explains, they expect to create more episodes and perhaps even a film. If things go very well they might even try to create another hero and bring other 'valuable' music to the kids.
Thursday, 1 May 2008
Learning Outcomes for the training of music teachers in schools
meNet er ei gruppe på fire, som freistar å finne ut kva kompetansemål ein kan kreve av ein ferdig utdanna musikkstudent/musikklærar. Gruppa består av Sarah Hennessy, Exeter (UK) & Franz Niermann, Vienna (AT) & Adri de Vugt (NL) & Isolde Malmberg (AT).
Dei går på kryss og tvers av nasjonar, for å utforske kva nivå ein kan legge seg på. Det er nemleg store skilnadar på kor godt musikkutdanninga er etablert i dei ulike landa. Heile 11 europeiske land, 24 aktive institusjonar (slik som t.d. universitet, skular, undervisningsmyndigheter o.l), samt 70 partnarar av andre slag er i samarbeid med gruppa meNet.
Dei har hittil kome fram til eit utkast som tek for seg tre hovudkategoriar av kompetansemål. Dette er A) Musikalsk og didaktisk kunnskap og ferdighetar, B) Generell pedagogisk kompetanse C) Kunnskapen om livslang læring.
I kategori A legg dei fokus på breidde i kompetansen, dette vil sei å ha kunnskap om ulike felt innan musikk, som t.d.sjangrar, tradisjonar og teknologi. I kategori B er det snakk om å kjenne til ulike måtar å lære frå seg på, ulike måtar å evalurere på og korleis ein skal forholde seg til foreldre. Kategori C fokuserar på at ein skal ha oppnådd kompetanse til å kunne utvikle seg sjølv, at ein kan halde fram læringa gjennom resten av livet.
Vi tykkjer foredraget var informativt og bra. Det er interessant å sjå kva kriterier ein kan setje for nyutdanna musikklærarar. For dei som er interesserte, sjå websida deira www.menet.info
Synnøve & Anne Margrethe
Dei går på kryss og tvers av nasjonar, for å utforske kva nivå ein kan legge seg på. Det er nemleg store skilnadar på kor godt musikkutdanninga er etablert i dei ulike landa. Heile 11 europeiske land, 24 aktive institusjonar (slik som t.d. universitet, skular, undervisningsmyndigheter o.l), samt 70 partnarar av andre slag er i samarbeid med gruppa meNet.
Dei har hittil kome fram til eit utkast som tek for seg tre hovudkategoriar av kompetansemål. Dette er A) Musikalsk og didaktisk kunnskap og ferdighetar, B) Generell pedagogisk kompetanse C) Kunnskapen om livslang læring.
I kategori A legg dei fokus på breidde i kompetansen, dette vil sei å ha kunnskap om ulike felt innan musikk, som t.d.sjangrar, tradisjonar og teknologi. I kategori B er det snakk om å kjenne til ulike måtar å lære frå seg på, ulike måtar å evalurere på og korleis ein skal forholde seg til foreldre. Kategori C fokuserar på at ein skal ha oppnådd kompetanse til å kunne utvikle seg sjølv, at ein kan halde fram læringa gjennom resten av livet.
Vi tykkjer foredraget var informativt og bra. Det er interessant å sjå kva kriterier ein kan setje for nyutdanna musikklærarar. For dei som er interesserte, sjå websida deira www.menet.info
Synnøve & Anne Margrethe
University education for music teachers and performers in folk and world music – The Malmö model. Ved Pär Moberg, Sweden
Pär Moberg begynte sin presentasjon med å snakke litt om historien til universitetsutdanningen innenfor folk og world music i Sverige. Han så også på forskjellige læresteder i Malmö området som tilbyr denne, og satte dem inn i en tidslinje. Utdanningen er relativt ny, og det jobbes kontinuerlig for å gjøre den bedre ved å sette spørsmålstegn ved dagens praksis. Eksempelvis nevnes opptaket til studiet som et område hvor det er rom for forbedring. Da det både legges vekt på ferdigheter på instrumentet, og på musikkteori, faller mange lovende instrumentalister igjennom. Andre utfordringer et ungt studium sliter med er å finne et pensum som er godt og relevant for hele elevmassen. Spesielt med en elevmasse som trakterer alt fra sitarer til marimba og hardingfele.
