Tonight as I was rummaging through old papers, I ran across interesting samples of my daughter's school work. In particular, I found a short essay she wrote in sixth grade that responded to the prompt: "Music should remain part of the school curriculum because ..." I remember the night she wrote that essay because she entered it into an on-line essay contest and she had to struggle to keep the number of words under 250. I also remember thinking that it was good. Tonight, I was even more intrigued by what she had to say because she made very important points. Here is what she wrote:
"Music should remain part of the school curriculum because it taps into a different part of the soul that academics cannot reach. Sure, a person can be good at math, or have amazing vocabulary skills, but music is another language. It is different from everything else taught, and learning music is not something easily tapped into as an adult.
Part of why it is important to keep music in the curriculum is that most people are not in an environment where they are encouraged to take part in musical activities. In school, a person has a chance to explore it.
Learning to play an instrument is a "life skill" that may help them later on because it increases their knowledge about the world. In addition, it gives them something interesting to talk about. Knowing how to play an instrument creates activities where someone can meet others who share the same passion, even creating life-long friends.
Music is a powerful tool that people use to get their thoughts and feelings across. It is an important part of our lives. Without it, forms of communication, venting emotions, and spiritual awareness could not be accessed.
As a society, how can we neglect something that makes us feel better after doing it? How could we ever hope to achieve high levels of music making without proper education? Music must remain part of our curriculum if we want to be an educated and happy society." --Elibba Dean
Saturday, April 7, 2012
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
In Context ...
Today I made an impromptu visit to the Advanced Voice Class at Penfield High School after working with Lindsay earlier in a senior English class. It was fantastic to see everyone and to hear the voice class perform again because (1) they are awesome, and (2) it has been a little over a week since I heard them give their stunning performance at the Women in Music Festival in the Main Hall at Eastman School of Music.
During today’s visit, they were continuing to rehearse one of the songs from the cycle, “#18 Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer’s Day?” It is the beginning song in the cycle, and at the start of the class, they had some questions about the work itself. How did we envision it? What was the feeling? What was the moment? For a composer, these kinds of questions are the most powerful moments in the collaborative process because the work is “speaking” to the performers. This is evident BECAUSE the work is being questioned.
What this means for us as composers is that the performers are trying to “get inside our heads” in order to understand how we thought about the work as we composed the music. By asking these kinds of questions, they are comparing their own experiences with ours to gain insight and understanding. In the case of #18, I described an early April morning at the edge of 2008 Lilac Festival at Highland Park. This beautiful walk Lindsay and I took four years ago was the inspirational moment that we drew upon, and what directly contributed to our creation of the music.
For a performer, this is an exciting step in understanding “Truth in Beauty” because each Shakespeare sonnet --in and of itself-- is already a complete work even without the music. Also, each sonnet could be interpreted or understood differently when music is not present. However, with the additional layer of music and musical form, a sonnet is transformed, and each sonnet within the cycle is shaped and interpreted by the actual construction of the composition. This is why clarification is needed and why composer/performer interaction is so valuable. This sophisticated process is what ultimately helps a performer interpret the work.
“Truth in Beauty” is an ensemble experience for the Advanced Voice Class, and their process is creating a masterful experience. They are thinking of the work from an individual perspective and then contributing this thinking to a collaborative experience. This is what makes them advanced singers, and this is what makes their work as singers so extraordinary. Their thoughtfulness is placing everything in context and taking their performances to high levels. The result is that they are living the text and expressing the essence. For Lindsay and me, it is incredibly rewarding and fulfilling to work with such a talented director and intelligent singers and we are embracing the joy of every moment with them.
Thursday, March 22, 2012
Making Life Meaningful ...
Today, the uber-talented Jeffry Denman posted this YouTube video on his FaceBook page. In less than three minutes, it illustrates the unique place the arts have in making life meaningful in whatever professional endeavor we choose, or path we take in our lives ...
Monday, February 20, 2012
Teaching Morality through Drama: Truth in Imaginary Circumstance
How can teens be prepared to make moral choices? Is it wise to expose them to moral dilemma through theoretical situations in theatrical settings, or is it better for them to learn hard lessons from experience--letting them pass or fail--and then reflect on the consequences of their choices?
(1) The Preconventional Level, which is controlled by the external forces of rules and people in authority. It is comprised of Stage 1 (punishment and obedience orientation) and Stage 2 (instrumental purpose orientation).
(2) The Conventional Level, which is governed by a person’s belief that societal order must be maintained. It is comprised of Stage 3 (morality of interpersonal cooperation) and Stage 4 (social-order-maintaining orientation).
(3) The Principled Level, which defines morality in abstract ideas. It is comprised of Stage 5 (social contract orientation) and Stage 6 (universal ethical principle orientation.)
Due to the longitudinal studies of Kohlberg and those who followed his research, the observations from these studies reveal that Stages 1 and 2 decrease in early adolescence while Stages 3 and 4 increase. Evidence from Kohlberg’s studies also show that most people do not move beyond Stage 4. In other words, most people never reach high levels of moral reasoning (Berk, 2012).
As early as 1968, Kugelmass & Breznitz found in their results from a study of intentionality in adolescence, that there is a great deal of moral development occurring during late adolescence. The adolescent moves between the three levels and settles into habits of the higher stages.
This was supported in Perry & McIntire’s 1995 study on the modes of moral judgment in early adolescence where they found that teens (especially young teens) use several modes to make moral choices, which touch on all six stages of Kohlberg’s theory. These include caring about others, using the “golden rule”, and moral decisions based on selfishness.
Because there is so much instability in making moral choices during adolescence, Perry & McIntire (1995) argued that development and implementation of moral education is appropriate. This idea is supported in the work of Harding & Snyder (1991), who believe that the arts—and more specifically film—could aid in bringing about discussions, and they presented a rationale for using literature and contemporary film in school curriculum.
But first ... what is moral development?
