Western Modern Band Workshop
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Dr. Kevin Watson
Improvisation can be very intimidating to learn especially when learning it for the first time. I went to an auditioned based arts high school as a vocal major. In grade 9 I was given a jazz standard to learn and to scat to. I have never sung jazz before and I had no idea where to begin. My teacher taught us different scat syllables for us to sing and different possible rhythms to use but it was all very intimidating. After intense practise, I started understanding how to listen to the different chord progressions and knowing how to interpret them into creating a melody using the scale appropriate for the song. I always knew scatting and improvising had to be a melody made up in the moment of singing a jazz tune but in grade 9, having to perform in front of my class was something I wasn’t prepared for. I had assigned small melodies here and there to help me but most of it was improv. It was a way of helping me get through the song without feeling sick to my stomach. Although in the moment of singing the jazz standard, I just couldn’t help myself but go into a completely different direction then I planned to. I was so proud of the outcome that it inspired me to continue working on singing jazz and scatting. As the years progressed I got better and better and I got into both jazz choirs, that were audition based, at my school and I am very fortunate to have received various jazz opportunities for solos. I became one of the best jazz singers at my high school. I could not be more proud of the accomplishments I have achieved in high school. Now that I am attending Western for their classical music program, there are no opportunities for vocalist here to sing jazz. When I heard Dr. Kevin Watson was coming to my music education class as our guest speaker talking about jazz improvisation, I was so exciting. After attending the lecture, I was blown away by the class. I appreciated his lesson plan. The way he teaches new students into teaching jazz improvisation was very different from how I was taught. The different perspectives allowed me to see how this type of style can be taught. I wish I was taught jazz improvisation like Dr. Watson taught us that day. He started off with allowing us to listen and ask us what we heard, like instruments, form and theme. An important part of jazz improvisation is using your eyes. He never gave us music sheets to follow along with him. He played a short melody and we played it back on our instruments. He only played 3 to 4 notes but showed us how only 3 to 4 notes can be used to make an improvisation melodic line. He also did a lot of call and response activities with us. He played a melodic line and we repeated it with our instrument. This allowed us to hear what kinds of rhythms were used in the jazz culture because they are very different from what most of the class was used to hearing. He got us similar to the sounds of jazz very quickly and allowed us to understand how amazing it is to have the freedom to sing or play something that is not exactly what is written on a piece of paper. You can tell by the way he talks, that he has the passion for jazz music. I loved hearing him talk and I would love to continue talking to him about jazz music. I have always loves jazz music ever since grade 9. I get such a different feeling when I sing jazz music verses when I sing classical music.
In class Dr. Watson stated that jazz has ‘purposeful musical decisions’. Something in my head clicked when he said that and it all became very clear. Jazz improvisation allows you to make musical decisions based on the elements of the song which refers to its purpose. You have the freedom to go off the page and create your own music based on how you interpret the music.
I found it a little difficult being restricted to having to only use those specific notes. I am used to going all out and having the freedom to make my own melodic line and using all the notes in the scale. This time I really had to think about what I wanted to sing to make sure I don’t sing any other notes that weren’t assigned. I felt restricted during the moments I had to improvise but I completely understand this is all part of the learning of jazz improvisation.
I really loved having Dr. Watson teach out class. It was one of my favourite memories of this class so far from all the guest speakers. It brought back a lot of special memories for me and it made me realize that although I am at Western for classical, it doesn’t mean I have to give up singing jazz music as well.
