Using the music and video of a selected composition will engage with students exploration the music and visual images interact to create meaning. Students will analyze the video as a work of art (literary, musical, visual) as well as examine its larger cultural/historical context.
This interdisciplinary activity appeals to multiple intelligences and can be used as a motivational or supplemental exercise toward better understanding and music interpretations. The activity encourages student to listen analytically, observer and think creatively and develops critical thinking skills which are very useful to individuals music development.
Objectives
The student will be able to respond (orally or in writing) to the music and video imagery of a selected song; appreciate the way in which words, music and images interact to create meaning;
understand that music and videos can be significant forms of cultural expression; recognize the interconnectedness of the arts with social studies and literature; Comprehend that there may be multiple interpretations of a work of art (including the artist’s).
Procedures
This activity can be done as a warm-up activities and should be discussed before playing the music score or depending on the band director’s preference. In this example, students will respond to music and visual imagery of the composition. Background information on the composer, culture, and history of the song may be given as necessary.
Distribute the musical score. Have students analyze it, keeping the following questions in mind:
What is the main motif of the song? Identify its major themes.
What emotions are expressed?
What expressive symbols are used by the composer?
Are there any literary/historical/cultural allusions in the song?
How do these references contribute to the song’s meaning?
Does the song address any issues that are relevant to contemporary society?
Play the music. Have students discuss how the addition of music changes or adds to their interpretation of the song. Consider the following:
Describe the musical elements such as the instruments used, the vocal style, melody, rhythm, etc.
Do these elements reinforce or undercut the meaning you identified earlier?
Is the musical style what you expected from reading the lyrics?
Watch video. Have the students discuss how the visual imagery adds to or changes the meaning of the song.
What is the main purpose of the visual imagery?
Does the video tell a story?
Does it contain symbolic imagery?
How does it help set the mood of the song?
What kind of image of the performer(s) is created by the video? How does this image impact the meaning of the song?
Several video versions, each quite different, were created for the composition. Compare the different versions. Which is the most successful interpretation of the song in your opinion and why?
Ask students to respond to the question: If you were making a video of this song, what imagery would you use?
Sunday, March 22, 2009
How do expert conductors spend their time during rehearsal?
Researchers have investigated the rehearsal procedures of expert wind conductors in a variety of settings and have identified some characteristics of the expert’s rehearsal. Here are the lists of the findings and I hope the information will contribute to the development of band directors and music educators.
1. Researchers have found that expert conductors spend a greater portion of rehearsal time performing (Goolsby, 1999; Pontious, 1982).
2.experts use verbal communication, visual gestures and modeling to bring about change in student performance (Francisco, 1994; Menchaca, 1988; Pontious,1982).
3. Expert conductors address a variety of performance issues in their rehearsals.
4. Goolsby (1999) reported that experts addressed balance/blend, style, tone, intonation and other performance variables more than the novices did.
5. Menchaca (1988) observed that the conductors in his study spent a greater amount of time on fundamental elements of performance rather than on expressive elements.
6. Pontious (1982) reported that of conductor verbalizations addressing fundamental
performance categories, more than 75% addressed phrasing/dynamics, rhythm, pitch, and
articulation while very little time was devoted to style, balance, tone quality, and tone
production.
7. In Francisco’s study (1994), the author concluded that intonation was the most difficult performance problem to correct, that rhythm was easier to correct than intonation, and that technique was the easiest problem to correct.
8. Texas Music Education Research, 2001 M.D. Worthy 3 correct balance and interpretation. Errors in intonation may be more difficult for students to detect and to correct.
9. Cavitt (1998) investigated the process of error correction in five high school and five middle school expert band directors.
10. Middle school directors targeted articulation more frequently than other target categories while high school directors most frequently targeted intonation and tone.
11. Also, high school directors were more likely to address multiple targets simultaneously or have unidentified targets in their rehearsal segments than middle school teachers.
12. Goolsby (1999) reported that expert teacher spent more time performing in rehearsals while novice teachers spent more time giving verbal instructions.
13. Experts addressed balance/blend, style, tone, intonation and other performance variables more than the novices did.
14. Novice teachers were limited to dynamics and entrances while expert teachers commented on many variables throughout the rehearsal.