Psychologist Lawrence Kohlberg is largely associated with the development of morality. Kohlberg's ideas show “how” people develop their ability to make moral choices through levels and stages, instead of "what" moral choices are (Berk, 2012). Kohlberg theorized that moral maturity levels can be understood through a person’s growth in decision-making processes and he organized his observations about these processes into three levels: (1) The Preconventional Level, which is controlled by the external forces of rules and people in authority. It is comprised of Stage 1 (punishment and obedience orientation) and Stage 2 (instrumental purpose orientation).
(2) The Conventional Level, which is governed by a person’s belief that societal order must be maintained. It is comprised of Stage 3 (morality of interpersonal cooperation) and Stage 4 (social-order-maintaining orientation).
(3) The Principled Level, which defines morality in abstract ideas. It is comprised of Stage 5 (social contract orientation) and Stage 6 (universal ethical principle orientation.)
Due to the longitudinal studies of Kohlberg and those who followed his research, the observations from these studies reveal that Stages 1 and 2 decrease in early adolescence while Stages 3 and 4 increase. Evidence from Kohlberg’s studies also show that most people do not move beyond Stage 4. In other words, most people never reach high levels of moral reasoning (Berk, 2012).
As early as 1968, Kugelmass & Breznitz found in their results from a study of intentionality in adolescence, that there is a great deal of moral development occurring during late adolescence. The adolescent moves between the three levels and settles into habits of the higher stages.
This was supported in Perry & McIntire’s 1995 study on the modes of moral judgment in early adolescence where they found that teens (especially young teens) use several modes to make moral choices, which touch on all six stages of Kohlberg’s theory. These include caring about others, using the “golden rule”, and moral decisions based on selfishness.
Because there is so much instability in making moral choices during adolescence, Perry & McIntire (1995) argued that development and implementation of moral education is appropriate. This idea is supported in the work of Harding & Snyder (1991), who believe that the arts—and more specifically film—could aid in bringing about discussions, and they presented a rationale for using literature and contemporary film in school curriculum.
However, in the relatively recent research of Laible & Carol (2008) on moral affect and moral cognition, they show that parental involvement impacts areas of moral development of teenagers when related to bullying. Their study indicated that parents who instill higher levels of moral affect (guilt, shame, sympathy and ehpathic anger) were correlated with prosocial behavior and moral conduct. They also showed that higher levels of moral cognition improved altruistic behavior.
So no matter which side of the debate a person takes about moral education, what seems to be crucial in the development of higher levels of morality, is the involvement of more mature adults in teenage discussion. To develop higher levels of morality, teens must develop awareness. This occurs through interaction and observation. If a teen is to be aware of making moral decisions, he or she must be able to discuss the implications of those choices.
As a morally responsible adult and fully formed artist, I believe that drama and drama-based instruction could be a key to developing moral education curriculum because theater has the power to create truths of reality in imaginary circumstances. When a play is well written on subjects involving any moral issue, this conflict becomes the heart of the play and the drama sparks discussion because it illustrates consequences of choices to many people who watch the play.
References
Berk, L. E. (2012). Infants, children, and adolescents (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN: 9780205718160.
Harding, C. G., & Snyder, K. (1991). Tom, huck, and oliver stone as advocates in kohlbergs just community: Theory-based strategies for moral education. Adolescence, 26(102), 319-29. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195921995?accountid=27965
Kugelmass, S., & Breznitz, S. (1968). Intentionality in moral judgment: Adolescent development. Child Development, 39(1), 249.
Laible, D., Eye, J., & Carlo, G. (2008). Dimensions of conscience in mid-adolescence: Links with social behavior, parenting, and temperament. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37(7), 875-887. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/204637044?accountid=27965
Perry, C. M., & McIntire, W. G. (1995). Modes of moral judgment among early adolescents. Adolescence, 30(119), 707-15. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195926131?accountid=27965
This became obvious to me in a reading of a play called “Personal Foul” that my writing partner and I wrote and produced in New York this past fall. The play was less than 30 minutes and yet it was powerful enough to spark a 45-minute discussion after it was read.
As playwrights, we examined the topic of sexual misconduct between teacher and student by setting our play in the high school Football/Cheerleading culture. By using the Orion/Artemis myths, we loosely structured the play with the form of Greek Tragedy. A squad of cheerleaders represented the Greek chorus and made commentary on the action of the play as the audience witnessed a high school football coach (Orion) and a senior cheerleader (Artemis) struggle with their sexual attraction to each other.
As playwrights, we examined the topic of sexual misconduct between teacher and student by setting our play in the high school Football/Cheerleading culture. By using the Orion/Artemis myths, we loosely structured the play with the form of Greek Tragedy. A squad of cheerleaders represented the Greek chorus and made commentary on the action of the play as the audience witnessed a high school football coach (Orion) and a senior cheerleader (Artemis) struggle with their sexual attraction to each other.
Drama is conflict. And ... drama within a theatrical setting provides a forum in which an audience can confront moral conflict without the consequences they would encounter in real life. It shows each an audience member what they think about tough subjects and prompts discussion. It makes them "aware". As a result, theater can teach morality and help a society shape the kind of morality it wishes to portray.
References
Berk, L. E. (2012). Infants, children, and adolescents (7th ed.). Boston, MA: Allyn & Bacon. ISBN: 9780205718160.
Harding, C. G., & Snyder, K. (1991). Tom, huck, and oliver stone as advocates in kohlbergs just community: Theory-based strategies for moral education. Adolescence, 26(102), 319-29. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195921995?accountid=27965
Kugelmass, S., & Breznitz, S. (1968). Intentionality in moral judgment: Adolescent development. Child Development, 39(1), 249.