Improvisation can be very intimidating to learn especially when learning it for the first time. I went to an auditioned based arts high school as a vocal major. In grade 9 I was given a jazz standard to learn and to scat to. I have never sung jazz before and I had no idea where to begin. My teacher taught us different scat syllables for us to sing and different possible rhythms to use but it was all very intimidating. After intense practise, I started understanding how to listen to the different chord progressions and knowing how to interpret them into creating a melody using the scale appropriate for the song. I always knew scatting and improvising had to be a melody made up in the moment of singing a jazz tune but in grade 9, having to perform in front of my class was something I wasn’t prepared for. I had assigned small melodies here and there to help me but most of it was improv. It was a way of helping me get through the song without feeling sick to my stomach. Although in the moment of singing the jazz standard, I just couldn’t help myself but go into a completely different direction then I planned to. I was so proud of the outcome that it inspired me to continue working on singing jazz and scatting. As the years progressed I got better and better and I got into both jazz choirs, that were audition based, at my school and I am very fortunate to have received various jazz opportunities for solos. I became one of the best jazz singers at my high school. I could not be more proud of the accomplishments I have achieved in high school. Now that I am attending Western for their classical music program, there are no opportunities for vocalist here to sing jazz. When I heard Dr. Kevin Watson was coming to my music education class as our guest speaker talking about jazz improvisation, I was so exciting. After attending the lecture, I was blown away by the class. I appreciated his lesson plan. The way he teaches new students into teaching jazz improvisation was very different from how I was taught. The different perspectives allowed me to see how this type of style can be taught. I wish I was taught jazz improvisation like Dr. Watson taught us that day. He started off with allowing us to listen and ask us what we heard, like instruments, form and theme. An important part of jazz improvisation is using your eyes. He never gave us music sheets to follow along with him. He played a short melody and we played it back on our instruments. He only played 3 to 4 notes but showed us how only 3 to 4 notes can be used to make an improvisation melodic line. He also did a lot of call and response activities with us. He played a melodic line and we repeated it with our instrument. This allowed us to hear what kinds of rhythms were used in the jazz culture because they are very different from what most of the class was used to hearing. He got us similar to the sounds of jazz very quickly and allowed us to understand how amazing it is to have the freedom to sing or play something that is not exactly what is written on a piece of paper. You can tell by the way he talks, that he has the passion for jazz music. I loved hearing him talk and I would love to continue talking to him about jazz music. I have always loves jazz music ever since grade 9. I get such a different feeling when I sing jazz music verses when I sing classical music.
In class Dr. Watson stated that jazz has ‘purposeful musical decisions’. Something in my head clicked when he said that and it all became very clear. Jazz improvisation allows you to make musical decisions based on the elements of the song which refers to its purpose. You have the freedom to go off the page and create your own music based on how you interpret the music.
I found it a little difficult being restricted to having to only use those specific notes. I am used to going all out and having the freedom to make my own melodic line and using all the notes in the scale. This time I really had to think about what I wanted to sing to make sure I don’t sing any other notes that weren’t assigned. I felt restricted during the moments I had to improvise but I completely understand this is all part of the learning of jazz improvisation.
I really loved having Dr. Watson teach out class. It was one of my favourite memories of this class so far from all the guest speakers. It brought back a lot of special memories for me and it made me realize that although I am at Western for classical, it doesn’t mean I have to give up singing jazz music as well.
Kelly Bylica
I got to experience a specular guest speaker named Kelly Bylica as she told us her life story as an educator. She talked to us about real life situations every teacher faces including herself. You can learn all you want from a text book or from someone explaining to you what it means to be a teacher but unless you experience real life situations of what a student can say or do in a classroom, then you have idea some of the difficult situations some teachers are put in. When you have students at different learning levels and different attention spans, it can be very difficult to arrange a lesson plan based on all the student’s needs. It made me appreciate teachers even more than I already did. Especially having an elementary school class you can get students who won’t all like the same music, think they can’t play music or think they are too cool for music. Kelly had multiple quotes of students saying this things to her. There was one thing one student said to her that really stood out to me and that was when after she played us the recording of the students creating beats with only a pencil and a few other school materials the student said that what they created wasn’t music, they are beats and music and beats are not the same thing. I think that the student didn’t understand that music just isn’t about classical music or really old music. Music is a general topic and there are so many different branches of genres that fall under this category. This is what makes music so amazing. Not everyone is going to like the same music but music can please every ones needs and likes.
She allowed us to participate in an activity she used to do with her students, which was, look through the book, talk about what you see on the cover and the back cover and through the pages of the book read the words and see how the author related them to each other. I used to babysit and every time I would read them books before they went to bed I would always see the pictures and would never think of why the author made the decisions he did. Its interesting to think that what you may interpret may be something completely different from what the author was trying to portray in the first place to the audience. The words to the books she gave us turned into a song that the students had to envision what it would sound like and then as a class they would sing the song. At the end of the book it had the melodic line.
Overall I really enjoyed this class, I thought it was great to hear from Kelly’s perspective on teaching and how to deal with real life situations she has faced in her class with music. I liked how honest the lecture became and how it opened our minds up to think about how making lesson plans have to revolve around the students and how they learn because that will be the only way they will listen to you and learn the knowledge of music.
