Concert Preview

Wednesday, July 28th, 12.30pm, in the Music Room (H332)

In conjunction with the Music Dept., the VUW Music Society is presenting a concert of pieces composed by members of the 1976 Music Education class. Music Education (MUSI 131) is a course taken by Ross Harris, a well-known Wellington composer, and is specifically geared towards the teaching of music in schools.

The aim of the course is "to introduce students to those aspects of twentieth century music which can be used creatively in school music. For example, graphic notation, controlled improvisation, electronic music, theatre music, and simple serial composition. Tutorials introduce a wide range of contemporary compositions" (eg Stockhausen, Webern, Peter Maxwell Davies, Carol Orff).

Various members of the class have already taken many of these into the primary classroom to observe their practical application. In the MUSI 131 class itself, all of the ideas discussed are put into practice in the form of assignments, where the student composes pieces exploring the possibilities of each idea.

One of the most interesting things to emerge with this form of teaching is, that as formal music students (or, in most cases, students who have a traditional back-ground in music), we find that our imaginative impulses have in the past, been directed towards what we have been taught about traditional musical structures. Consequently, many of the pieces which are performed in class do not work, either because the student has tried to explore the given "idea" in terms of a traditionally acceptable musical mode, or else the imaginative impulse behind the composition is extremely inhibited (socially rather than musically) The exciting aspect of introducing many of these new music ideas to school children (especially at primary-school level) is that they are far more socially uninhibited than the Music Ed. students, and they are not bound by preconceived musical notions, such as key, rhythmic conformity, mode or harmony.

For the concert on Wednesday lunchtime, the class has selected several of the more successful pieces to have been written this year, for performance. They cover a wide range of individual 20th century musical concepts, and involve various performers, from 2 or 3 students to the whole class. A couple of electronic pieces will also be included, as one of the options in the course is a half-year's work in the electronic music studio.

Students who are interested in new ideas for teaching in schools will find this concert particularly interesting, as will anyone who would like to hear and see something more imaginative, creative and exciting than the cafe or Union Hall on a Wednesday lunch time.