Laible, D., Eye, J., & Carlo, G. (2008). Dimensions of conscience in mid-adolescence: Links with social behavior, parenting, and temperament. Journal of Youth and Adolescence, 37(7), 875-887. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/204637044?accountid=27965
Perry, C. M., & McIntire, W. G. (1995). Modes of moral judgment among early adolescents. Adolescence, 30(119), 707-15. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com/docview/195926131?accountid=27965
Thursday, February 2, 2012
The Power of Words …
Lindsay & I spent the morning at Penfield High School, and what a fantastic day it was!! Not only did we have an amazing time sharing the Piano/Vocal score with the Advanced Voice class, but also, as part of the Shakespeare Sonnet Project, we are working with several of the English classes ... and … today, we started our morning’s work with a 9th Grade English class, who, in a few days, will begin reading “Romeo and Juliet”. In preparation for their reading of that play, Lindsay & I had the great privilege to introduce the class to the language of Shakespeare through #18 “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day?”.
It is an amazing poem, no question about it … but … what struck me most about it today is that even after having intimately worked with this sonnet since the fall, (as we translated the text into a choral work), I am still AWED by Shakespeare’s words and the significance of what he had to say.
Upon first reading, most people assume that the sonnet is about immortalizing a romantic love. However, scholars tell us that #18 was written about a male friendship. And … in 14 lines of only 140 syllables, Shakespeare goes to the heart of love in friendship as he likens his friend to something more wonderful and better than a day in summer.
Summer is lovely, but it has faults (i.e. Shakespeare complains that the sun can be too hot, or it can be cloudy … and of course, summer is never long enough). He personifies the sun (the eye of heaven) and death (that it can brag), later claiming that the essence of his friend will always live because it is captured in the written words.
What is even more astounding is that the sonnet also predicts how the friend’s beauty will only continue to grow through time. And … six hundred years later, Shakespeare’s words reign true. This was evident today as a 9th Grade English class encountered this sonnet, its form and its genius for the first time … powerful, powerful words!
“As long as men can breathe, and eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee.”
Shakespeare was right. It does!
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Piaget’s Theory of Adolescent Cognition: Relevant and Timeless
An Overview
Jean Piaget presented five areas of adolescent cognitive development. These include (1) formal operations, which is the fourth stage of his well-known stages of cognitive development, (2) hypothetic-deductive reasoning, (3) propositional thought, (4) the imaginary audience, and (5) the personal fable (Oswalt, 2012).
Formal operations is the ability to think abstractly. For an adolescent, it is the ability to think about intangible concepts such as “truth” or “sustainability”. An adolescent with the ability to think abstractly can describe events they have never seen or experienced. Piaget thought that youths normally entered the stage of formal operations around 11 years of age (Oswalt, 2012).
Hypothetico-deductive reasoning is the ability to think abstractly in a more scientific and logical manner. This ability helps a person solve problems by working on one aspect of the problem (Oswalt, 2012). For example, a person comes into a dark room and tries the light switch, which doesn’t work. The person assumes that the light has burned out and goes and gets a light bulb. He inserts the new light bulb, but it still doesn’t work, so he checks to see if the light is plugged in. He finds that the light is indeed unplugged and plugs it in and voila!
Propositional thought is the ability to make a logical conclusion based on the wording of a statement rather than the observation of it (Oswalt, 2012). A good example of this kind of thinking occurs in yoga audio podcasts vs. a yoga video podcast. In an audio podcast, the person doing the yoga practice must rely on the logic of the words to perform the practice, whereas someone who does not have this ability must rely on a video.
The imaginary audience is a heightened awareness of others and the ability to make judgments, interpret and observe. In adolescence, this newly acquired awareness develops at a time when their bodies are changing; the adolescent feels feel the scrutiny of others and develops the ability to do the same to others (Oswalt, 2012).
The personal fable is also a characteristic in adolescence. This is where teens develop the ability to compare themselves to others and they begin to notice their personal strengths and weaknesses (Oswalt, 2012).
Contemporary Relevance
Piaget’s theories are relevant today. Burman (2008) argues that the age of a person during each stage of cognitive development, as framed by Piaget’s stages, are not what are important, rather the sequence of the development is. This is how Piaget thought cognition evolves. Piaget’s stages are the labels and general mechanism of how intelligence and cognitive thinking develops.
Gruber (1996) conducted several interviews with Piaget before he died. One of the most striking themes that emerged from these interviews was the use of metaphor throughout the lifespan. Gruber expounds on Piaget’s ideas on the use of metaphors as a means to help construct thought. He explains how Piaget used metaphor throughout his own life and related it to cognitive development throughout all the cognitive development stages. The metaphor is the “gadget” (p.258) that allows the person to “draw something from it” (p. 258) no matter where the person is within the lifespan. For example, a child would use a toy as a metaphor to understand or construct knowledge. Abstract thoughts and ideas in formal operations are the metaphors and adolescent might use such as the ability to dream about the future, or associate a life circumstance to a pop song.
Ayman-Nolley (1999) supports the relevance of Piaget’s theories as he explores the abstract ability to create artistically. Using Piagetian theory, he drew parallels between cognition and behavior. In Piagetian terms, cognition is equated with the creative process that initiates creative output. In other words, when a thought cannot be assimilated into the existing cognitive structures, the mind accommodates. The accommodation results in the creative product.
One of the ways Ayman-Nolley (1999) presented Piaget’s theory in context was his example of Michelangelo’s expression of God. Michelangelo depicted the concept of a higher power or God as an old man. He took his abstract thought of God and assimilated this thought into an abstract metaphor that inspired him to paint the image. This accommodated his thought.
Adolescents are called on every day to express thought through the curriculum if given the chance to create. This occurs in language arts classes when they are required to write and essay, in an art class, or when they work together collaboratively to put on a school musical.
In conclusion, whether or not a person supports or chooses to draw insights from Piagetian theory, Piaget’s ideas will always have a place in any discussion of cognition. Piaget wrote extensively about it and conducted numerous experiments testing his ideas. When these facts are coupled with the fact that cognitive development occurs, Piaget’s theories will always be relevant.