15. Goolsby also reported more complete teaching cycles for expert teachers than novice teachers, indicating that novice teachers stopped and started without providing instruction more frequently than did the expert teachers.
Reference
Cavitt, M. E. (1998). A descriptive analysis of error correction in expert teachers' instrumental music rehearsals. (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin, 1998).
Francisco, J. M. (1994). Conductor communication in the ensemble rehearsal: The relative effects of verbal communication, visual communication, and modeling on performance improvement of high school bands (Doctoral dissertation: Indiana University, 1994).
Goolsby, T. W. (1999). A comparison of expert and novice music teachers’ preparing identical band compositions:
an operational replication. Journal of Research in Music Education, 47, 174-187.
Menchaca, L. A. (1988). A descriptive analysis of secondary instrumental conductor rehearsal problem-solving approaches, addressed musical elements and relationship to student attitude. (Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University, 1988).
Pontious, M. F. (1982). A profile of rehearsal techniques and interaction of selected band conductors. (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1982).
Worthy, M. D. (2001) Observation and analysis of an expert wind conductor in high school vs. college rehearsals. Reports of research in music education. Austin, Texas. Texas Music Educators Association.
1. Researchers have found that expert conductors spend a greater portion of rehearsal time performing (Goolsby, 1999; Pontious, 1982).
2.experts use verbal communication, visual gestures and modeling to bring about change in student performance (Francisco, 1994; Menchaca, 1988; Pontious,1982).
3. Expert conductors address a variety of performance issues in their rehearsals.
4. Goolsby (1999) reported that experts addressed balance/blend, style, tone, intonation and other performance variables more than the novices did.
5. Menchaca (1988) observed that the conductors in his study spent a greater amount of time on fundamental elements of performance rather than on expressive elements.
6. Pontious (1982) reported that of conductor verbalizations addressing fundamental
performance categories, more than 75% addressed phrasing/dynamics, rhythm, pitch, and
articulation while very little time was devoted to style, balance, tone quality, and tone
production.
7. In Francisco’s study (1994), the author concluded that intonation was the most difficult performance problem to correct, that rhythm was easier to correct than intonation, and that technique was the easiest problem to correct.
8. Texas Music Education Research, 2001 M.D. Worthy 3 correct balance and interpretation. Errors in intonation may be more difficult for students to detect and to correct.
9. Cavitt (1998) investigated the process of error correction in five high school and five middle school expert band directors.
10. Middle school directors targeted articulation more frequently than other target categories while high school directors most frequently targeted intonation and tone.
11. Also, high school directors were more likely to address multiple targets simultaneously or have unidentified targets in their rehearsal segments than middle school teachers.
12. Goolsby (1999) reported that expert teacher spent more time performing in rehearsals while novice teachers spent more time giving verbal instructions.
13. Experts addressed balance/blend, style, tone, intonation and other performance variables more than the novices did.
14. Novice teachers were limited to dynamics and entrances while expert teachers commented on many variables throughout the rehearsal.
15. Goolsby also reported more complete teaching cycles for expert teachers than novice teachers, indicating that novice teachers stopped and started without providing instruction more frequently than did the expert teachers.
Reference
Cavitt, M. E. (1998). A descriptive analysis of error correction in expert teachers' instrumental music rehearsals. (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Texas at Austin, 1998).
Francisco, J. M. (1994). Conductor communication in the ensemble rehearsal: The relative effects of verbal communication, visual communication, and modeling on performance improvement of high school bands (Doctoral dissertation: Indiana University, 1994).
Goolsby, T. W. (1999). A comparison of expert and novice music teachers’ preparing identical band compositions:
an operational replication. Journal of Research in Music Education, 47, 174-187.
Menchaca, L. A. (1988). A descriptive analysis of secondary instrumental conductor rehearsal problem-solving approaches, addressed musical elements and relationship to student attitude. (Doctoral dissertation, The Ohio State University, 1988).
Pontious, M. F. (1982). A profile of rehearsal techniques and interaction of selected band conductors. (Doctoral dissertation, The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, 1982).
