‘normal rules don’t apply’: following a philosophy of individual choice in music making
Post on 04-Jan-2016
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Susan West School of Music
ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences
‘Normal rules don’t apply’: Following a philosophy of individual choice in
music making
Summary
• A talk about practice• My background• My working situation• A bit of theory• Examples: basic choices; advanced choices;
instrumental choices • Conclusion
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BackgroundSTUDY
B.Mus (Performance)(Melb.); Grad. Dip. (Hungary); M.Ed.(Gifted and Talented)(Charles Sturt); Ph.D. (ANU)
PERFORMANCE
Principal Piccolo, West Australian Symphony Orchestra; Associate Principal/Principal Flute, Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Australian Wind Virtuosi.
EDUCATION
Canberra School of Music, Music Education Program
ANU School of Music, Music Engagement Program
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Working situation
• Employed by ANU
• Funded by local government
• Work largely in education system
• Partner with anyone and everyone
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A different paradigm
• Philosophy and practice of MEP discussed in next session
• This session about a concept arising from that philosophy
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In brief
• A social/altruistic approach
• Aim to overcome disengagement
• Prioritising each musical life
• The musical life belongs to the individual
• No musts: nothing can be mandated
• Leads to prioritising CHOICE
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Choosing to offer choice
• Idea not as radical as it was
• Most people have limits– Imposed by the system– Imposed by the students– Imposed by the self
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Choice is a climate with individual rights
1. The right to comment
2. The right to suggest
3. The right to veto
(With apologies to Bagehot: consult, encourage, warn)
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Choice is a climate with responsibilities
• For teachers: vigilant; responsive
• For students: empathetic; proactive
• For both: protecting others’ rights
• What about me? – ‘I’m not having fun now’ – The after-lunch incident
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Choice involves…choices!
• Students don’t know what they don’t know (doesn’t mean limiting offerings)
• Teachers don’t see what students see
• Basic finding in the MEP: they’ll try anything with gusto if they know they can say no (suggest, comment, but finally….VETO)
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Choice Protocols• Force = disengagement
• There is no ‘need to know’
• Experiment ‘with’ not ‘on’ (the fear of anarchy)
• Students and teachers are both free
• It’s for singing/playing, not for learning
• If it’s not fun, stop it (the case of the Syrian chant)• Majority doesn’t always have to rule (the case of Andrew and
Yesterday)
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Repertoire Choices: 70/7 Kinder – Year 3
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70/7: Year 4 – Year 6 and Whole School
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Repertoire and (social) learning
• Dissension and student learning – the case of Eddie
• Dissension and teacher learning - Gundagai
• Dissension and both learning 1 – choice saturation
• Dissension and both learning 2 – ‘fit for purpose’
• Dissension and both learning 3 – singability
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Scenes from the life of song:a five-thousand year journey in 45 pieces
• Complaints were often about being left out
• Some examples of popular songs…
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Green Grow the Rushes, English c. 597 (all)
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Men of Harlech, 1468 (juniors)
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Fie Nay Prithee John, Purcell (attr.) (seniors)
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Oh Beethoven, 2009
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Skills in a choice model
• There is no necessary learning
• Plan for multiple levels
• You don’t have to promote challenge: they get it
• Emergent learning (for everyone!)
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Ancient Syrian c. 1500BC
Stravinsky Renard 1944
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Veni Emmanuelc. 1250
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There’s a Man Goin’ Round (Afro-American Trad.)
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Awake (American Indian)
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Awake 2 (American Indian)
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Natural Extension
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International Song Book
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International Song Book
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International Song Book
Choice and Instruments• Do he/she want to be here? (Class lessons/Individual lessons)
• Does he/she want to play this instrument?
• What does he/she want to play?
• The case of Jae-Yung• The case of Rowena• The case of Amelia• The case of Amanda
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Choice and Professional Development
The one exception?
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High School (when you have choices)
Experiencing the new model:
• Let’s just have fun
• ‘Susan, a word…’
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High School (when you don’t)
• Be clear about everyone’s likes/dislikes; wants/not wants
• Be honest about yours
• Summarise disliked or unwanted compulsory content
• Work out how to make it as likable as possible (with kids)
• Work out how to do the unlikable in the least possible amount
of time
• Get on with the things you like
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Assessment
• Wherever possible remove assessment (Australia and AMEB)
• Be aware of assessment ‘creep’ – ie scales: does it really matter?
• Involve the student
• Assessment is not judgement (although in music it often feels
that way)
• Sometimes we need to comply but what’s the least painful way?
• Think ‘just in time’ not ‘just in case’
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Finally…what do they choose?
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