References
Ayman-Nolley, S. (1999). A Piagetian perspective on the dialectic process of creativity. Creativity Research Journal, 12(4), 267. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.capella.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=3350216&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Burman, J. T. (2008). Experimenting in relation to piaget: Education is a chaperoned process of adaptation. Perspectives on Science, 16(2), 160-195. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.capella.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=31928863&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Gruber, H. E. (1996). The life space of a scientist: The visionary function and other aspects of jean piaget's thinking.Creativity Research Journal, 9(2), 251. Retrieved from http://ezproxy.library.capella.edu/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=aph&AN=7426311&site=ehost-live&scope=site
Oswalt, A. (2012). Jean Piaget’s theory of cognitive development – child development theory: Adolescence. Retrieved January 20, 2012 from http://sevencounties.org/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=41157&cn=1310
Wednesday, January 18, 2012
Living Shakespeare ...
Yesterday, Lindsay and I completed the fifth sketch of the five sonnets we will be using in the Shakespeare Sonnet Project. It was a glorious moment to realize all of the sonnets in song form because they are ready to arrange.
What has been so extraordinary about this process is how the words have begun to shape my life. A good example of what I mean is #18 "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?" In working with Shakespeare's words, I ponder the nature of my relationships with the people I love most ... and in this case (because the sonnet was written about a friend) the extraordinary friendship I have with Lindsay ... not only is she a great collaborator, but she is one of my dearest friends.
When I get to the couplet, it is Shakespeare's words that make me believe without question in the power of art ... and in the amazing miracle of collaboration. With every note we write, we build something that is meant to preserve the sonnet into song ... and we preserve our extraordinary friendship. Through THAT, we both realize Shakespeare's truth:
"So long as men can breathe and eyes can see,
So long lives this, and this gives life to thee."
With #54 "O how much more does beauty beauteous seem", it makes me think about the inner beauty of those I meet. When youth fades, the beauty of what is inside is what remains. In Shakespeare's case, the person's beauty is distilled like the essence of a rose and captured in the words he wrote.
What is so incredible to me is how in working with the text, my mind turns to beauteous thought even when I am not working on the settings. The act of translating five sonnets into song is transforming my life--especially my thoughts. It is living Shakespeare!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
An Interview ...
Taking online classes is an intense experience. For every student in this non-traditional setting, whatever or however much they put into it, that is what they will *get* ...
Below is a link to an interview that I took part in this past summer. Even with a six months distance from that conversation, it holds true:
http://www.onlinephdprograms.com/doctoral-student-profile-amanda-jacobs-2/
Below is a link to an interview that I took part in this past summer. Even with a six months distance from that conversation, it holds true:
http://www.onlinephdprograms.com/doctoral-student-profile-amanda-jacobs-2/
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
95 Take heed, dear heart, of this large privilege ...
What a privilege! Today Lindsay and I visited the Advanced Voice Class at Penfield High School in Penfield, New York. As we begin the creation of a dramatic vocal work using Shakespeare's sonnets for Voices and Orchestra, we are taking time to listen and take note of the the talent that we are writing for.
Already at the fall concert last Wednesday night, we heard the Penfield High School Orchestra and were astounded by the depth of sound and playing ability. From our visit today, we heard half of the students from the advanced voice class sing with skill--connecting the texts of their songs to the music. We were thrilled by the natural and honest beauty of the voices that we heard.
These are our tools as composers of this project: inspiration from the sonnets, beautiful singing and an orchestra who plays with ability and skill. When we combine these elements with our abilities as composers, we cannot help but be excited about the coming months.
What excites us most is that TOGETHER with Penfield High School, we will become intimately acquainted with Shakespeare's words ... TOGETHER we will experience his genius. TOGETHER we will have an opportunity to create something wonderful, not only for the Penfield High School community, but for our city of Rochester, New York. How can we not help but "take heed ... of this large privilege", looking forward to the possibilities and the joy that awaits ALL OF US as we collaborate on a project that holds so much promise?
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Returning to the Classroom
Often I am asked why I am in pursuit of a PhD in Psychology. I suppose it does look very strange since my background is the Arts and I have expertise in Music and Theater. However, the driving factor is that I have always wanted a terminal degree; it was always in my plan, even when I was a little girl. As my life shifted and changed, however, it became apparent for me to step outside of music, education and theater and encapsulate my knowledge into something educationally meaningful and in a degree that could include all of my interests-- thus Educational Psychology with an emphasis in the Arts.
The Arts seem to embody the best of our humanity. They document and express our creativity, and through their process help everyone lead happier and more fulfilled lives. The place of music, art, dance and theater in our education has been so diminished over the years that most people do not recognize the power they have to make our world a better place. Yet within the Arts rests the potential to help our educational woes because the Arts develop cognitive abilities and promote emotional well-being.
With a PhD, coupled with my expertise in music, theater and education, I will have a powerful voice to advocate for the Arts. With a PhD, I will be speaking with authority from a scientifically supported understanding as well as from my heart.
This morning I work on coursework for Advanced Inferential Statistics ... not the picture you have of a person who composes music and/or writes plays ... or even a teacher in a classroom ... Yet, this is a necessary tool for my future research and I return to my classroom with a vengeance!
The Arts seem to embody the best of our humanity. They document and express our creativity, and through their process help everyone lead happier and more fulfilled lives. The place of music, art, dance and theater in our education has been so diminished over the years that most people do not recognize the power they have to make our world a better place. Yet within the Arts rests the potential to help our educational woes because the Arts develop cognitive abilities and promote emotional well-being.
With a PhD, coupled with my expertise in music, theater and education, I will have a powerful voice to advocate for the Arts. With a PhD, I will be speaking with authority from a scientifically supported understanding as well as from my heart.
This morning I work on coursework for Advanced Inferential Statistics ... not the picture you have of a person who composes music and/or writes plays ... or even a teacher in a classroom ... Yet, this is a necessary tool for my future research and I return to my classroom with a vengeance!
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Methinks We Begin a New Journey
Earlier this afternoon, Linz and I had the opportunity to present a project to the rising class at Penfield High School in Rochester, New York. The project we have proposed is a Shakespeare Sonnet composition project that will involve the advanced voice class, the orchestra and the theory class.
