The Role of Play in Socialization

Title: Brown Bear, Brown Bear

Performers: AC East 2nd Grade Music Class

Origin: America

Instrumentation: Children’s voices

Children have the ability to learn life skills through various modalities of learning. When incorporating play into learning activities, we as teachers can subtly weave in some of these life skills which will teach the child without his/her being aware. “Play is an important medium for learning in young children's lives--wherever they may be. It assists them in their development of language and reasoning skills, and it fosters social competence and peer-group interaction.”

We can see an example of this in my selected video for this week. The teacher is leading the students in what would appear to be a very easy musical game; however, the students are learning how to work together, as well as maintain decorum in a group setting. The process of the game not only fosters skills in discipline, but also in recollection. As each new student is called upon, they must have the knowledge of which students were already called on. This type of activity creates the neural pathways necessary to begin recalling cumulative information in higher levels of education.  When moving up in school levels, as well as entering the adult workforce, the ability to actively listen, recall, and participate in a respectful manner is an essential skill. By weaving this skill into an activity where the students feel they are at play, we are providing a positive experience in which the students will be keener on embodying this behavior.

Reference:

Lew, J. C., & Campbell, P. S. (2005). Childrens Natural and Necessary Musical Play: Global Contexts, Local Applications. Music Educators Journal, 91(5), 57. doi:10.2307/3400144

Creating Music Strategies

Title of piece: Various Excerpts

Performers: Students of Paraguay
Culture of Origin: Paraguay
Instrumentation: Violin, Cello, Bass, Saxophone, Flute, and other instruments that can be constructed through recycled materials. 


When speaking about educating students on multicultural music, the conversation often involved around bringing “world culture” into the “Western classroom.” What this video shows is the other side of the coin, that is to say bringing western music into the world classroom. In the Campbell reading of chapter 6, there is a lot of discussion on truly re-creating (performing) cultural music. The discussion that arises is the idea of being precise in these recreations. When we perform multicultural music on Western instruments, there’s some degree of “tampering” with the original sounds. In the Western classroom, we strive to create authentic multicultural experiences by providing access to traditional instruments. In the video example, the students of Paraguay, the students do not have access to traditional Western instruments and the educators have found a solution to providing a “authentically Western musical experience,” by having their students create their own instruments out of recycled materials found in and around the community. 

“A completely authentic rendering of a piece may not be possible, but when elementary and secondary school students possess music as their own, whether it be recreation, or a new piece, that music becomes genuine to them as listeners and performers. These experiences can touch both cultural insiders and students in ways that are deeply fulfilling.” (Campbell 2004, p. 193) Watching this video, being of a Western background, I was truly moved by the quality of sound produced on these instruments seemingly made of waste. While the instruments are technically not authentic to Western culture, the sound produced is remarkable enough that it does pay tribute to the music’s origins. I believe that bringing these sorts of projects into a Western classroom, can bring a much greater understanding and fulfilment in my students of the world “unknown” to them. This type of activity can help produce a classroom discussion on the making of instruments though materials found around the house or in nature as well as help students experience what it is like for children of another culture to create music making opportunities. This provides an authentic way to learn and relate to another culture, while making music meaningful and realistic when a district may not have the budgetary allowance to purchase culturally diverse instruments.  

Reference:

Campbell, P. S. (2004). Teaching music globally: experiencing music, expressing culture. New York: Oxford University Press.

Module 4- The Importance of Authenticity in a Multicultural Classroom.

Origin: Scotland
Instrumentation: Highland Bagpipes, Highland Snare Drums, Bass Drums, Tenor Drums
Performers: Royal Scots Dragoon Guards Pipes and Drums
Title of the Piece: Scotland the Brave, The Black Bear, and Highland Laddie

In this week’s reading of the Koop’s article: “Can’t We Just Change the Words?”, the role of authenticity discussed is done through four different models: authenticity as a continuum, historical and personal authenticity, authenticity as reproduction, reality, and relevance, and beyond authenticity. Each model highlights the important factors as to why each author believes their model is the best approach to take, however, there is also a downside to these models as well. When looking at different areas of music education and instruction, one model may better suit an elementary general music class, but may not have the same impact on a high school orchestral setting. Additionally, some of the factors discussed in a certain model like “purchasing indigenous instruments” to provide students with a “real” experience may not be realistic in a school environment that has low or no additional funding for these types of resources. Using different models, music educators must take into account their personal teaching situation and style when addressing how to effectively and authentically teach world music within their classroom setting.

Within the modern classroom, there are many resources to begin to introduce our students to cultural music on a more global scale. However, this article raises the issues of authenticity into the foreground of one’s mind. While there are many options for arrangements of multicultural music created for western instrumentation, Palmer raises the point that this loses the essential authentic quality of the music we are providing.  For example, I could easily take the drone, melody, and percussion featured in this performance, and transpose it to be performed by string orchestra with percussion. However, in doing so I am providing a somewhat watered-down version of traditional Scottish music. When considering improving the authenticity and enrichment in my multicultural teaching, I could organize an opportunity for my students to engage in learning experiences that are closer to traditional experiences. If I were to transpose a piece such as the one provided in my example for the week, perhaps in hopes of providing the most authentic experience I could arrange for the local Hibernian Order to come perform for my students and also allow them an opportunity to interact with the authentic instruments. Through these types of authentic classroom experiences, I am providing opportunities that “lead to increased student motivation, heightened understanding and improved performance.” (Koops, 2010, pg. 25) In doing this, my students would have a greater appreciation for the true experience of performing a piece of music from the Scottish culture.

