Curious Collaborative Creativity: Transforming Traditional Ensembles into Innovative Communities
By Caron L. Collins, Ph.D. The Crane School of Music State University of New York, College at Potsdam
Paper presented at Tenth Suncoast Music Education Research Symposium February 4-‐7, 2015
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Curious Collaborative Creativity: Transforming Traditional Ensembles into Innovative Communities By Caron L. Collins, Ph.D. The Crane School of Music State University of New York, College at Potsdam ~~~ “Inasmuch as music has been ubiquitous in cultures across the globe from time immemorial, and that few if any cultures are not enriched by the creative syncretism that increasingly defines the planetary musical landscape, we believe that music study informed by this commitment to creativity, diversity, and integration has the capacity to transform the world. We believe, in other words, in music making’s important role in understanding and helping to address the social, cultural, political, economic, and ecological issues facing the world today.” (Campbell, et al, 2014, p. 24) This statement, from the College Music Society’s report, “Transforming Music Study from it’s Foundations: A Manifesto for Progressive Change in the Undergraduate Preparation of Music Majors”, summarizes the impact of music for creating a better world. Music holds such a powerful influence over our lives emotionally, physically, and intellectually. Through experiencing the deep understanding of intricate compositions, the expressive quality of creative performing experiences, and the intimate connection of synchronous improvisation, music has the ability to uplift our spirit and unite the world. Music educators have the capacity for creating a better society by invigorating their students in becoming life-‐long musicians. The decisions we make when designing our curriculum, choosing repertoire, and creating engaging learning experiences, have a greater impact than we realize on the lives of our students.
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The Challenge In a 2005 study of community bands in Texas, Michigan, and California, researchers found that of the 401 participants, “secondary school-‐related music experiences were chosen by 78.1% as their most influential experience and 75% chose a secondary school band/choral/orchestra director or music teacher as the most influential person” in their decision for life-‐long music making. (Cavitt, 2005, p.50) Thus, it behooves music educators, and those of us who are teacher educators, to provide “creativity-‐-‐-‐rich, hands-‐-‐-‐on, integrative, and culturally diverse engagement with contemporary music of many kinds; inquiry into the past through the lens of the present; balance between creative exploration and rigorous development of craft, mind-‐-‐-‐body integration; rhythmic studies informed by contemporary, globally-‐-‐-‐ informed practice; community engagement, and technological application.” (Campbell, et al, 2014, p. 35-‐36) This is our challenge. The Past Hasn’t this been the practice of music educators since the 1960’s? The Yale Seminar in 1963, the Contemporary Music Project (1963-‐69), the Seminar on Comprehensive Musicianship at Northwestern University (1965), the Manhattanville Music Curriculum Project (1965-‐71), and the Tanglewood Symposium (1967) all worked through their own initiatives to transform music education into a more comprehensive approach to teaching and learning. Projects such as The Hawaii Curriculum Project (1967-‐72), Teaching Musicianship in the High School Band by Joseph Labuta (1972), and Blueprint for Band by Robert Garofalo (1976) amplified the call for reform in ensembles. (Sindberg, 2009) In
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1977, at Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin, a group of music educators met to examine, discuss, and re-‐envision school music ensembles. This meeting resulted in the development of Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) which emphasizes the interdependence of musical knowledge and musical performance by involving musicians in a variety of roles including performing, improvising, composing, transcribing, arranging, conducting, rehearsing, and analyzing music. Today, CMP is stronger than ever in Midwestern schools and becoming ever popular in the music classrooms around the world. (Block, 2013, p. 66). The Present Comprehensive musicianship approaches are not just for public school music programs, but are greatly encouraged and beneficial in adult community ensembles as well. Using best teaching practices by integrating music history, theory, technology, software, websites, and aural learning into the rehearsals, result in deeper musical understanding and enjoyable experiences. (Augustin, 2010, Rohwer, 2012). “Support for comprehensive musicianship, specifically, within community groups could be fostered in a variety of ways. A common goal for every music ensemble director should be one of educating the musicians regardless of age, ability or experience. This may not only sustain music in our community but also encourage lifelong musical learning.” (Augustin, 2010, p. 182) To better understand how today’s music teachers view the implementation of comprehensive musicianship approaches, I conducted a study at a recent
