Re: Standardizing...Going to Spah etc

[Joe and Cass Leone <leone@xxxxxxxx>]

On Jun 14, 2004, at 11:15 AM, Garry Hodgson wrote:

>
> "Bob Maglinte" <bbqbob917@xxxxxxxxxxx> wrote:
>
>> not enough teachers
>> encourage experimenting enough and sometimes are too much of a 
>> stickler of
>> doing everything by rote, and so by doing that, it's no wonder you 
>> see too
>> many who are totally helpless without the sheet music in front of 
>> them.
>
> this is a pet peeve of mine, with the way music is taught in the 
> schools.
> i've got three daughters who've been through varying degrees of music
> education, and i've sat through a lot of school band concerts.
> my oldest, a HS junior, is a wonderful flute player.  she can sight 
> read,
> plays in the marching band, great stuff.  but she looks at me like i'm 
> from
> mars if i even suggest the idea of jamming, and can't (or won't) play 
> anything
> that she doesn't have sheet music in front of her for.

   * OK, I have read this several times and absorbed it.
>
> and this makes sense, as they're never taught to do anything but play
> what somebody else wrote, exactly as written, at the direction of the
> music teacher.

   * Yes, at THAT level of her studies.

>   which is fine, perhaps, for the tiny fraction that'll end up in
> orchestras.

   * Yes, that is the perpetuation of the art. It's like a rice bowl. 
People have something they do and that something supports them. It is a 
means and a where with all so as to allow the purchase of rice, which 
is then prepared for consumption. If said person is doing something 
they like and it is palatable enough so that they may be able to do it 
year after year and survive, they (like an animal protecting it's food 
source), will tend to keep things going as smoothly as possible making 
as few ripples as possible.

  The music art is such that persons from years gone by have laid out a 
system. This system is then followed, modified, improved upon and then 
put forth to the general masses.

  At one time musicians were fops, clowns, and idlers who travelled 
around amusing others. They found this to be much easier than being a 
serf and tossing animal fodder and manure all day. In other words, they 
didn't have a "day" job. IF they were lucky enough to catch the 
attention of a nobleman or find a town where they were appreciated 
enough, they would collect enough coin to eat. Not much difference 
today. Some make it to stardom, most don't

  It becomes a "dues" issue. A person is expected to reach certain 
levels at certain times to be accepted into the clan and as such, the 
people who teach and perpetuate the art (having seniority?) follow a 
set of guidelines. Primary education into music will have stricter 
guidelines than for (say) the already initiated/established. Same is 
true of ANY course of study.

>   but it means that, for most of them, once they leave
> school, their musical life is over.

  * "Leave School" THIS is a break off point. NOW, it is up to the 
student? as to if they wish to go farther in their music. If so, they 
get more and more chances to break away from the "Standardized Basics" 
(OOps there's THAT thread again). If they don't want to "school" 
anymore on the subject, they can take off on their own path.

>   and that's a real shame.  i want
> them to make their own music,

  * Yes it is and yes, they should "eventually" chart their OWN course.

>  not just play somebody else's.

   * Yes. I think the whole idea is that the "Primary" part is (deemed) 
necessary in order to establish a starting point, foundation, or 
whatever you wish to call it. I feel that the music is merely a "Guide" 
and was (originally) intended so that the piece wasn't LOST over time. 
Since a piece of music CAN't ever be played the same twice, I consider 
every time it is played to be an "araingement" and therefore wonder 
"Whatz the Big Deal?"
   I, therefore, tend to play a piece the way 'I' want it to go. This is 
fine at my stage & position in life, but disastrous for a student (who 
MUST adhere to the "old boy" school of guidelines). I was always a 
rebel anyway.

   I wasn't allowed to participate in the school band because I WAS a 
rebel, so I wound up cutting off my nose to spite my face.

  smo-joe
>
> ----
> Garry Hodgson, Technical Consultant, AT&T Labs
>
> Be happy for this moment.
> This moment is your life.
>
> --
> Harp-l is sponsored by SPAH, http://www.spah.org
> Hosted by ValuePricehosting.com, http://www.valuepricehosting.com
>