Throughout the next school year, we will be examining the Shakespeare Sonnets with the voice class, translating 5 to 7 of them into modern English with the students' help, and then setting the original sonnet into a vocal composition with orchestrated arrangements. In performance next June (2012),the class will present their translated versions paired with the original sonnets ... all set to music, which will be performed in a special concert.
When talking to the class today, it became apparent that Shakespeare is a mystery ... and yet everyone thinks and believes that to know Shakespeare is evidence of an educated person. Based on their response, it is clear that learning Shakespeare is perceived to be a difficult task.
With this project, our goal as composers/writers is to connect them with this heightened language in a way that makes Shakespeare's words personal to them, so that when they speak these words without the music, they will feel and know the power of great writing --writing that transcends time.
So ... we are off! ... beginning a journey ... we hope it will be a fantastic one for all involved. We certainly know we are looking forward to the experience.
Throughout the next school year, we will be examining the Shakespeare Sonnets with the voice class, translating 5 to 7 of them into modern English with the students' help, and then setting the original sonnet into a vocal composition with orchestrated arrangements. In performance next June (2012),the class will present their translated versions paired with the original sonnets ... all set to music, which will be performed in a special concert.
When talking to the class today, it became apparent that Shakespeare is a mystery ... and yet everyone thinks and believes that to know Shakespeare is evidence of an educated person. Based on their response, it is clear that learning Shakespeare is perceived to be a difficult task.
With this project, our goal as composers/writers is to connect them with this heightened language in a way that makes Shakespeare's words personal to them, so that when they speak these words without the music, they will feel and know the power of great writing --writing that transcends time.
So ... we are off! ... beginning a journey ... we hope it will be a fantastic one for all involved. We certainly know we are looking forward to the experience.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
The Joy of What We Do
This past weekend, we (meaning my writing partner, Lindsay Baker, and I) had the extraordinary opportunity to attend the New York Musical Theater Festival's (NYMF) Bootcamp. For two days, we sat together with other winners of this year's Next Link Project and the producers of shows for the 2011 festival, hearing and sharing information about what we are about to undertake--a New York City production of our show.
One of the most amazing moments of the entire weekend was when each of us (the writers) shared a song from our musical. This is the musical in its purist form because these performances come straight from the heart of the people who created them. What is so extraordinary about the experience is that here in a room full of strangers, we all share a common bond. We all know the joy of what we do AND ... in this powerful moment, we have the opportunity to share this joy with others who understand completely what it means to write a musical.
For those who have never attempted to write one, it is important to know that for a composer/lyricist/playwright, "joy" is the most necessary ingredient in the writing process--at least it is for us. Joy has to be the overarching presence because sometimes that is the only thing a composer/lyricist and playwright has. It is the joy that sustains the writer through the bleak times and it is the joy that is replenished when a special opportunity like this one presents itself.
Our experience over the weekend was supportive, encouraging, and positive. NYMF puts together people who love theater ... musical theater ... and they make it happen. Because of the NYMF staff and what they accomplished this weekend, we believe that we will be able to produce our show. Already they have given us access to tremendous resources and introduced us to fabulously talented people, people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make a show happen ... directors, designers, marketing people, and people who have created wonderful shows for them in the past.
As a result, we welcome our journey ahead. From what we learned in bootcamp, we know that the next several months will be insane and that things will happen quickly. Our hope, however, is that when we open, we will still know that same joy--the joy of what we did!!
One of the most amazing moments of the entire weekend was when each of us (the writers) shared a song from our musical. This is the musical in its purist form because these performances come straight from the heart of the people who created them. What is so extraordinary about the experience is that here in a room full of strangers, we all share a common bond. We all know the joy of what we do AND ... in this powerful moment, we have the opportunity to share this joy with others who understand completely what it means to write a musical.
For those who have never attempted to write one, it is important to know that for a composer/lyricist/playwright, "joy" is the most necessary ingredient in the writing process--at least it is for us. Joy has to be the overarching presence because sometimes that is the only thing a composer/lyricist and playwright has. It is the joy that sustains the writer through the bleak times and it is the joy that is replenished when a special opportunity like this one presents itself.
Our experience over the weekend was supportive, encouraging, and positive. NYMF puts together people who love theater ... musical theater ... and they make it happen. Because of the NYMF staff and what they accomplished this weekend, we believe that we will be able to produce our show. Already they have given us access to tremendous resources and introduced us to fabulously talented people, people who work tirelessly behind the scenes to make a show happen ... directors, designers, marketing people, and people who have created wonderful shows for them in the past.
As a result, we welcome our journey ahead. From what we learned in bootcamp, we know that the next several months will be insane and that things will happen quickly. Our hope, however, is that when we open, we will still know that same joy--the joy of what we did!!
Sunday, May 1, 2011
Foundations: Building More than a Film Score
This spring I have had the extraordinary pleasure of working with young film maker, Rose Glaeser. She is in the final throes of finishing her degree at RIT (Rochester Institute of Technology) and she contacted me to help her with a film score for her thesis. What is so interesting about her film is that it is a collage of images that build on the foundations of running.
In viewing the film for the first time, my mind instantly heard the sounds of drumming. I thought that the sound of African drumming could serve as the foundation for her film and bring cohesion to the score. The imagery of a ballet dancer evoked the sound of a piano; football the sounds of whistles; baseball the sound of the electric organ, and kung fu, the sounds of a flute and a metallophone.
When I shared my thoughts with Rose, she was open to the ideas. I think this is what made the experience so much fun. Rose was open to the ideas and understood the nature of collaboration--staying true to her vision of the film, but cognizant that when others contribute to her art, she could have a greater realization of her vision.
Her openness allowed me to bring together many elements and people. For the foundational element, I contacted a fabulous woman, Colleen Hendrick, who is with Bush Mango Drum & Dance to provide the organic sounds of West African drumming. I composed a flute piece called "Qi" for my daughter to play and she had the experience of being recorded in a sound booth. In providing the piano music, I had the opportunity to write a new intermediate to advanced solo piano piece called "Valse gothique", which had been whirling and twirling around in my head since December ...