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Wisconsin CMP Summer Workshop. A survey consisting of twenty multiple choice and open-‐ended questions was distributed at the workshop. The 42 participants’ responses relating to teaching background, experiences, opinions of the CMP approach and other teaching strategies, were gathered and analyzed. The background of the respondents revealed that 35.7% have been teaching for over 21 years, while the majority were distributed equally between one and twenty years. All levels of instruction from early childhood to collegiate level were represented with 38.3% teaching band. The majority was from the upper Midwest and 52.4% teach in suburban schools. Open-‐ended responses from the veteran teachers, to the question “What do you wish to improve in your teaching or for your students’ learning from using the CMP approach?” were varied yet revealing. Responses included: fostering better connections to the music, better student engagement, meaningful lessons, more integrated approach, inspire deep thinking, more intentionality in my teaching. Curiously, similar responses came from those with no CMP experience, with one thematic difference: improved student performance and musicianship skills.
The most interesting responses from the experienced CMP teachers were
from the open-‐ended questions: “What are the benefits/drawbacks in the CMP approach?” Benefits included: student-‐centered learning, student motivation, clear evidence for assessments, and student transfer to new musical experiences. The overwhelming drawback was the enormous amount of time needed to plan using the CMP approach. Of those responding, 64.71% complained of the amount of time it takes for them to plan comprehensive approaches to teaching. Therefore, one can
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conclude that finding ways to reduce the time involved in CMP planning and preparation would be beneficial to its usefulness in the busy lives of ensemble teachers. Even though both the learner and music are central to CMP approach, learning experiences are designed, directed, and controlled solely by the ensemble director rather than shared by musicians. Student-‐centered learning shared equally by musicians in a democratic environment that encourages development of life-‐long learning, by the may not be guaranteed. 21st Century Skills In 2002, the National Education Association and the Partnership for 21st Century Skills defined and described six vital skills that students must develop for success in today’s world. Students should be able to solve complex puzzles by manipulating concepts and ideas into new patterns. Teachers need to foster critical thinking in their classrooms. Students must acquire expertise with a variety of today’s technology that will enhance their learning experiences. Teachers should welcome the use of tablets or laptops to access YouTube and other resources; or even smart phones to utilize social media resources in order to collaborate with the greater world. By successfully integrating these tools, learning will be enhanced through productive media literacy. This in turn aids students to share their ideas with each other and to the greater community and improve their communication skills. Their individual ideas should be collected, presented, analyzed, discussed in small teams or partnerships. Teachers need to offer opportunities for collaboration and create learning environments where students’ ideas are collected, compiled and combined with prior concepts and theories, resulting in increased
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information literacy. Students must be able to imagine new possibilities and develop innovative ideas illuminated by their own creativity. A student-‐centered classroom rich in inquiry-‐based learning increases the chances that these skills will be nurtured. Is the CMP model alone compatible with developing these 21st century skills? CCC Philosophy Adult community ensembles can utilize 21st century skills interwoven with comprehensive musicianship, through the expertise, knowledge and rich experiences of the educated musicians who, not only want to enjoy music making and the social aspects of the organization, but also are equally interested in life-‐long learning. In the 