I got to experience a specular guest speaker named Kelly Bylica as she told us her life story as an educator. She talked to us about real life situations every teacher faces including herself. You can learn all you want from a text book or from someone explaining to you what it means to be a teacher but unless you experience real life situations of what a student can say or do in a classroom, then you have idea some of the difficult situations some teachers are put in. When you have students at different learning levels and different attention spans, it can be very difficult to arrange a lesson plan based on all the student’s needs. It made me appreciate teachers even more than I already did. Especially having an elementary school class you can get students who won’t all like the same music, think they can’t play music or think they are too cool for music. Kelly had multiple quotes of students saying this things to her. There was one thing one student said to her that really stood out to me and that was when after she played us the recording of the students creating beats with only a pencil and a few other school materials the student said that what they created wasn’t music, they are beats and music and beats are not the same thing. I think that the student didn’t understand that music just isn’t about classical music or really old music. Music is a general topic and there are so many different branches of genres that fall under this category. This is what makes music so amazing. Not everyone is going to like the same music but music can please every ones needs and likes.
She allowed us to participate in an activity she used to do with her students, which was, look through the book, talk about what you see on the cover and the back cover and through the pages of the book read the words and see how the author related them to each other. I used to babysit and every time I would read them books before they went to bed I would always see the pictures and would never think of why the author made the decisions he did. Its interesting to think that what you may interpret may be something completely different from what the author was trying to portray in the first place to the audience. The words to the books she gave us turned into a song that the students had to envision what it would sound like and then as a class they would sing the song. At the end of the book it had the melodic line.
Overall I really enjoyed this class, I thought it was great to hear from Kelly’s perspective on teaching and how to deal with real life situations she has faced in her class with music. I liked how honest the lecture became and how it opened our minds up to think about how making lesson plans have to revolve around the students and how they learn because that will be the only way they will listen to you and learn the knowledge of music.
Dr. Ruth Wright
“Students thought of music as the least important school subject. They didn’t think of music class as real music.” I read this and think why? Why are students turning away from music and not giving it a chance? Do they think it’s not cool or not realizing that they love music but won’t acknowledge it or know in general? It is hard for me to read this quote and think that students actually say these words and think this way. Music has always and will always be, in my eyes, the most important subject. I could not imagine my life without it and it is scientifically proven to benefit people’s lives. Once students open up to the idea of accepting music into their lives they will be able to see the beauty behind all genres of music. Students don’t necessarily need to like all genres but to accept all for what they are and to understand the cultural meaning behind a piece is important.
A new way of thinking about teaching music, allowing students to open their minds about music and see it from a different perspective can build the passion a young musician craves. Dr. Ruth Wright delivered an inspiring presentation on new ways of teaching music and how it benefits the students. Students having control of their musical knowledge helps them explore their capability as a musician. Setting objectives for themselves and working on ways to achieve them will work their brains in a way that brings musical elements into their lives. Most music teachers have restrictions for the assignments they give to their students which breakdowns any creativity they could have explored. Bringing in musical experiences from outside school into an everyday music class allows students to discover other styles of music from all around the world. There is not one right style of music; there are lots of different styles and now that I think about it, it amazes me how all the genres of music came to be. Learning this at a young age will be beneficial when learning about life and the community around you. Living in a multicultural country, that I am so proud to be called Canadian, grants me the opportunity to be surrounded by the different ethnicities and learn and grow from their musical culture.
One activity the guest speaker gave to us was getting into groups of 5-6, picking a song everyone liked, and picking instruments to play along with you when you eventually perform the song. With very little, but, clear instructions my group and I were very excited to start. This type of activity intrigued me because it allows students to have the freedom and bring their own likes and experiences together into a performance. It’s a great way to learn because you can learn from your peers which I personally think is a genius way of teaching students; allowing them to take control. This is exactly what happened with this assignment. Every member of the group had multiple ideas of what they wanted to do and we all got a different perspective on what each of us heard in the song we wanted to perform. I learned a lot from my peers and how they wanted to incorporate their instrument into the song even though that instrument wasn’t on the original track but it allowed us to be creative and put a spin on the original. Also, my group was limited to the instruments but I am glad we didn’t have a guitar, drum kit or piano to support us. It was really interesting what we came up with for our acapella performance. I really loved doing that activity and I am very proud of my group and what we delivered to the class. We all added elements to show our musicianship and our creativity. We didn’t have a music sheet to read the notes off of. It was all done by ear which, as a musician, is important to develop.
“Students thought of music as the least important school subject. They didn’t think of music class as real music.” I read this and think why? Why are students turning away from music and not giving it a chance? Do they think it’s not cool or not realizing that they love music but won’t acknowledge it or know in general? It is hard for me to read this quote and think that students actually say these words and think this way. Music has always and will always be, in my eyes, the most important subject. I could not imagine my life without it and it is scientifically proven to benefit people’s lives. Once students open up to the idea of accepting music into their lives they will be able to see the beauty behind all genres of music. Students don’t necessarily need to like all genres but to accept all for what they are and to understand the cultural meaning behind a piece is important.