Worthy, M. D. (2001) Observation and analysis of an expert wind conductor in high school vs. college rehearsals. Reports of research in music education. Austin, Texas. Texas Music Educators Association.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
McBerth Pyramid of Sound
Good tone and balancing is part of interpretation. Performing musical performances without appropriate tone and balancing are meaningless. Why? Because bad tone and balancing will cause intonation problems, exaggerate harmonic, unexpressive sound etc. A band is a form of massed groups of winds, each instrument possessing a unique timbre, and yet the sound must unite to form a collective whole. In this article, I would like to share my own experience and other band director’s experience on making a good ton and balancing. Achieving good balance will not only create a more beautiful sound, but it will help to solve numerous other problems, most notably improving pitch.
Bad tone and balancing are almost natural problem, face by new band directors. It is part of the development process. We should be thankful to those band directors who are willing to share their experiences with the novice band directors and for making the process easier to new band directors.
At the beginning of my career as a band director, I learned a valuable lesson in the art of disguising intonation in my concert band. While teaching at a small school in Taiping, Malaysia. I know I have problems with tone and balancing. Many of our instruments are assigned 3 or 4 different parts. In the orchestra, only the horns and trombones are normally divided into this many sections. The splitting of cornets and trumpets into 3 to 5 different parts, clarinets into 3 or 4 parts, and the like presents a tremendous challenge, especially in school groups where, in many cases, less qualified people may be assigned to lower ranges.
Since then, I went through several books by Dr L. Lisk, 1996, Colwell & Golsby 1992 and search for more information in the internet and learned more about it through reading. I finally meet a friend, an experience band director to work with my concert band. He helps me to understand the McBeth balancing concept. He told methat band conductors must try to achieve a true "choral" balance where all voices--from bass to soprano-are clearly discerned yet blended. This might be one of the key elements to McBeth's theory. The second is that lower notes need to be equal balance (essentially louder) than the higher ones. McBeth's describes this as the double-pyramid balance system. Some conductors refer to it as a reverse pyramid, meaning that the lower the sound, the more pronounced the instrument must be. It illustrates the basic idea that the lower the range of the instrument, the more present (louder) that it needs to be.
No one was able to clarify and describe how to achieve a flattering sound from the band as well as McBeth. He alone was able to put a clearly stated theory into writing, as well as to provide practical solutions. His 1972 text is still the best source for achieving an excellent "band" sound. (William Berz, 1999)
I have come across hundreds of article on improving band performance and two of the interesting articles that catches my interest is an article by Oliver C. Boone and William Berz. The article is about the McBerth pyramid of sound. I feel that most new band director will find this article as a very informative and useful to them.
The McBeth Inverted Triangle is based on the concept of expanding on the volume of the lower pitched wind instruments, such as the tuba, contras, bari saxes, etc. and thus diminishing the upper tones demonstrated by the piccolo's, soprano clarinets, flutes, etc. The concept is easy to remember if we simply place the various band instruments on a triangle of their pitch range from high to low.Once this has been displayed, the students have a clearer understanding of the individual role their instrument plays in the total sound concept of the ensemble. Next is to simply invert the triangle.
Those instruments at the top of the inverted triangle should be heavier in volume than those on the bottom. I usually asked my students to look at the bell of the brass instruments. The conical shape of the bell and the size of the bass instruments should remind them about it. The inverted triangle provides a wonderful illustration of the balancing effect which the conductor and students should give focus. Boone suggested that band directors should utilize this concept in their concert bands and notice an extensive and immediate improvement in the overall tone and quality of the band. The process of balancing the band from the bottom up was very easy in my mind; however, Boon approach is simpler to make the point to students. Throughout out the years Boone decide to expand on the idea of teaching the McBeth Inverted Triangle until he perfected a novel approach, which the younger generation would seem to grasp without difficulty.
Boone in his article also suggested that students should imagine the used of equalizer that are attached to their audio instruments such as the hi-fi, or a mini compo as an experience in making a balance sound. The author has also tried the suggestion. It certainly has an impact and recently we have an eight track and a thirty two track equalizer in the recording room. Students are encouraged to try it during the rehearsals.