2012 study of adult community bands: Participants specifically cite the joy of learning, as a benefit is a slight variation on the traditional musical/social result and may have ramifications for how instructors in community music settings envision music as education. Learning was an integral part of the enjoyment for many of these participants. Hence, the desire to grow as an individual in a content area that you enjoy may still be an important part of being human, even in retirement. This may mean that while the style of the instruction may feel different in adult setting, the desire for learning is still apparent and valued. The adults in this study also noted the desire to remain active and engaged, but in a non-‐threatening environment where they could learn at their own pace and with people they enjoy who have similar interests. Clearly, the picture of engagement in adult settings is a multifaceted phenomenon that needs to be balanced to meet the gamut of musical, social, and learning needs. (Rohwer, 2012, p. 52) The Curious, Collaborative and Creative (CCC) approach to music learning may offer some answers to the limitations of the CMP model by developing 21st century skills in an ensemble environment and fostering a democratic atmosphere for life-‐long learning. In the CCC model, all forms of instructional strategies are welcomed and
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used: such as constructivist, project-‐based collaborative instruction, multiple learning styles, as well as direct instruction practices which are interwoven into the fabric of the rehearsal. Curiosity begins with a questionnaire on the first day of rehearsals in order to gather information on musical interests, talents, and desired goals for the ensemble. This information is analyzed and project teams are formed. Music repertoire is chosen based upon the diverse wish list of the musicians. Collaboration fuels the study of music through teams of ensemble members who share responsibilities in the areas of musical instruction, leadership, artistic enhancements, performances, research, and community outreach. Creativity-‐ designed presentations occur as a culmination of study in the form of an “Informance” rather than a formal performance. As a result there is a richer musical experience for the musicians, the ensemble as a whole, which often includes audience participation. CCC Process The CCC approach follows a three-‐step process. In Step One, a variety of literature is selected by a committee of musician-‐members, from a list created by the entire ensemble. This literature selected must represent the varied interests, genres, and ability levels of the ensemble members. The first rehearsal serves as an introduction to the music that will be explored. The ensemble sight-‐reads through portions of the works; the director provides a general background of the pieces with a multi-‐media presentation to inspire their curiosity about the music. Each member completes a questionnaire to determine their learning objectives, roles they would
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be interested in assuming, and projects they would like to design. The responses are then compiled and project teams are assembled. The teams meet to begin to discuss project ideas and roles they will assume over the weeks of rehearsals. Exactly what these teams decide to do is based entirely upon what the ensemble desires to learn through the musical experiences and the literature chosen. During Step Two the members of the Leadership Team (the ensemble director, and the member-‐conductors) prepare their own rehearsal-‐teaching plans for the pieces they have chosen. A significant portion of their plans include researching the historical background of their pieces, analyzing the musical elements of the score, and designing rehearsal strategies for achieving skill, knowledge, and affective outcomes. Many of these components of their plans are integrated with the contributions from the other teams. In order to prepare well-‐ rounded rehearsal strategies, the Leadership team collaborates with the Instructional Team members to guide the ensemble toward performing the music with deeper understanding and greater musical skill. The Research Team investigates ways to improve the ensemble and shares their discoveries with the musicians. The Performance Team prepares solos or small ensembles connected with the chosen literature, or composes their own music. The Outreach Team promotes the ensemble through communications, recruitment, and publicity posters. The Enhancement Team creates artistic projects such as dance interpretations, slide shows, stage designs, and audience participation while the ensemble plays. The Informance Team stage crew is in complete charge of the final presentation, which occurs in Step Three.