All of these elements will be combined in Rose's film --in a collage -- in collaboration. And ... I am getting excited about her screening. What excites me more, though, is the spirit of her work as an artist and the joy she gave others in allowing them to collaborate with her. Rose ... Congratulations!
In viewing the film for the first time, my mind instantly heard the sounds of drumming. I thought that the sound of African drumming could serve as the foundation for her film and bring cohesion to the score. The imagery of a ballet dancer evoked the sound of a piano; football the sounds of whistles; baseball the sound of the electric organ, and kung fu, the sounds of a flute and a metallophone.
When I shared my thoughts with Rose, she was open to the ideas. I think this is what made the experience so much fun. Rose was open to the ideas and understood the nature of collaboration--staying true to her vision of the film, but cognizant that when others contribute to her art, she could have a greater realization of her vision.
Her openness allowed me to bring together many elements and people. For the foundational element, I contacted a fabulous woman, Colleen Hendrick, who is with Bush Mango Drum & Dance to provide the organic sounds of West African drumming. I composed a flute piece called "Qi" for my daughter to play and she had the experience of being recorded in a sound booth. In providing the piano music, I had the opportunity to write a new intermediate to advanced solo piano piece called "Valse gothique", which had been whirling and twirling around in my head since December ...
All of these elements will be combined in Rose's film --in a collage -- in collaboration. And ... I am getting excited about her screening. What excites me more, though, is the spirit of her work as an artist and the joy she gave others in allowing them to collaborate with her. Rose ... Congratulations!
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Working with Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and the Transgendered
As I continue to pursue my PhD in Educational Psychology, I am required to examine ethics within the profession. This week, we were asked to look at the current state of ethics guidelines when dealing with lesbians, gays, bi-sexuals and the transgendered. Here are a few of my thoughts from the essay I submitted this morning ...
On Monday night, I was in New York City and saw a preview of the revival of “The Normal Heart”. It is a historical play, written by Larry Kramer in 1985 that addressed the issues surrounding the HIV-AIDS epidemic of the early 1980s. Because the Broadway production is a revival, it highlights the fact that the problems currently existing within the gay community are the same problems that existed 30 years ago. It speaks to the political issues surrounding the gay population, as well as the continued need for ethical guidelines for professionals working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered populations today.
According to the American Psychological Association Task Force Report (2009), the concerns of transgender/gender variant populations revolve around social justice issues. Historically social justice issues (for every population) have always been important to the APA, so it is not surprising that the APA recognizes that stigmatization and discrimination occur in almost every aspect of a transgender/gender variant person’s life: threats to their physical safety, their psychological well-being, access to services and basic human rights.
Discrimination and prejudice often occur when a person’s sexual/gender orientation is known. Those who do not share the same sexual/gender orientation, or accept the sexual/gender orientation differences, pass moral judgments against them, so it is important to incorporate guidelines that extend to include this consideration.
Based on the two articles of Standard 3 of the APA guidelines, the role of the psychologist is to create a welcoming, friendly/educational environment that is free of sexual solicitation, physical advances or sexually suggestive verbal/nonverbal conduct. Shouldn’t this extend to all professions? Also, ethical psychologists do not harass or demean a person who is seeking their help. While the Standard does not specify transgender/gay-lesbian or bi-sexual populations, the standard can act as the umbrella for all sexual/gender orientation issues until the APA can revise it to be more inclusive.
Because much of my professional life is in the Arts, I often encounter gay/lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered people. In knowing them, a theme keeps repeating: No matter who a person is or what sexual/gender orientation a person has, everyone wants to be recognized and appreciated as a person. Everyone wants to be recognized and appreciated for who they are and what they do with their talents and abilities. And ... as far as I can see, projects and collaborative processes succeed when people concentrate on the goal of the collaborative process and not who the person is “sexually” or "culturally".
For an educational psychologist specializing in the arts and music, the most important guideline I can recommend is to educate others to focus on the abilities and talents of what people can “do” instead of how people express themselves sexually and culturally. In creating art or educating people in the arts, the focus should be “the art”. New respect and understanding for others is a natural by-product that results from the process of successful creation.
In my opinion, appreciation and respect for others will always be a natural by-product of collaboration because the act of creating transcends race, religious views and sexual/gender orientation. When people unite in a common goal and succeed together, they develop an arena that promotes appreciation and respect; it creates a place where love can emerge, and people develop an ability to “like” the people with whom they are working. When we "like" each other, we create an environment where social change can occur and a society can become a just one.
For the psychology profession, it all comes back to the same three-word mantra adopted by the American Psychological Association: “Do no harm". If those in psychology (or anyone else for that matter) are diligent in their attempt to suspend the tendency to project a moral judgment on those with different sexual/gender orientation from their own, they will “do no harm”; they will expand their own world-view, make friends, develop new understanding ... and truly help them.
References
American Psychological Association (2010). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/index.aspx
American Psychological Association, Task Force on Gender Identity and Gender Variance. (2009). Report of the Task Force on Gender Identity and Gender Variance. Washington, DC: Author.
The Normal Heart. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.thenormalheartbroadway.com/
On Monday night, I was in New York City and saw a preview of the revival of “The Normal Heart”. It is a historical play, written by Larry Kramer in 1985 that addressed the issues surrounding the HIV-AIDS epidemic of the early 1980s. Because the Broadway production is a revival, it highlights the fact that the problems currently existing within the gay community are the same problems that existed 30 years ago. It speaks to the political issues surrounding the gay population, as well as the continued need for ethical guidelines for professionals working with lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgendered populations today.
According to the American Psychological Association Task Force Report (2009), the concerns of transgender/gender variant populations revolve around social justice issues. Historically social justice issues (for every population) have always been important to the APA, so it is not surprising that the APA recognizes that stigmatization and discrimination occur in almost every aspect of a transgender/gender variant person’s life: threats to their physical safety, their psychological well-being, access to services and basic human rights.
