Improvise with Ease: Music Improvisation for the Classically … · Music Improvisation for the...

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Sharon Little- OMEA 2018 [email protected] IG: @creativelivingproject Improvise with Ease: Music Improvisation for the Classically Trained (or Terribly Terrified) Friday, November 2, 2018 Session 2 1 pm Rm 207 SHARON LITTLE [email protected] OMEA Counterpoint 2018 Hamilton, ON

Transcript of Improvise with Ease: Music Improvisation for the Classically … · Music Improvisation for the...

Page 1: Improvise with Ease: Music Improvisation for the Classically … · Music Improvisation for the Classically Trained (or Terribly Terrified) Friday, November 2, 2018 Session 2 1 pm

Sharon Little- OMEA 2018 [email protected] IG: @creativelivingproject

Improvise with Ease:Music Improvisation for the

Classically Trained (or Terribly Terrified)

Friday, November 2, 2018Session 2 1 pm Rm 207

SHARON [email protected]

OMEA Counterpoint 2018Hamilton, ON

Page 2: Improvise with Ease: Music Improvisation for the Classically … · Music Improvisation for the Classically Trained (or Terribly Terrified) Friday, November 2, 2018 Session 2 1 pm

Sharon Little- OMEA 2018 [email protected] IG: @creativelivingproject

THERE ARE NO WRONG NOTES A Baker’s Dozen Fundamental Principles

“The students don’t need to learn first what the teacher learned last.” (unknown Harvard Business School Prof. Told to my father.)

These are some things to keep in mind as you begin the journey with your students.

1. Participate WITH your students in anything you offer to them. Step outside your OWN comfort zone. Let them see you nervous and learning. If you move and use your voice and PLAY, they will, too, eventually. You’ll begin to see how contained we have trained ourselves to be—and how free we CAN be with a little experience.

2. One Quality Sound: this is the fundamental piece of this work.3. If you have music stands in your classroom, move them to the side and create 2 semi-

circles or one big circle to do improv. Reduce the interference.4. Kids will feel silly when they begin. That’s OK. It’s your job to encourage and support

EVERY SINGLE sound they make. And to honour the discomfort.5. Honour the ‘weakest’ member: whether this be the quietest person, the shyest one,

the least experienced player or the quietest instrument, teach your students to listen and respect and support this energy. This will also include those students who dominate and lead easily and those who stand back. Those who take the natural leadership role will have to learn to back off. The ones who wait for someone else to take the lead can learn to step forward. And then… watch them all grow!

6. Music improv experiences lend themselves to reflection. You can ask, at the end of an improv

7. Use the musical structures you are teaching your students as a basis for improv: learning staccato? Make a staccato improv. Learning a new note? Find all the ways you can play that note. ABA is a GREAT structure to use—to show the value of repetition and variety, to encourage simple melodies that they can repeat exactly. Teaching new rhythms in a new piece? Have them play with them—call response, ostinato/solo, etc. And when they are improvising and they ‘come upon’ a structure… point it out to them!

8. USE YOUR VOICE. Sing what you play. Play what you sing. The EAR is the first to develop. Have your students use their voice.

9. Play with dissonance. Let them hang out in it. It’s a metaphor for life! Don’t run away from it.

10. If you’re teaching older kids, be not afraid to bring in small percussion accessories—shakers, coloured bells, toy pianos, things that make fun sounds, Orff instruments, etc. It makes the idea that “There are no Wrong Notes” easier to play with and enjoy

11. Silence is Your Best Friend: be sure to teach them the importance of silence and space in their improvs

12. Quality vs Quantity: more notes does not equal better. It’s just more notes. Aim for Quality. Starting with One Quality Sound… again and again.

13. Listening is the most important skill to develop. Both inside yourself and in the improv.

Page 3: Improvise with Ease: Music Improvisation for the Classically … · Music Improvisation for the Classically Trained (or Terribly Terrified) Friday, November 2, 2018 Session 2 1 pm

Sharon Little- OMEA 2018 [email protected] IG: @creativelivingproject

CONTACTS AND RESOURCES

FounderofOneQualityNote,Sharonhelpshercoachingclientstakewobbly,yetsafestepsofftheedgewherefearmeetsopportunity.BuildingbridgestotheinnerSelfthenmakingcrea=veconnec=onstolivingtheir‘OneQualityNote’intheoutsideworld,shehelpspar=cipantsfindtheirvoice,literallyandfigura=vely.Whetheryoushelteraninnerlong-lostmusician,feelstuck,orneedtoplaymore,Sharonhelpsyouliberateyour‘voice,’movingfromchaostocalm,fromfearfultofree.SharonisaModernRenaissanceWoman.Hereclec=cbackgroundandwiderangeoftrainingsallcomeintoplaywhensheworkswithyourstudentsorwithyouindividually.

Availablefor:

• workshopsandresidenciesatyourschool/studio

• allages,alllevelsofexperience,allinstruments

• one-on-onepersonalcoaching

Let’sgettoknoweachotherbePer.EmailtosetupVirtualTeaTimeonequalitynote@gmail.com

FollowSharononInstagram@crea=velivingproject@gravelroadlife

FindheronFacebook:hPps://www.facebook.com/Crea=ve-Living-Project-320258038783057/

Crea=veLivingNewslePerSignup:hPp://eepurl.com/dv48XH

“When Sharon and I met, I wasn’t seeking someone to guide me on my journey…and yet, that first conversation with her struck a chord inside of me. Literally, I realized that what was missing for me was connecting to my “one quality note” and it was something that I desperately wanted to find….Little did I know that meeting Sharon would ultimately allow me to awaken the music inside me and be open to who I was called to be and what I was called to do….From chaos to calm, from uncomfortable to connected, from confused to clarity, from ungrounded to peace, from outside of myself looking in to believing in who I am. Sharon has introduced me to a new person inside of me.”Laurie H

Page 4: Improvise with Ease: Music Improvisation for the Classically … · Music Improvisation for the Classically Trained (or Terribly Terrified) Friday, November 2, 2018 Session 2 1 pm

Sharon Little- OMEA 2018 [email protected] IG: @creativelivingproject

www.Musicforwww.musicforpeople.org

Bill of MUSICAL RIGHTS

Page 5: Improvise with Ease: Music Improvisation for the Classically … · Music Improvisation for the Classically Trained (or Terribly Terrified) Friday, November 2, 2018 Session 2 1 pm

Sharon Little- OMEA 2018 [email protected] IG: @creativelivingproject

Music for People www.musicforpeople.org

When you come to a Music for People workshop, you’ll find a community of music lovers where all instruments are welcome. Among the participants you will also find photographers, artists, dancers, writers, poets, actors & actresses, recording artists and performers that take Music for People’s music making philosophy into schools, community centres, therapeutic sessions and eldercare facilities.

How to Connect with the Community

1. There are a few MfP teaching technique videos on the website.

2. Music for People Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/deZz3P

3. Subscribe to Music for People’s YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqSu7104mjpyUWTEBwsTBSQ

4. Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MFPImprov/

5. Plan to attend this AWESOME week next summer:

Art of Improvisation Week Long “Improv Camp” July 28-August 2, 2019

SUNY Fredonia, NY (about 1 1/2 hours west of Buffalo)