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Step Three is the culmination of the musical journey: “The Informance”. The difference between a performance and an Informance is that the audience becomes a part of the music making experience. Here the ensemble does not merely perform the music, but shares what they have learned about the music and brings the audience toward a deeper understanding of the music. The Informance might have a pre-‐concert talk, which could include a presentation of the projects such as artwork that interprets the music, or the composer and conductor providing an open rehearsal with the ensemble and discussion with audience. The music enhancements of dance, artwork, and audience participation create an enlightened experience where the boundaries of director-‐musician-‐audience dissolve into a greater aesthetic experience. The Informance can also utilize the environment to bring a closer connection by performing out in the audience or by bringing them to different locations to provide an up close and personal experience with the musicians. CCC Analysis In a recent College Music Society Northeast Regional Conference, professors from The Crane School of Music, SUNY Potsdam, presented a panel presentation of this CCC approach. Julie Bannerman, professor of music education, describes her view of how this model is reflective of long-‐standing goals within an ensemble setting: One of the central goals of ensembles is the artistic performance of musical works. Campus Community Band with its various structures and projects revolves around the artistic performance of musical works. Musical works,
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their historical context, their structural features, and the artistic interpretation of those works, are central to the band’s work and provide an axis around which the project committees and rehearsals pivot. The works themselves, despite the process of selecting them, are tailored to the band in terms of instrumentation and arrangement. They align in varying respects with the traditional band works, according to the Community Bands’ taste, interest, and values, similar to other bands that make repertoire choices based on their understanding of performance expectations. Rehearsal practices, including the leadership of more experienced players in the form of the director herself or student conductors, also remains a feature of Campus Community Band in line with traditional rehearsal practices in the band paradigm. The band also spends much of its time together playing music, rehearsing, under the guidance of the leadership team. The CCC, based upon Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance, seeks to promote the interdependence of musical knowledge and musical performance. Efforts at modeling this interdependence emerged in discussions in the field of music education in the 1960s, and so are longstanding streams themselves in band pedagogy, with varying degrees of visibility. The extent to which any given band director is engaging her ensemble in comprehensive musicianship through performance experiences may be difficult to assess, for these practices may not visible in the final performance. Directors may rely upon rehearsal-‐based discussions, creating an environment of inquiry in their rehearsals that promotes musical knowledge and musical performance, but without a paper trail. In the current climate of accountability in education, music educators are increasingly asked to make visible and document student work and understanding. Music educators are asked to be accountable for learning processes as well as outcomes in artistic performances. In efforts to more effectively define, describe, and document the processes underway in music education, new standards have been developed. The CCC framework aligns quite well to the new music education standards in performing, which are new in terms of being recently adopted, but which reflect longstanding values in the field.” Dr. Jess Tyre, professor of music history, responds to the question, to what extend does the model challenge traditional goals? The model presents no strong challenge to contemporary musicology, but it might have at one time to traditional musicology, at least as musicology existed before the late 1980s or so, when questions arose in the discipline about the nature of the musical work, and definitions of the work based on 18th and 19th century perspectives – and here I’m thinking of studies from the
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1980s and 90s by Lydia Goehr, Peter Kivy, Richard Taruskin, and Susan McClary. Debates about what actually constitutes a musical “work,” along with general arguments about the benefits and shortcomings of privileging the western musical canon in the study of music history, de-‐centered the focus on western art music within the discipline throughout the 1990s. Older approaches that favor study of a Pantheon of art works, or moreover, of autonomous works that exist as objects apart from the social and cultural environment in which they were created, have fallen away to a great degree. Today, most music history textbooks, for example, no longer present students with masterpieces of musical art, nor do they take a purely formalist approach; instead, they take the reader on a journey through the many developments in culture, society, and practices that surrounded the creation, performance, and reception of music through history.” Dr. Timothy Sullivan, professor of composition and music theory provided his answer for the question: What design features seem