Moberg peker også på fordommer en folkemusikkutdanning møter på. Fra gammelt av hersker det en holdning om at folkemusikk ikke skal kommersialiseres, men være et verktøy i hverdagen. Ulik musikk er knyttet til ulike oppgaver og hendelser, og skal i utgangspunktet ikke fremføres i en utøver-tilskuer setting. Folkemusikken har også vært regnet som mindre verdifull enn den klassiske musikken, og både utøvere og tilhørere sliter med disse gamle forestilningene.
Allikevel har arbeidet gjort i Malmö båret frukter, og Moberg peker på gledelige fremskritt som er kommet som et resultat av at folkemusikken er tatt inn i universitetene. Blant annet har folkemusikere fått tilgang til et nytt arbeidsmarked som musikklærere. De har en bredere aksept blant folk, og har større muligheter for hjelp gjennom offentlige midler. Det eksperimenteres i større grad på tvers av sjangere, og gamle sannheter rundt musikk og musikkutdanning utfordres. Og ikke minst er musikkutdanningen mer relevant da den gjennspeiler menneskene i samfunnet bedre.
Så hva er Malmö modellen? Dette er vanskelig å sette fingeren på, men Moberg nevner noen stikkord.
- Det er viktig å holde et nært samarbeid mellom musiker- og lærerutdanningen.
- Det er viktig å holde et spesielt fokus på det musikalske aspektet ved lærerutdanningen.
-Det er viktig å finne en balanse mellom å grave i sin egen tradisjon, og å se på andres tradisjon.
Videre er Malmö et veldig egnet sted for at slik kulturutveksling skal fungere, da Malmö er en multikulturell by med et levende musikkmiljø.
Moberg peker også på fordommer en folkemusikkutdanning møter på. Fra gammelt av hersker det en holdning om at folkemusikk ikke skal kommersialiseres, men være et verktøy i hverdagen. Ulik musikk er knyttet til ulike oppgaver og hendelser, og skal i utgangspunktet ikke fremføres i en utøver-tilskuer setting. Folkemusikken har også vært regnet som mindre verdifull enn den klassiske musikken, og både utøvere og tilhørere sliter med disse gamle forestilningene.
Allikevel har arbeidet gjort i Malmö båret frukter, og Moberg peker på gledelige fremskritt som er kommet som et resultat av at folkemusikken er tatt inn i universitetene. Blant annet har folkemusikere fått tilgang til et nytt arbeidsmarked som musikklærere. De har en bredere aksept blant folk, og har større muligheter for hjelp gjennom offentlige midler. Det eksperimenteres i større grad på tvers av sjangere, og gamle sannheter rundt musikk og musikkutdanning utfordres. Og ikke minst er musikkutdanningen mer relevant da den gjennspeiler menneskene i samfunnet bedre.
Så hva er Malmö modellen? Dette er vanskelig å sette fingeren på, men Moberg nevner noen stikkord.
- Det er viktig å holde et nært samarbeid mellom musiker- og lærerutdanningen.
- Det er viktig å holde et spesielt fokus på det musikalske aspektet ved lærerutdanningen.
-Det er viktig å finne en balanse mellom å grave i sin egen tradisjon, og å se på andres tradisjon.
Videre er Malmö et veldig egnet sted for at slik kulturutveksling skal fungere, da Malmö er en multikulturell by med et levende musikkmiljø.
The CIIMDA initiative for Culture-sensitive arts education in Africa
Mr. Meki Nzewi told us about the CIIMDA initiative, which uses music as a recourse in helping street children in Africa. The music becomes a tool against criminality. CIIMDA use the drum as main instrument, because it is found over almost all of Africa. If someplace doesn`t have a drum, people can use their own body as one.
Mr. Nzewi showed us a different way of looking at music:
Music is not sound alone,
but needs to be looked upon as a part of
dance, drama, sound and costume.
The music has to have an object and a meaning.
He spoke of life and music, and how closely related these two are. Where there is life, there is music and creativity.
I find the idea of music having a philosophic base, and that one can learn ethics through music, a beautiful way of looking at the topic we are engaged in. Mr. Nzewi showed us this in practice by
demonstrating a rather susprising warm-up-exercise: All the children engaged in CIIMDA has to
slap themselves in their faces before slaping their drum. They learn how to respect other beings
through music.