References:
Koops, L. H. (2010). Can't We Just Change the Words? Music Educators Journal. 97(1), 23-28. doi:10.1177/0027432110376892

Module 3- Music and Movement as a context

Title: Capoeira Brazil
Origin: Brazil
Performers: Grupo Engenho da Bahia
Instruments: Berimbaus, Pandeiro, Agogo, Recoreco and Atabaque.

In certain cultures, the music created is intended to tell a story, reflect on a statement or idea, as well as have some sort of interaction. The interaction involved can be between the players and listeners, between the individual performers and other ensemble members, as well as the movement and dance to music itself. Additionally, the environment and setting can play a vital role in how music is created or “performed”. The specific context described in our text involves: audience-performer interaction, intra-ensemble interaction, and music and movement. Through these various contexts, we are able to understand and reflect on the ways in which music can be intertwined within various global cultures. I decided to specifically focus in on the context of music and movement this week by analyzing the Brazilian art of Capoeira.

In many cultures throughout the world, music and movement are fairly synonymous activities. From the ballets of Romantic Period France to the traditional dances of ancient India, humans have always been enticed to move their bodies to musical sounds.  While the previous examples were created for the purposes of celebration and general merriment, the tumultuous environment of slavery in Brazil led to the development of the practice of Capoeira.  Brazilian Capoeira is known as “a blurred genre that can be best described as a game or martial art with music, a form of dance with vocal and instrumental accompaniment. “(Wade, 2013, pg.154) In a modern setting the tone of capoeira has taken on that of a “game” in which the music is integral in setting the scene.  “The musicians create the atmosphere within which the game comes to life; they make the game possible, and the game, in turn, gives meaning to music.” (Wade, 2013 pg. 154-155).  In the video selection for this week you can see the ensemble working together both instrumentally as well as with the call and response featured in the vocals (intra ensemble interaction), in addition to the ensemble co-creating the capoeira with the dancers/ martial artist (music and movement).  In this specific example the ensemble consists of berimbaus, pandeiro, agogo, recoreco and atabaque.

Additionally, this practice was born out of the slaves of the times’ efforts to break free from their masters.  Capoeira is “a martial art developed by slaves to aid in rebellions and escapes, but that it had to be disguised as a dance to fool the masters.” (Wade, 2013, pg. 48) One can draw parallels between Brazilian slaves using their Capoeira to elude their captors, and African Americans using such songs to escape such as “follow the drinking gourd”, which metaphorically speaks about following the big dipper in an effort to seek freedom. Much in the same way, capoeira was used to help show them the way to freedom in Brazil, African American slaves used songs to communicate the way to freedom as well.

Reference:

Wade, B. (2013). Thinking Musically: New York, Oxford University Press

Blog 2- Module 2

Darifor

                                                                 

Title of Piece: Darifor
Performers: Ba-Ere (L) and Anansi (R)
Culture of Origin: Accra, Ghana in West Africa
Instrumentation: Gyil with minimal vocals

The piece I chose this week is from Ghana in West Africa. This is a traditional song that is usually played at a funeral or honoring ceremony to mourn the loss of someone from their community.

As human beings, we have an inherent desire to organize things that we are learning into accessible groups of commonality. In the biological sciences, living organisms are classified by kingdom, phylum, class, order, family, genus, and species. These breakdowns allow persons to better understand the interconnectedness within the world around us. The same can be said for the classification systems of instrumental music. According to The Sachs-Hornbostel system, there are four main instrument groups that are present within all musical cultures: idiophone, membranophone, chordophone, and aerophone. (Wade, 2013, pg 38) These classifications allow us to identify common threads between our musical cultures. In the musical excerpt that I have selected for this weeks blog, we can see one of these common threads. The instrument featured in this video, the Gyil, is in the same classification as the mallet percussion we are familiar with in western orchestral and band settings. By having a common thread we open the door for our students by allowing some familiarity to guide their new knowledge in worldly instruments. Not only do we provide an access point but these common classifications have led to development of the alternative instruments featured in general music classrooms by Carl Orff.

Below, I have included an example of Orff's instruments being utilized in American public schools. There is a clear commonality with the Orff xylophones featured and within the Gyil from Ghana, West Africa. I think it is safe to say that music and instruments from other cultures have had a distinct impact on music education here in the states and the classification of instruments help to breakdown and organize larger topics for students understanding and clarity. Through Orff ensembles, students are able to see various commonalities and connections among other cultures.

Wade, B. (2013). Thinking Musically. New York: Oxford University Press.

Smoky Row Orff Ensemble

Blog 1- World Music

"Peponi"

Title: Coldplay - "Peponi" (Paradise) African Style (ft. guest artist, Alex Boye)
Performers: Pianist Jon Schmidt: Cellist: Steven Sharp Nelson: Videographer: Paul Anderson, Music Producer: Al Van der Beek, and Guest Vocalist: Alex Boye
Culture of Origin: Southeast Africa including Swahili spoken areas such Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Burundi, Mozambique and the Democratic Republic of the Congo.


This is a great piece to begin to introduce students to world music as it provides a recognizable melody and accessible song as a base. Blending it in with traditional Swahili, both language and instruments creates a platform for students to understand and respect other cultures, ethnicities and origins of music. I feel as though to achieve the greatest level of engagement in and appreciation for world musics, we must provide our students with an access point that has some resonance within themselves. They must be able to relate to the music presented in some context in order to find a level of interest which in turn will motivate them and captivate their enthusiasm. On a personal level, I also chose this piece because The Piano Guys are one of my favorite groups. Additionally, my students always love to hear the remakes of various songs, both pop and classical especially at the elementary level. It is also a way for them to see and hear how they are not simply "constricted" in the music we perform as an ensemble, and how there is more to music than just simply playing the violin or cello for example.