Sound On

The past two weeks I have had the pleasure of achieving Level 1 Mastership Certification in Early Childhood Music through the Gordon Institute of Music Learning and the University at Buffalo. The two courses addressed the theory and practice of music learning.

Lectures By Dr. Edwin Gordon

Each morning featured lectures on Music Learning Theory right from the horse’s mouth. It was great to hear Dr. Gordon speak live and in person, and experience the physical manifestation of his voice and sense of humor, which comes through so clearly in his writing.

The most valuable aspect of the experience was Dr. Gordon’s regular demonstrations of the results of his research. It’s easy to read words like “continuous flowing movement,” but to see it demonstrated can be quite striking.

Dr. Gordon’s enthusiasm for research in music education and fervor for the practical applications derived thereof (and likewise, his overt antipathy for traditional beliefs and practice in the music education world) were an especially memorable component of his talks.

Although I approached class as a fan of Dr. Gordon’s work, it is clear that many of my classmates have become “converts,” as they were forced to confront stupidity latent in their thoughts and conventions.

Now I Know How To Flow

Jennifer Bailey and Natasha Sigmund led a class on the practical applications of Music Learning Theory in an early childhood environment. It’s something that cannot be learned from a book, or even a video, because it is such a visceral experience.

Applying Music Learning Theory is very challenging, because there is so much to know and do. You need to know many songs and chants which serve as a vehicle for a variety of meters and tonalities. You need to assess children’s responses, understand what level their brain is functioning at musically, and use that knowledge to respond back appropriately. The entire session must flow. You expect nothing from students, but go to them and bring them along with you musically if they are ready. Taking all this into consideration can be a paralyzing experience!

More Challenges

Having class each day was difficult. Normally, as a student I like to take my time reading, carefully organize my notes and review them before class, and in general, take my time – that is a critical mantra for me in my own experience of learning. Unfortunately, with class going on each day, I found myself struggling to complete assignments, practice, and really comprehend what was going on. But I know that the philosophy of the class was just to feed me enough information to keep me going on my own.

Another challenge was embracing simplicity in the construction of songs and chants. Sophistication is the natural result of a culture that embraces it.

Finally, I have a new appreciation for having gone to college away from home. As I attended my first graduate classes while living at home, I found “everyday life” interfering with class on a regular basis. Going to school out of state and living in dorms fostered an environment where I could really leave everything behind and focus on academics. While of course I made time for friends, they too were immersed in an academic life experience.

People

My classmates came from Frankfurt am Main, Deutschland to Searcy, Arkansas, USA, and everywhere in between. What a turnout! Time with the “dormies” was fun, musical, and overall well spent. Come on back to Buffalo any time! And of course, class would be incomplete without the illustrious Dan Reitz, whose musicianship and depth of thought never fail to incite.

Deception

While the certification and practical applications focus on early childhood with occasional ventures into classroom and even instrumental music education, the class was actually about how people learn music from the beginning. It is not chronological age, but musical age that matters. Thus, the knowledge gained through class is (for better or worse) applicable to even chronologically mature students. This class is appropriate for everyone, even if early childhood isn’t your “thing.”

Conclusion

The certification workshop, with all its ups and downs, was an overall excellent experience that I recommend to anyone. The concepts I learned will be developed into methods and applied to whatever sort of music learning environment I decide to become involved with. Also, class counted as the first six of 33 credits towards a master’s degree, so I am on my way towards a formal application to the program by February, 2008. Lastly, classmates: please keep in touch, and best wishes to you all!

This entry was posted on Tuesday, July 31st, 2007 at 3:35 pm and is filed under grad school, music education, pedagogy, philosophy. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.