compelling for promoting a confluence of music, culture, and community for a diverse population of musicians? “There are several compelling features for the promotion of these ideals. The most compelling in my opinion is the idea of the “Informance.” In combination with the ideas for community outreach, this seems like a powerful tool for creating this kind of confluence. While I think there is a continuing place and need for “formal” concert performances, there is no denying that this formality can create a disconnect or a barrier between the performers and the audience, particularly if the audience is “not in the know” so to speak. There are many recent examples of conductors and composers trying to break down or at least reduce these barriers -‐ one of the most famous (and not so recent) examples was Leonard Bernstein with his Family Concerts or numerous pre-‐concert talks. More recent examples include composers like Philip Glass or Steve Reich, who formed their own groups and performed in more “informal” settings like museums or nightclubs. There are currently several new music groups (like Bang on a Can) that make a concerted effort to work entirely outside of the “traditional” concert setting. The common goal in all of these situations is to minimize or perhaps begin to break down the artificial barrier between composer/performer/audience, and the CCC model also seems to work towards this goal. The other feature of the CCC model that is particularly compelling to me is the division of the group into teams -‐ this really addresses the issues of community and diversity within the group. In a normal group or ensemble setting, diversity (in terms of training) must be minimized as much as possible for obvious reasons. If the ability gap is too large between members/sections of the same traditional ensemble, there will be adverse
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effects that can be felt throughout the ensemble. The CCC model presents a completely different opportunity for collaboration between musicians with a wide variety of training/ability/experience, which has the potential to create this kind of diverse community that is often lacking in traditional ensemble settings.” CCC Impact At the conclusion of each Informance, a survey is distributed to the ensemble members and their responses are collected as feedback for continuous improvement of the ensemble’s experiences. The SUNY Potsdam, Campus Community Band members were invited to provide input for this paper and share their views of this Curious, Collaborative, Creative approach. Four members responded to the question: “What are your experiences with the CCC approach in Campus Community Band?” Member 1: Five years ago, when I first joined the New Horizons Band, I had not played the saxophone since my college days, some fifty plus years ago! I had to rent a tenor sax because mine of high school days, after sitting in the closet, went with a friend of our daughter's to the college of his choice. I rented for about a year, and then my husband gave me a new tenor for Christmas! The music came quickly to me, but I wanted more of a challenge than what the New Horizons Band was offering. Thus, I joined the Crane Community Band. This was and continues to be the challenge I needed. Sharing the music and playing with other community members and the college students is a fun experience. The students are friendly, accepting and helpful. Our conductor makes it a non-‐threatening experience. With her Curious, Collaborative, Creativity approach we all seem to be working together. I really like the Macro-‐Micro-‐Macro way of rehearsing, asking the members of the band for suggestions as to where we need extra help. I feel very thankful for this opportunity in my elder years.” Member 2: First let me start with a little background information. I played cornet in high school and auditioned for the Crane School of Music at age 16. However, life
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decisions took me in a different direction. I played my cornet until about age 30. When an opportunity came along to start playing again, I was very excited and borrowed my grandniece’s trumpet. Soon after, I realized the cornet was still to my liking and purchased a very good used one. Playing in the Campus Community Band (CCB) initially was a major challenge, but it pushed me along, and my cornet skills improved quickly. My experience with CCB has been a very positive and joyful experience. The band is very welcoming and I recall when I was first introduced that everyone clapped. Well, that was pretty neat. I had never played in a concert band and the sound around me was so uplifting. Playing with other college students and community members has instilled in me that playing music has no age barriers. Having been an administrator before I retired, it was good to participate in a band process where my input into music choices, rehearsal process and information on composers would be considered. Now that I just turned 70, I realize that I can continue playing until I have air in me to breathe. The CCB experience has added value and enhanced the quality of my life. Member 3: I’m sixty-‐nine years old, and one of the “seniors” in the Crane Campus Community Band, on trumpet and bass guitar, and I’m immensely enjoying being there. I had been aware of two concert bands in the community, including the Campus Community Band, and kept telling myself that “someday” I would look into that – until, about two years ago, I realized that this was “someday” and joined. The Band, and Dr. Collins, introduced me to the