I have also tried other alternative during rehearsal and during my instrumental teaching classes. I found that it is important to have students conducting and commenting the performance during the rehearsals. In my case, I invited all the section leaders in front; fist I have to guide them to hear and to controlled their section and second the whole band or performance. Then let them commmented the performance. Then we discussed about it. This will provide them a clearer picture of how to produce a well balance section. The understanding will then move toward having a balance sound for the whole band.
According to Lisk (1996) recording is a useful instrument for teaching purposes. Sometimes I recorded my students performance or rehearsal and used the recording for similar purposes. (Quality recording is essential) I found that they learn better with the recording materials and have better understanding on producing good tone and balancing. In fact, it is also good for teaching posture, techniques, and ethic in performance. The understanding of the concepts helps to motivate students to produce good tone and a well balance performance. However, band directors should firstly guide them thoroughly. A clear and effective guided instruction, tools and materials are essential; otherwise, it is just a waste of time.
References
Berz, W. It's time to re-visit McBeth ," Tempo, 53 no. 2 (May 1999): 24-25. Retrieved March 22, 2009 from http://musicweb.rutgers.edu/windband/Tempo532.htm
Berz, W. It's time to re-visit McBeth ," Tempo, 53 no. 2 (May 1999): 24-25. Retrieved March 22, 2009 from http://musicweb.rutgers.edu/windband/Tempo532.htm
Boone, O. C. (n,d) The McBeth inverted triangle meets the stereo knobhttp://www.banddirector.com/article/home-page-articles/the-mcbeth-inverted-triangle-meets-the-stereo-knob
Colwell., R. J., & Goollsby., T. (1992 ) The teaching of instrumental music: U.S.A.
Lisk. S.Edward. (1996). "Intangibles of Musical Performance". The Creative Director. Meredith Music Publication, Florida.
Friday, March 20, 2009
Research in Music Interpretation
Occasionally there are numbers of researches that deals on music interpretation. Yet, most of the research focuses more on individual interpretation such as the conductor, instrumentalist and vocalist that directly linked to professional performance. Little have been done on how to acquire good musical interpretation to large ensembles within the students’ verity of skills and knowledge in music. There is a great difference between developing individual interpretation and a uniformity of a group interpretation, which is vital to every large ensemble such as the wind orchestra and the marching bands.
Interpretation is very subjective and complex to define. It is hard to verify which is good and which bad interpretation is. What is good to certain individuals might not be so to others. The differences exist due to differences in culture, experience and education background that has unified to influence individuals interpretation needs. Lane (2004 found that the order and sequence in which experts address musical elements tend to vary among individuals but the end result seems to be similar among all expert conductors.
According to the Music Encyclopedia, interpretation in music is the aspect of music arising from the difference between notation, which preserves a written record of the music, and performance, which brings the musical experience into renewed existence. Expert conductors describe performance accuracy or music interpretation within two contexts. One context describes accuracy in terms of the ensemble’s performance matching the conductor’s preconceived idea of a piece, or internal sound image, developed through score study; the other context, generally referred to under the broad label error detection, describes performance accuracy in terms of the printed notes, rhythms, and expressive markings being played correctly by the ensemble. Most experts, who usually conduct ensembles of the highest caliber professional musicians, rarely consider performance accuracy in terms of the latter (Lane, 2004). Several researchers supported this statement. Harold Schonberg stated, “Without the interplay between the minds of the creator and interpreter, music is not only stale, flat and unprofitable. It is meaningless . . . . Musical notation is an inexact art, no matter how composers sweat and strive to perfect it. Symbols and instructions on the printed page are subject to various interpretations, not to one interpretation.
Music interpretation as described to Posner (cited in Balkin and Levinson) is a chameleon. When a performing musician "interprets" a work of music, we don’t really know, is he expressing the composer's, or even the composition's, "meaning," or is he not rather expressing himself within the interstices of the score?. Tureck found that the final decision as to a single choice, which is the final choice being controlled within the framework of the analyzed structure. Nevertheless, it should be self-evident that such a choice must be valid musically and performable technically. (Tureck Bach Research Institute, Inc).