A new way of thinking about teaching music, allowing students to open their minds about music and see it from a different perspective can build the passion a young musician craves. Dr. Ruth Wright delivered an inspiring presentation on new ways of teaching music and how it benefits the students. Students having control of their musical knowledge helps them explore their capability as a musician. Setting objectives for themselves and working on ways to achieve them will work their brains in a way that brings musical elements into their lives. Most music teachers have restrictions for the assignments they give to their students which breakdowns any creativity they could have explored. Bringing in musical experiences from outside school into an everyday music class allows students to discover other styles of music from all around the world. There is not one right style of music; there are lots of different styles and now that I think about it, it amazes me how all the genres of music came to be. Learning this at a young age will be beneficial when learning about life and the community around you. Living in a multicultural country, that I am so proud to be called Canadian, grants me the opportunity to be surrounded by the different ethnicities and learn and grow from their musical culture.
One activity the guest speaker gave to us was getting into groups of 5-6, picking a song everyone liked, and picking instruments to play along with you when you eventually perform the song. With very little, but, clear instructions my group and I were very excited to start. This type of activity intrigued me because it allows students to have the freedom and bring their own likes and experiences together into a performance. It’s a great way to learn because you can learn from your peers which I personally think is a genius way of teaching students; allowing them to take control. This is exactly what happened with this assignment. Every member of the group had multiple ideas of what they wanted to do and we all got a different perspective on what each of us heard in the song we wanted to perform. I learned a lot from my peers and how they wanted to incorporate their instrument into the song even though that instrument wasn’t on the original track but it allowed us to be creative and put a spin on the original. Also, my group was limited to the instruments but I am glad we didn’t have a guitar, drum kit or piano to support us. It was really interesting what we came up with for our acapella performance. I really loved doing that activity and I am very proud of my group and what we delivered to the class. We all added elements to show our musicianship and our creativity. We didn’t have a music sheet to read the notes off of. It was all done by ear which, as a musician, is important to develop.
Lesley Dawes
Having the opportunity to skype Lesley and ask her questions allowed me to get behind the scenes and understand her thoughts behind why she wrote this article and how she changed her teaching style based on her experiences to help better her students. I found it interesting when Kelly asked her about using the elements to teach music in her classroom. Since we were discussing this topic in class and wrote an annotated bibliography on it, her response gave me a different perspective on the elements. She stated that in her classroom she included the elements when it was the right time to bring it up in her lesson but she didn’t make her students memorize any of the elements and say let’s analysis this piece of music. She doesn’t want her students feeling restricted in any means of being creative so she basically camouflaged the idea of the elements into a fun learning way so the students will pay more attention and not get bored easily.
Also, I appreciate her response in wanted to inspire her students to continue with music. I feel like grade 6, 7 and 8 are the prime years introducing music into a child’s life. Especially since in grade 9 they will have the option of taking any art course. It is scientifically proven that students with “musical training have better working memory, pitch discrimination performance and selective attention”.
The one thing I noticed was that she wasn’t able to answer Simons question in regards to having a transition from teaching pop music to classical. Once you get into high school and possibly if you go into music for post-secondary, you will learn about classical music and perform music from the different era’s. I believe that introducing classical music to young students shows that there is more to music then just pop music. Although, I do understand that you want to teach your students music they love and are interested in, so they will be inspired to continue playing and potentially grow into musicians.
I really did appreciate her being able to talk to us. Especially as someone who is considering going into education, I want to be able to teach my students music in a way that will bring interest to them, and having 30-40 students in just one class can bring challenges when teaching music. She reminded me that no matter how frustrating it can be, seeing your students smile and improve is the best reward an educator can ask for.
Having the opportunity to skype Lesley and ask her questions allowed me to get behind the scenes and understand her thoughts behind why she wrote this article and how she changed her teaching style based on her experiences to help better her students. I found it interesting when Kelly asked her about using the elements to teach music in her classroom. Since we were discussing this topic in class and wrote an annotated bibliography on it, her response gave me a different perspective on the elements. She stated that in her classroom she included the elements when it was the right time to bring it up in her lesson but she didn’t make her students memorize any of the elements and say let’s analysis this piece of music. She doesn’t want her students feeling restricted in any means of being creative so she basically camouflaged the idea of the elements into a fun learning way so the students will pay more attention and not get bored easily.
Also, I appreciate her response in wanted to inspire her students to continue with music. I feel like grade 6, 7 and 8 are the prime years introducing music into a child’s life. Especially since in grade 9 they will have the option of taking any art course. It is scientifically proven that students with “musical training have better working memory, pitch discrimination performance and selective attention”.