Mr. Nzewi ended his presentation with a wish to "bring back humanity in music making". On our way out, we got a gift of two healing drum-exercises. One to fall asleep by, and one to wake
up by at the end of long conference days?
Anyway - what really waked me up was the following
concert with the Soccajasco kids who are engaged
in CIIMDA. The children and their helpers rounded off
our second conferance day
by showing us their musicality and joy!
Mr. Nzewi showed us a different way of looking at music:
Music is not sound alone,
but needs to be looked upon as a part of
dance, drama, sound and costume.
The music has to have an object and a meaning.
He spoke of life and music, and how closely related these two are. Where there is life, there is music and creativity.
I find the idea of music having a philosophic base, and that one can learn ethics through music, a beautiful way of looking at the topic we are engaged in. Mr. Nzewi showed us this in practice by
demonstrating a rather susprising warm-up-exercise: All the children engaged in CIIMDA has to
slap themselves in their faces before slaping their drum. They learn how to respect other beings
through music.
Mr. Nzewi ended his presentation with a wish to "bring back humanity in music making". On our way out, we got a gift of two healing drum-exercises. One to fall asleep by, and one to wake
up by at the end of long conference days?
Anyway - what really waked me up was the following
concert with the Soccajasco kids who are engaged
in CIIMDA. The children and their helpers rounded off
our second conferance day
by showing us their musicality and joy!
Tuesday, 29 April 2008
Learning to perform: towards a new understanding of espert musical learning
Learning to perform: towards a new understanding of espert musical learning
Rosie burt-Perkins, Royal College of Music, UK
Rosie is a research officer at the RCM in London. Her presentation is split into two parts. First she explains different theories in expert musical learning. In the second part she tells us about her doctoral work. It´s not always about ”practice makes perfect”. You can´t spend all your time practicing because others will be more prepeared than you for the world outside the 4 squaremeter room you practice in. You have to experience life as it really is.
At RCM they asked a group of students in the program Learning to perform:instrumentalists and instrument teachers differnt questions about how they practice on their instruments, both before, during and after the program. During her presentation she showes us some of the answers from the students. They discover that by expanding their horizon on how they practice on their instruments and also listen to music they normaly wouldn´t listen to they get a different perspective on how it is to be a proffessional musician.
Rosie burt-Perkins, Royal College of Music, UK
Rosie is a research officer at the RCM in London. Her presentation is split into two parts. First she explains different theories in expert musical learning. In the second part she tells us about her doctoral work. It´s not always about ”practice makes perfect”. You can´t spend all your time practicing because others will be more prepeared than you for the world outside the 4 squaremeter room you practice in. You have to experience life as it really is.
At RCM they asked a group of students in the program Learning to perform:instrumentalists and instrument teachers differnt questions about how they practice on their instruments, both before, during and after the program. During her presentation she showes us some of the answers from the students. They discover that by expanding their horizon on how they practice on their instruments and also listen to music they normaly wouldn´t listen to they get a different perspective on how it is to be a proffessional musician.
Performing Arts as Experiential Educational Fields
Første foreleser på årets Bimuc-konferanse var Liora Bresler som er professor ved University of Illinois som har gjort en grundig studie på emnet Performing Arts as Experiential Educational Fields. Hun fortalte for eksempel om forskningsmetodene som blant annet innebar både aktiv og passiv observasjon av grupper og intervjuer med lærere, elever, artister og publikum, men også de som var ansatt på i en konserthall og i tillegg folk hun kom i kontakt med i lokalmiljøet. Gjennom sistnevnte fikk hun deres utenforstående mening, noe som er en interessant betraktning.
Jeg syntes spesielt hennes tanker om likheter og ulikheter mellom artister og lærere var interessante. Felles for begge er for eksempel at begge at de står på en form for scene og skal nå ut til en gruppe mennesker. Det er også felles at man aldri kan bli helt utlært og at det kreves et visst engasjement i tillegg til kreativitet, innovasjon og en rekke andre forutsetninger for å være en god lærer/artist. Ulikhetene går for eksempel på lønnstrinn, om publikum er der fordi de virkelig ønsker å være der og Bresler stilte også spørsmål ved om man trenger et like sterkt indre engasjement som lærer i forhånd til hva man trenger som artist.