Discrimination and prejudice often occur when a person’s sexual/gender orientation is known. Those who do not share the same sexual/gender orientation, or accept the sexual/gender orientation differences, pass moral judgments against them, so it is important to incorporate guidelines that extend to include this consideration.
Based on the two articles of Standard 3 of the APA guidelines, the role of the psychologist is to create a welcoming, friendly/educational environment that is free of sexual solicitation, physical advances or sexually suggestive verbal/nonverbal conduct. Shouldn’t this extend to all professions? Also, ethical psychologists do not harass or demean a person who is seeking their help. While the Standard does not specify transgender/gay-lesbian or bi-sexual populations, the standard can act as the umbrella for all sexual/gender orientation issues until the APA can revise it to be more inclusive.
Because much of my professional life is in the Arts, I often encounter gay/lesbian, bi-sexual and transgendered people. In knowing them, a theme keeps repeating: No matter who a person is or what sexual/gender orientation a person has, everyone wants to be recognized and appreciated as a person. Everyone wants to be recognized and appreciated for who they are and what they do with their talents and abilities. And ... as far as I can see, projects and collaborative processes succeed when people concentrate on the goal of the collaborative process and not who the person is “sexually” or "culturally".
For an educational psychologist specializing in the arts and music, the most important guideline I can recommend is to educate others to focus on the abilities and talents of what people can “do” instead of how people express themselves sexually and culturally. In creating art or educating people in the arts, the focus should be “the art”. New respect and understanding for others is a natural by-product that results from the process of successful creation.
In my opinion, appreciation and respect for others will always be a natural by-product of collaboration because the act of creating transcends race, religious views and sexual/gender orientation. When people unite in a common goal and succeed together, they develop an arena that promotes appreciation and respect; it creates a place where love can emerge, and people develop an ability to “like” the people with whom they are working. When we "like" each other, we create an environment where social change can occur and a society can become a just one.
For the psychology profession, it all comes back to the same three-word mantra adopted by the American Psychological Association: “Do no harm". If those in psychology (or anyone else for that matter) are diligent in their attempt to suspend the tendency to project a moral judgment on those with different sexual/gender orientation from their own, they will “do no harm”; they will expand their own world-view, make friends, develop new understanding ... and truly help them.
References
American Psychological Association (2010). Ethical Principles of Psychologists and Code of Conduct. Retrieved from http://www.apa.org/ethics/index.aspx
American Psychological Association, Task Force on Gender Identity and Gender Variance. (2009). Report of the Task Force on Gender Identity and Gender Variance. Washington, DC: Author.
The Normal Heart. (2011). Retrieved from http://www.thenormalheartbroadway.com/
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
When Children Sing ...
When children sing, we need to listen. They are showing us a way to make our world a better place. When their voices join together in song, the sound creates joy and beauty in the world. Since sound is vibration, the children are creating harmony beyond the music itself, and therefore creating a happy vibe in collaboration!
People who attend a children’s choir performance probably only see children having fun and enjoy the experience of listening to them, but research and science prove that the act of singing does much more. When children sing, not only does it improve their musical skills set, but it also provides children with enhanced language-based instruction that simultaneously enhances their speech and reading skills (Moore, 2009).
Music, and particularly singing, stimulates the cerebellum and aids in auditory processing of words (Callan, Kawato, Parsons & Turner, 2007). Through Functional imaging, Callan et al. showed that children with language learning impairment who receive musical training improved their language skills and increased their auditory processing abilities. This discovery could have great implication for children with dyslexia because it has been argued that cerebellar deficits are factors in this language learning impairment. If these deficits can be improved through singing, then music is a door that opens the world to a population that struggles to learn how to read and write.
Even if a person dismisses that fact that singing and music is stimulating a child’s brain, there are other HUGE benefits. Well-crafted lyrics expose a child to a new subject or culture, or the lyrics invite the exploration of history. Songs teach vocabulary and when combined with the emotional expression from musical harmonies and melodies, children learn the deeper subtleties of meanings and how to use vocabulary correctly. The repetition of songs improves pronunciation, reinforces the innate understanding of inflection, language patterns and sentence formation. It is a heightened form of speech therapy that is enjoyable to the child … especially when the melodies, rhythms and harmonies are fun to sing.
As a composer who writes children’s songs, it is my responsibility and *joy* to create songs that attempt to enhance what children’s voices do best and to pick appropriate subject matters to sing about. The only way I know when I am successful is when an artistic or choral director chooses my work for their choir to sing.
This happened yesterday when I received an email from Gina Lupini, the director of Vivace! in Archbald, Pennsylvania, requesting permission to buy/license copies of “When I Go Fishin’” for her choir. It was a delightful exchange and in the process of our correspondence, I discovered an amazingly talented woman who is doing amazingly talented things with amazingly talented children.
What Ms. Lupini is doing is delivering first-class arts-based instruction that is fostering creativity and enhancing literacy instruction. Not only is she making great music, but she is transforming her rehearsals and performances into positive learning environments that help every child in her chorus gain academic, social and emotional skills for success in later life—the kind of success that Paquette and Reig (2008) describe in their recent article about literacy and music. Successful children’s choruses happen because a choral director creates an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between chorus members, the director and the accompanist.
Here is a little of the bio she sent when I asked her if I could write something about her group:
"Vivace! is an auditioned treble choir of sixty-five seventh through twelfth grade students from the Valley View School District. Since 2004, the choir has attended the Music in the Parks and Music Showcase Festivals and has consistently achieved excellent and superior ratings. In May 2010, the group achieved Music Showcase Festival's most distinguished honor, Grand Champion. The award is given to the highest scoring ensemble from all of the festivals held at the location in which they attended. In recent years Vivace! has performed at the Lackawanna County Health Care Center, The Laurels Assisted Living Facility, the Gino Merli Veteran’s Center, PNC Stadium and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.
