‘normal rules don’t apply’: following a philosophy of individual choice in music making

Susan West School of Music

ANU College of Arts & Social Sciences

‘Normal rules don’t apply’: Following a philosophy of individual choice in

music making

Summary

• A talk about practice• My background• My working situation• A bit of theory• Examples: basic choices; advanced choices;

instrumental choices • Conclusion

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BackgroundSTUDY

B.Mus (Performance)(Melb.); Grad. Dip. (Hungary); M.Ed.(Gifted and Talented)(Charles Sturt); Ph.D. (ANU)

PERFORMANCE

Principal Piccolo, West Australian Symphony Orchestra; Associate Principal/Principal Flute, Sydney Symphony Orchestra; Australian Wind Virtuosi.

EDUCATION

Canberra School of Music, Music Education Program

ANU School of Music, Music Engagement Program

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Working situation

• Employed by ANU

• Funded by local government

• Work largely in education system

• Partner with anyone and everyone

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A different paradigm

• Philosophy and practice of MEP discussed in next session

• This session about a concept arising from that philosophy

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In brief

• A social/altruistic approach

• Aim to overcome disengagement

• Prioritising each musical life

• The musical life belongs to the individual

• No musts: nothing can be mandated

• Leads to prioritising CHOICE

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Choosing to offer choice

• Idea not as radical as it was

• Most people have limits– Imposed by the system– Imposed by the students– Imposed by the self

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Choice is a climate with individual rights

1. The right to comment

2. The right to suggest

3. The right to veto

(With apologies to Bagehot: consult, encourage, warn)

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Choice is a climate with responsibilities

• For teachers: vigilant; responsive

• For students: empathetic; proactive

• For both: protecting others’ rights

• What about me? – ‘I’m not having fun now’ – The after-lunch incident

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Choice involves…choices!

• Students don’t know what they don’t know (doesn’t mean limiting offerings)

• Teachers don’t see what students see

• Basic finding in the MEP: they’ll try anything with gusto if they know they can say no (suggest, comment, but finally….VETO)

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Choice Protocols• Force = disengagement

• There is no ‘need to know’

• Experiment ‘with’ not ‘on’ (the fear of anarchy)

• Students and teachers are both free

• It’s for singing/playing, not for learning

• If it’s not fun, stop it (the case of the Syrian chant)• Majority doesn’t always have to rule (the case of Andrew and

Yesterday)

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Repertoire Choices: 70/7 Kinder – Year 3

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70/7: Year 4 – Year 6 and Whole School

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Repertoire and (social) learning

• Dissension and student learning – the case of Eddie

• Dissension and teacher learning - Gundagai

• Dissension and both learning 1 – choice saturation

• Dissension and both learning 2 – ‘fit for purpose’

• Dissension and both learning 3 – singability

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Scenes from the life of song:a five-thousand year journey in 45 pieces

• Complaints were often about being left out

• Some examples of popular songs…

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Green Grow the Rushes, English c. 597 (all)

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Men of Harlech, 1468 (juniors)

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Fie Nay Prithee John, Purcell (attr.) (seniors)

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Oh Beethoven, 2009

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Skills in a choice model

• There is no necessary learning

• Plan for multiple levels

• You don’t have to promote challenge: they get it

• Emergent learning (for everyone!)

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Ancient Syrian c. 1500BC

Stravinsky Renard 1944

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Veni Emmanuelc. 1250

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There’s a Man Goin’ Round (Afro-American Trad.)

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Awake (American Indian)

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Awake 2 (American Indian)

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Natural Extension

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International Song Book

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International Song Book

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International Song Book

Choice and Instruments• Do he/she want to be here? (Class lessons/Individual lessons)

• Does he/she want to play this instrument?

• What does he/she want to play?

• The case of Jae-Yung• The case of Rowena• The case of Amelia• The case of Amanda

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Choice and Professional Development

The one exception?

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High School (when you have choices)

Experiencing the new model:

• Let’s just have fun

• ‘Susan, a word…’

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High School (when you don’t)

• Be clear about everyone’s likes/dislikes; wants/not wants

• Be honest about yours

• Summarise disliked or unwanted compulsory content

• Work out how to make it as likable as possible (with kids)

• Work out how to do the unlikable in the least possible amount

of time

• Get on with the things you like

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Assessment

• Wherever possible remove assessment (Australia and AMEB)

• Be aware of assessment ‘creep’ – ie scales: does it really matter?

• Involve the student

• Assessment is not judgement (although in music it often feels

that way)

• Sometimes we need to comply but what’s the least painful way?

• Think ‘just in time’ not ‘just in case’

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Finally…what do they choose?

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