The conductor final choice must form a shared interpretation, otherwise, indulging the whole performance. Most band directors, conductors, and music educators are aware that individuals interpretation should be expand. Nevertheless, they are also aware that there are differences between solo interpretation and group interpretation. Musicians need to act professionally, living their individualistic interpretation towards gaining group interpretation, which is crucial when playing together in a large section of a large music group. These musicians understand the requirements and acquire it as desirable requirements for expressive performance. They know the purpose and know how to perform according to the music requirements. Therefore, in such away, it is wrong to say that it limits the musician interpretation. There are differences between solo interpretation and group interpretation. These differences need to be clearly justified and appropriately defined before occurring confusing statements on music interpretation.
References
Lane, J. S. (2004) A basic interpretation analysis of undergraduate instrumental music education majors’ approaches to score study in varying musical contexts. Agricultural and Mechanical College, Louisiana State University.
Sanford and J. M. Balkin,J. M. & Levinson, S. Law, music, and other performing arts
Tureck, R. Musical Interpretation (n.d) Tureck Bach Research Institute, Inc. Retrieved 16 March, 2009 from http://www.tureckbach.com/documents/musical-interpretation/
Interpretation is very subjective and complex to define. It is hard to verify which is good and which bad interpretation is. What is good to certain individuals might not be so to others. The differences exist due to differences in culture, experience and education background that has unified to influence individuals interpretation needs. Lane (2004 found that the order and sequence in which experts address musical elements tend to vary among individuals but the end result seems to be similar among all expert conductors.
According to the Music Encyclopedia, interpretation in music is the aspect of music arising from the difference between notation, which preserves a written record of the music, and performance, which brings the musical experience into renewed existence. Expert conductors describe performance accuracy or music interpretation within two contexts. One context describes accuracy in terms of the ensemble’s performance matching the conductor’s preconceived idea of a piece, or internal sound image, developed through score study; the other context, generally referred to under the broad label error detection, describes performance accuracy in terms of the printed notes, rhythms, and expressive markings being played correctly by the ensemble. Most experts, who usually conduct ensembles of the highest caliber professional musicians, rarely consider performance accuracy in terms of the latter (Lane, 2004). Several researchers supported this statement. Harold Schonberg stated, “Without the interplay between the minds of the creator and interpreter, music is not only stale, flat and unprofitable. It is meaningless . . . . Musical notation is an inexact art, no matter how composers sweat and strive to perfect it. Symbols and instructions on the printed page are subject to various interpretations, not to one interpretation.
Music interpretation as described to Posner (cited in Balkin and Levinson) is a chameleon. When a performing musician "interprets" a work of music, we don’t really know, is he expressing the composer's, or even the composition's, "meaning," or is he not rather expressing himself within the interstices of the score?. Tureck found that the final decision as to a single choice, which is the final choice being controlled within the framework of the analyzed structure. Nevertheless, it should be self-evident that such a choice must be valid musically and performable technically. (Tureck Bach Research Institute, Inc).
The conductor final choice must form a shared interpretation, otherwise, indulging the whole performance. Most band directors, conductors, and music educators are aware that individuals interpretation should be expand. Nevertheless, they are also aware that there are differences between solo interpretation and group interpretation. Musicians need to act professionally, living their individualistic interpretation towards gaining group interpretation, which is crucial when playing together in a large section of a large music group. These musicians understand the requirements and acquire it as desirable requirements for expressive performance. They know the purpose and know how to perform according to the music requirements. Therefore, in such away, it is wrong to say that it limits the musician interpretation. There are differences between solo interpretation and group interpretation. These differences need to be clearly justified and appropriately defined before occurring confusing statements on music interpretation.
References
Lane, J. S. (2004) A basic interpretation analysis of undergraduate instrumental music education majors’ approaches to score study in varying musical contexts. Agricultural and Mechanical College, Louisiana State University.
Sanford and J. M. Balkin,J. M. & Levinson, S. Law, music, and other performing arts
Tureck, R. Musical Interpretation (n.d) Tureck Bach Research Institute, Inc. Retrieved 16 March, 2009 from http://www.tureckbach.com/documents/musical-interpretation/
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
Score Analysis is vital for music interpretation. Why?