In April 2010, Vivace! traveled to Pittsburgh to perform at the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s (PMEA) annual conference. PMEA’s mission is to advance music education by encouraging excellence in the study, teaching and making of music. Vivace! was one of 140 ensembles throughout the Commonwealth who applied to perform and are one of only thirty selected to perform at the three day convention.
In June 2011, the choir will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to participate in the Queen City Children's Choir Festival. In 2009, they participated in the same festival and were one of five choirs throughout the United States who worked directly with international composer Jim Papoulis and the American Choral Director's Association's National Chair of Children's Choirs and director of the Cincinnati Children's Choir, Robyn Reeves Lana.
The group released its first CD in April 2009 and their second CD (The Spirit of Christmas, recorded at St. Peter's Cathedral) is on sale now. Vivace! is under the direction of Gina Lupini and accompanied by Michael O'Malley."
When children sing, they are doing something important for themselves and for their world. They really are making a difference!
So … Sing, children! Sing!
References
Callan, D. E., Kawato, M., Parsons, L., & Turner, R. (2007). Speech and song: The role of the cerebellum. Cerebellum, 6(4), 321-327. doi:10.1080/14734220601187733
Moore, P. (2009). Singing Forges a Link Between Music and Language. Teaching Music, 17(2), 57. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Paquette, K., & Rieg, S. (2008). Using Music to Support the Literacy Development of Young English Language Learners. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(3), 227-232. doi:10.1007/s10643-008-0277-9
People who attend a children’s choir performance probably only see children having fun and enjoy the experience of listening to them, but research and science prove that the act of singing does much more. When children sing, not only does it improve their musical skills set, but it also provides children with enhanced language-based instruction that simultaneously enhances their speech and reading skills (Moore, 2009).
Music, and particularly singing, stimulates the cerebellum and aids in auditory processing of words (Callan, Kawato, Parsons & Turner, 2007). Through Functional imaging, Callan et al. showed that children with language learning impairment who receive musical training improved their language skills and increased their auditory processing abilities. This discovery could have great implication for children with dyslexia because it has been argued that cerebellar deficits are factors in this language learning impairment. If these deficits can be improved through singing, then music is a door that opens the world to a population that struggles to learn how to read and write.
Even if a person dismisses that fact that singing and music is stimulating a child’s brain, there are other HUGE benefits. Well-crafted lyrics expose a child to a new subject or culture, or the lyrics invite the exploration of history. Songs teach vocabulary and when combined with the emotional expression from musical harmonies and melodies, children learn the deeper subtleties of meanings and how to use vocabulary correctly. The repetition of songs improves pronunciation, reinforces the innate understanding of inflection, language patterns and sentence formation. It is a heightened form of speech therapy that is enjoyable to the child … especially when the melodies, rhythms and harmonies are fun to sing.
As a composer who writes children’s songs, it is my responsibility and *joy* to create songs that attempt to enhance what children’s voices do best and to pick appropriate subject matters to sing about. The only way I know when I am successful is when an artistic or choral director chooses my work for their choir to sing.
This happened yesterday when I received an email from Gina Lupini, the director of Vivace! in Archbald, Pennsylvania, requesting permission to buy/license copies of “When I Go Fishin’” for her choir. It was a delightful exchange and in the process of our correspondence, I discovered an amazingly talented woman who is doing amazingly talented things with amazingly talented children.
What Ms. Lupini is doing is delivering first-class arts-based instruction that is fostering creativity and enhancing literacy instruction. Not only is she making great music, but she is transforming her rehearsals and performances into positive learning environments that help every child in her chorus gain academic, social and emotional skills for success in later life—the kind of success that Paquette and Reig (2008) describe in their recent article about literacy and music. Successful children’s choruses happen because a choral director creates an atmosphere of mutual trust and respect between chorus members, the director and the accompanist.
Here is a little of the bio she sent when I asked her if I could write something about her group:
"Vivace! is an auditioned treble choir of sixty-five seventh through twelfth grade students from the Valley View School District. Since 2004, the choir has attended the Music in the Parks and Music Showcase Festivals and has consistently achieved excellent and superior ratings. In May 2010, the group achieved Music Showcase Festival's most distinguished honor, Grand Champion. The award is given to the highest scoring ensemble from all of the festivals held at the location in which they attended. In recent years Vivace! has performed at the Lackawanna County Health Care Center, The Laurels Assisted Living Facility, the Gino Merli Veteran’s Center, PNC Stadium and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport.
In April 2010, Vivace! traveled to Pittsburgh to perform at the Pennsylvania Music Educator’s (PMEA) annual conference. PMEA’s mission is to advance music education by encouraging excellence in the study, teaching and making of music. Vivace! was one of 140 ensembles throughout the Commonwealth who applied to perform and are one of only thirty selected to perform at the three day convention.
In June 2011, the choir will travel to Cincinnati, Ohio to participate in the Queen City Children's Choir Festival. In 2009, they participated in the same festival and were one of five choirs throughout the United States who worked directly with international composer Jim Papoulis and the American Choral Director's Association's National Chair of Children's Choirs and director of the Cincinnati Children's Choir, Robyn Reeves Lana.
The group released its first CD in April 2009 and their second CD (The Spirit of Christmas, recorded at St. Peter's Cathedral) is on sale now. Vivace! is under the direction of Gina Lupini and accompanied by Michael O'Malley."
When children sing, they are doing something important for themselves and for their world. They really are making a difference!
So … Sing, children! Sing!
References
Callan, D. E., Kawato, M., Parsons, L., & Turner, R. (2007). Speech and song: The role of the cerebellum. Cerebellum, 6(4), 321-327. doi:10.1080/14734220601187733
Moore, P. (2009). Singing Forges a Link Between Music and Language. Teaching Music, 17(2), 57. Retrieved from EBSCOhost.
Paquette, K., & Rieg, S. (2008). Using Music to Support the Literacy Development of Young English Language Learners. Early Childhood Education Journal, 36(3), 227-232. doi:10.1007/s10643-008-0277-9
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