Paul Inge
Jeg syntes spesielt hennes tanker om likheter og ulikheter mellom artister og lærere var interessante. Felles for begge er for eksempel at begge at de står på en form for scene og skal nå ut til en gruppe mennesker. Det er også felles at man aldri kan bli helt utlært og at det kreves et visst engasjement i tillegg til kreativitet, innovasjon og en rekke andre forutsetninger for å være en god lærer/artist. Ulikhetene går for eksempel på lønnstrinn, om publikum er der fordi de virkelig ønsker å være der og Bresler stilte også spørsmål ved om man trenger et like sterkt indre engasjement som lærer i forhånd til hva man trenger som artist.
Paul Inge
Music Education and Musical Diversity in Mainland China(By Linn Pauli and Martin Mason)
Jiaxing Xie was the keynote speaker on the second day of the BIMUC conference.
He started by giving us an introduction to the enormity of the Chinese school system by giving us numbers such as 200 000 music teachers. He also gave us an impression of the richness of Chinese traditional music consisting of 56 ethnic groups , 600 traditional instruments and of course, 8000 years of history.
He then moves on to tell us about problems that we can very much relate to in Norway, that is the problem of globalization and the threat it poses to the traditional music. The numbers he presents are dramatic. A study done amongst academics in Bejiing show that 96% like pop, 53 % like Western music and 26 % like traditional music. The most dramatic number is probably that only 2 % of the students in school listen to traditional music.
After this he clarifies the differences between the ways of learning this tradition the "traditional" way and the more formal way of learning in the school system. And points out the need to integrate the traditional into the school system. Seeing as the way to "save" this music is not to document it in the form of recordings, but rather teach it to the children in the schools. With a focus on the local tradition of the area.
This could be done specifically by changing the curriculum, training the teachers and utilizing new technology and techniques. There have already been positive developments such as a requirement that the pupils learn a certain amount of traditional music. Other examples could be that the music teachers are required to learn a traditional instrument and song before they can move on to other styles of music.
He concludes that the approach to music should be like learning language, first you learn your own dialect, then you move on to the "official" language and finally you learn foreign languages.
This means getting to know the songs from your hometown firstly, then move on to for example the Han music, and eventually foreign music.
He started by giving us an introduction to the enormity of the Chinese school system by giving us numbers such as 200 000 music teachers. He also gave us an impression of the richness of Chinese traditional music consisting of 56 ethnic groups , 600 traditional instruments and of course, 8000 years of history.
He then moves on to tell us about problems that we can very much relate to in Norway, that is the problem of globalization and the threat it poses to the traditional music. The numbers he presents are dramatic. A study done amongst academics in Bejiing show that 96% like pop, 53 % like Western music and 26 % like traditional music. The most dramatic number is probably that only 2 % of the students in school listen to traditional music.
After this he clarifies the differences between the ways of learning this tradition the "traditional" way and the more formal way of learning in the school system. And points out the need to integrate the traditional into the school system. Seeing as the way to "save" this music is not to document it in the form of recordings, but rather teach it to the children in the schools. With a focus on the local tradition of the area.
This could be done specifically by changing the curriculum, training the teachers and utilizing new technology and techniques. There have already been positive developments such as a requirement that the pupils learn a certain amount of traditional music. Other examples could be that the music teachers are required to learn a traditional instrument and song before they can move on to other styles of music.
He concludes that the approach to music should be like learning language, first you learn your own dialect, then you move on to the "official" language and finally you learn foreign languages.
This means getting to know the songs from your hometown firstly, then move on to for example the Han music, and eventually foreign music.
Monday, 21 April 2008
BIMUC 2008
The second BIMUC conference is soon approaching! BIMUC 2008 takes place in Hotell Norge, Bergen from 28th-30th of April.
Check out the programme with links to abstracts at http://www.bimuc.no
During the conference this blog will display short descriptions of all the presentations and concerts at BIMUC.
Check out the programme with links to abstracts at http://www.bimuc.no
During the conference this blog will display short descriptions of all the presentations and concerts at BIMUC.
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