The one thing I noticed was that she wasn’t able to answer Simons question in regards to having a transition from teaching pop music to classical. Once you get into high school and possibly if you go into music for post-secondary, you will learn about classical music and perform music from the different era’s. I believe that introducing classical music to young students shows that there is more to music then just pop music. Although, I do understand that you want to teach your students music they love and are interested in, so they will be inspired to continue playing and potentially grow into musicians.
I really did appreciate her being able to talk to us. Especially as someone who is considering going into education, I want to be able to teach my students music in a way that will bring interest to them, and having 30-40 students in just one class can bring challenges when teaching music. She reminded me that no matter how frustrating it can be, seeing your students smile and improve is the best reward an educator can ask for.
Dr. Hopkins
On Saturday February 11th 2017, the music education class was granted the privilege to be part of a workshop run by Dr. Randall Allsup. I didn’t know what to expect from this workshop but by the end of it, I got to view education and teaching a classroom setting in a whole different (lens). It was very interesting and intriguing to hear his perspective on music education and how remixing the classroom benefits students with their learning.
The first thing he told us to do was write what we heard in Henry Lowell’s piece called “Ostinato Pianissimo”. It belongs in the category for Western music but it has interesting textures and timbers to it that add layers of interest and complexity to the piece.
A lot of the activities were built on being creative and building musical ostinato’s in a short period of time. This allowed the students to broaden their knowledge of rhythm and train their ears to hear and adapt to what other students were playing. This fun activity can adjustable to alter the student’s capability and allows everyone to work together to create a beautiful piece.
I appreciated the fact that he never once said that someone’s answer was right or wrong but only encouraged the students to continue their thought process by asking the students to dig deeper into what they meant with their answer. He picked at our brains which made people stumble, but it really allowed people to think about the key concepts we know and use every day and put it into perspective of a student who has no idea what it means. Especially since most of us are not used to having our brains picked at for long. You would never think that simple concepts of teaching can make such a difference in the outcome of learning, but, it can make a huge difference.
Dr. Allsup stated that when doing an activity, you want to allow your students to be free and creative, but also including each activity with structure and direction to keep everyone intact. Without these two important things, you will lose the interest and attention of your students. He also developed his lesson plan with a cultural approach which not many educators do. I am lucky to have been exposed to many different cultures and explored how music has been a part of their lives.
I am lucky enough to have developed knowledge of ethnomusicology which has allowed me to appreciate the way other cultures incorporate music into their lives. Music plays a role in many aspects of each culture such as rituals, ceremonies, significant life events and a social environment. Learning about how music has influenced other cultures and starting to learn it at a young age will allows students to have a better appreciate for all types of music from different ethnicities.
On Saturday February 11th 2017, the music education class was granted the privilege to be part of a workshop run by Dr. Randall Allsup. I didn’t know what to expect from this workshop but by the end of it, I got to view education and teaching a classroom setting in a whole different (lens). It was very interesting and intriguing to hear his perspective on music education and how remixing the classroom benefits students with their learning.
The first thing he told us to do was write what we heard in Henry Lowell’s piece called “Ostinato Pianissimo”. It belongs in the category for Western music but it has interesting textures and timbers to it that add layers of interest and complexity to the piece.
A lot of the activities were built on being creative and building musical ostinato’s in a short period of time. This allowed the students to broaden their knowledge of rhythm and train their ears to hear and adapt to what other students were playing. This fun activity can adjustable to alter the student’s capability and allows everyone to work together to create a beautiful piece.
I appreciated the fact that he never once said that someone’s answer was right or wrong but only encouraged the students to continue their thought process by asking the students to dig deeper into what they meant with their answer. He picked at our brains which made people stumble, but it really allowed people to think about the key concepts we know and use every day and put it into perspective of a student who has no idea what it means. Especially since most of us are not used to having our brains picked at for long. You would never think that simple concepts of teaching can make such a difference in the outcome of learning, but, it can make a huge difference.
Dr. Allsup stated that when doing an activity, you want to allow your students to be free and creative, but also including each activity with structure and direction to keep everyone intact. Without these two important things, you will lose the interest and attention of your students. He also developed his lesson plan with a cultural approach which not many educators do. I am lucky to have been exposed to many different cultures and explored how music has been a part of their lives.
I am lucky enough to have developed knowledge of ethnomusicology which has allowed me to appreciate the way other cultures incorporate music into their lives. Music plays a role in many aspects of each culture such as rituals, ceremonies, significant life events and a social environment. Learning about how music has influenced other cultures and starting to learn it at a young age will allows students to have a better appreciate for all types of music from different ethnicities.