Score analysis is vital for every band directors. Knowing all about the music; the music history, the composer, country, culture, form, structure, style, timbre, harmony, instrumentation, etc, enables the band director to express the soul of the musical score. Having the musical skills and knowledge enables band director to analyze the musical score excessively before teaching the musical piece. A good composer writes a piece of music that usually includes a variety of clues about how to perform them. Some clues, such as dynamic and articulation markings, are obvious but there are also abstract and related clues to the melodic and harmonic structure that correlates to the inner meaning of the work and need to be interpreted out of the music itself. The structure of the work may be related with a story or a particular emotion and in this case, those band directors that are able to identify those elements and bring them out during performance accomplish the most musically responsive performances.
Different decades have different fashions for musical interpretation, and for the most part, preferences are a matter of taste. Leading interpretations in whatever style based on a deep appreciation for the music. (McComb. T. M. 2000). Keefer, (1992) found that “music does not function like language or any system of referential signs. The meaning only exists in performance”. Katayose, H., & Inokuchi, S. (1993) stated that, “if music is realized as nominally described by the score, a musically unacceptable performance emerges. Music interpretation is necessary to generate a musically acceptable performance. The function of learning how to play music is the most important process in music interpretation”.
Katayose, H., & Inokuchi, S. (1993) Learning Performance Rules in a Music Interpretation System. Department of Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka,
Keefer, D. (1992). If it ain't got that swing:Musical Performance Practices and the Possibility of Musical Meaning. Retrieved December, 12, 2008. http://departments.risd.edu/faculty/dkeefer/web/swing.htm
McComb. T. M. (2000). Do early music interpretations improve? Retrieved December, 12, 2008. http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/misc/progress.html
Different decades have different fashions for musical interpretation, and for the most part, preferences are a matter of taste. Leading interpretations in whatever style based on a deep appreciation for the music. (McComb. T. M. 2000). Keefer, (1992) found that “music does not function like language or any system of referential signs. The meaning only exists in performance”. Katayose, H., & Inokuchi, S. (1993) stated that, “if music is realized as nominally described by the score, a musically unacceptable performance emerges. Music interpretation is necessary to generate a musically acceptable performance. The function of learning how to play music is the most important process in music interpretation”.
Katayose, H., & Inokuchi, S. (1993) Learning Performance Rules in a Music Interpretation System. Department of Systems Engineering, Faculty of Engineering Science, Osaka University, Toyonaka,
Keefer, D. (1992). If it ain't got that swing:Musical Performance Practices and the Possibility of Musical Meaning. Retrieved December, 12, 2008. http://departments.risd.edu/faculty/dkeefer/web/swing.htm
McComb. T. M. (2000). Do early music interpretations improve? Retrieved December, 12, 2008. http://www.medieval.org/emfaq/misc/progress.html
Music Interpretation
Music interpretation in ensemble performance such as the wind orchestra and the marching band is one of the most challenging process and indefinable aspects of music education (Whitwell. 1998). Interpretation is the process of analysing the elements of a musical composition in order to make appropriate judgement about how to perform them artistically in order to have it perform expressively which is the result of this analysis. I intend to do a research on band director teaching strategy toward organizing group interpretation. I hope to receive more information about building group interpretation and to share the findings with all who have similar interest in this area.
In this study, I attempt to clarify aspects of musical interpretation by observing one of the Malaysian successful band directors that will advocate guidelines in developing students' interpretative processes. To begin, I review basic issues concerning the nature of music and musical interpretation. I proceed to explain my research procedures, after which I detail my study on band director’s processes of developing musical interpretations of a specific work selected. My reason for doing so is to illustrate implications for the teaching and learning of musical interpretation.
To encompass good interpretation is to understand the requirements for an interpretation that is responsive to musical content; one must rely primarily upon what is in the music itself. These might be one of the reasons why most group fail to interpret the music expressively. Despite that, the process of enabling students to interpret the music is another challenging task. Being skillful and knowledgeable is not enough; one requires excessive practices in delivering and transforming the requirements for an interpretation that is approachable to the teaching process that includes tools and materials.
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