Curious, Collaborative, Creativity approach, a whole new approach to music learning and performance, a “holistic” approach that went far beyond the “learn the notes and the dynamics, and do it” model. From the start of my first “season” with the band, seeing videos of volcanoes, watching a dance demonstration, etc., and considering what the composer felt and had in mind, and actually giving thought to how it made us feel, and how to express that in our music, to the sensation of playing bass guitar along with an electric guitar and a drum set in the middle of the huge concert band, the approach has brought new experiences constantly in the organization, preparation, and “Informance”– and this new approach carries over into a greater understanding and appreciation of many other musical experiences (I have never thought about, say, the Rolling Stones or Hank Williams, this way before). This continually expands one’s understanding of music as a living medium, with history, context, emotional ingredient, and intellectual components – not just as all those sharps and flats and crescendos and legatos and . . . I am privileged to have had the experience.” Member 4: My experience with the Curious, Collaborative, Creativity approach has
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been one of vast learning and deep enjoyment. I truly enjoy learning new music, and even more than that, I enjoy learning about the origins of the music we have played in the Campus Community Band, about who created the music we are playing, about who inspired the composers to create this music, and about which events and/or time periods influenced the composition of this music. The presentations by the students throughout the semester have been really enjoyable and enlightening. Moreover, I think that knowing about the background of a piece or a composer, just lends to the enjoyment of the music in a deeper and more meaningful way. I have also truly enjoyed working with the students who have been conducting us throughout the semester. We are learning a lot from each other, and I believe this is a wonderful way for the student conductors to experience, in a somewhat relaxed atmosphere, what to be prepared for in their future career(s). Lastly, I want to express how thankful I am for this opportunity. I have lived in several areas in the US and abroad, and in no other place did I find such a welcoming and enjoyable group as I found the Campus Community Band to be. While growing up in Illinois, I played flute and piccolo from 4th grade to 12th grade. After 25 years of not playing my flute or piccolo, I am thrilled to say that the Campus Community Band presented me with an opportunity that I have dreamed of for quite some time. I could not be happier with this group, and I so look forward to many more years of playing with this group. CCC Information The Curious, Collaborative, Creativity approach to musical ensembles can provide enriching musical experiences that transcends mere replication. It can develop a deep musical understanding and instill a passion for life-‐long music making. I invite you to take the journey with us. For more information and downloadable materials about the Curious, Collaborative, Creativity approach, visit http://curiouscollaborativecreativity.weebly.com/ For more information about the SUNY Potsdam Campus Community Band, visit http://campuscommunityband.weebly.com/ Caron Collins can be reached at
[email protected] or 315-‐267-‐2404.
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References Augustin, C. (2010). A descriptive study to determine the opinions of community band members regarding the effectiveness of comprehensive musicianship. International Journal of Community Music, 3(2), 175-‐184. Bannerman, J., Campbell, M., Collins, C., Sullivan, T., Tyre, J. (2014, April 5). Curious, Collaborative, Creativity: A 21st Century Approach to Learning in an Ensemble Setting. College Music Society 5th Northeast Regional Conference. Lecture conducted from State University of New York, Potsdam. Block, D. (2013, April), Born in Wisconsin, Now Going Global, Teaching Music, 20(6), 66. Campbell, P., & Myers, D. (2014, November 1). Transforming Music Study from its Foundations: A Manifesto for Progressive Change in the Undergraduate Preparation of Music Majors Report of the Task Force on the Undergraduate Music Major, Retrieved December 20, 2014, from http://www.music.org/pdf/tfumm_report.pdf Cavitt, M. (2005). Factors Influencing Participation in Community Bands. Journal of Band Research, 41(1), 42-‐59. Collins, C., & Wells, J. (2014). Professional Notes: 21st Century Ensembles-‐What We Imagine We Can Become. Music Educators Journal, 100(4), 18-‐21. National Education Association (NEA). (2010). Preparing 21st Century Students for a Global Society: An Educator’s Guide to the “Four C’s”. Retrieved January 8, 2014, from http://www.nea.org/tools/52217.htm Partnership for 21st Century Skills. (2009, January 1) P21 Definitions. Retrieved January 9, 2014, from http://www.p21.org/storage/documents/P21_Framework_Definitions.pdf Rohwer, D. (2012). Going to the Source: Pedagogical Ideas from Adult Band Members. Journal of Band Research, 48(1), 45-‐57. Sindberg, L. (2009). The Evolution of Comprehensive Musicianship through Performance (CMP) A Model for Teaching Performing with Understanding in the Ensemble Setting. Contributions in Music Education, 36(1), 25-‐39. Sindberg, L. (2012). Just good teaching: Comprehensive musicianship through performance (CMP) in theory and practice. Lanham: Rowman & Littlefield Education
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