Benefits of Doing Music (original) (raw)
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Cyclic Time in Indian Art Music & Creativity
As opposed to the reductionist views of time which include a linear approach, the Indian is a cyclic conception of time which events follow. According to this view the super-structure of time is cyclic; tangible and intangible events keep repeating in smaller cycles. The essence of Creation at a macro level and creativity at the micro or individual level is the fact that they appear differently to us. In north Indian art music (NIAM), I propose that Avartan is its “cyclicity” which is responsible for creativity. The heavy demand for extempore improvisation in NIAM, forces a performer to continually view immediate past musical act and improvise based on this. In this manner, the spiral of creativity is generated. Then, at a point of time one wants to break away from this cycle just as an aeroplane leaves its runway after gaining momentum. At a very secular level, this process replicates an urge for freedom from routines in life, but one cannot value freedom without being shackled and finding a tool to gain a threshold frequency for final release. Avartan as a tool provides a process of observation, retention, and recall; itself is a cyclical process. At an esoteric level, in India, the timeless Siva is the chief deity of time and hence He devours it. He is the Yogi (without categories/unity itself) blissful between two moments and full of potential creative energy. This situation is replicated in the sam of Avartan or the first beat (unity) in the cyclic meter. Sam is the pivotal aspect which is continually sought after by the artiste in an attempt to meet the Yogi sitting between moments. From this unity multiplicity is born giving birth to cyclic meter representing the infinitely diverse phenomenal world.
The Noise of Music or the Sound of Meaning: Nigerian Music in an Identity Crisis
The controversy that has always existed is whether or not music is the first art form known to man. However, what has not existed as a controversy is the place that music occupies in the life of man both in its functionality and its efficacy. Music has enjoyed divergent conceptions; it represents the identity symbol of each continent, each generation and each individual. Music can be put simply as the art of combining vocal or instrumental sounds in a harmonious or expressive way. This paper therefore examines Nigerian music, its developments and the various forms which it has taken. It interrogates into the current state of Nigerian music especially in the 21 st century. The questions confronted in this paper are; is Nigerian music noise or sound? What is the extent of the 'noise-ness or sound-ness' of Nigerian music? Etc. The paper also looks at some Nigerian Musical artistes especially on how meaningful or not their music is. The paper ascertains that most music produced in contemporary Nigeria are laden with a lot of noise such that one can least comprehend the form and content. Ironically, these kinds of music are what today's generation enjoys dancing to not minding what it contains. The paper in its discussions recommends that Nigerian musical artiste should improve on their kind of music and address the social, political, religious and economic realities of man and also attempt at touching the inner soul of man. This attempt will develop a sound societal mind and change the mentality of people since music is the nearest art form most people retire and relax to daily.
Why is music effective in rehabilitation?
Studies in health technology and informatics, 2009
In this chapter a conceptual foundation of employing music in rehabilitation is highlighted. The basic assumption is that, when a person is involved in performing or listening to music, she has a comprehensive experience in which several mental registers are activated simultaneously. The specific effect of music is to trigger a coordinated action of motor, visuospatial and verbal mechanisms. Thanks to the synergic activation of these mechanisms, music can stimulate, support and driven the mental functions to be rehabilitated.
Australian art song (AAS) has a rich heritage spanning more than a century, which has led to a diverse and varied body of works. As with contemporary art song of any country, the repertoire suffers from a lack of public performances that would allow audiences to become more accustomed to it. The repertoire also offers other challenges to singers and singing teachers. These include repertoire often being original hand-copied scores, out-of-print scores containing new or unfamiliar vocal techniques or notation, plus the idea that ‘melody’ may be perceived differently to songs from a romantic lied. The aim of this study, therefore, was to find the most suitable pedagogical issues and frames by which both singers and singing teachers can more easily approach the learning, teaching and performance of contemporary Australian art song. The multi-dimensional perspective of the research is underpinned by a theoretical frame with an overarching pedagogical focus, which draws together the major scholarly influences brought to bear on the practice-led, practice-based aspects underpinning the research design. Participants in the study included Australian and International professional singers and singing teachers of contemporary art song. Four research questions focused on issues that inform the selection of contemporary art song repertoire for a recital/performance; what practice and learning strategies inform the learning, performing and teaching of contemporary art song; how singers and singing teachers might effectively apply the pedagogical outcomes (strategies)of the research; (and) how the pedagogical information can most effectively be presented and framed for singers and singing teachers so as to enable the most effective access to contemporary AAS. To respond to these questions, data were gathered through e-mail questionnaires with 14 professional singers (Phase one, 2006-2007), reflective journaling and interviews with four singers, four accompanists and correspondence with a composer and poet in the preparation for two recitals in Sydney in 2008 and 2009 (Phase two), and a questionnaire in response to performer’s analyses of AAS from 19 singing teachers in Phase three (2009-2010). Each Phase of the study informed the Phase which followed and in doing so built up a Bank of pedagogical learning and teaching strategies for singers and singing teachers to draw on. In responding to the research questions, six new contributions to knowledge emerged: (1) The development and application of the Bank of pedagogical learning teaching strategies for singers and singing teachers, which were contributed, trialled and suggested by singers and singing teachers in the practice-based, practice-led phases of the research; (2) the application of Rink’s (2002) performer’s analysis - analysis by performers for performers - to the learning and teaching of AASs, is a way of perpetuating knowledge about the repertoire that is passed on to others through building and sharing a pedagogical resource so that the repertoire is learned, taught and ultimately, performed more; (3) defining the literature reviewed relevant to the learning and teaching of contemporary (Australian) art song through categorisation into contextual, musical and performative criteria offered a way of using and reflecting on strategies when approaching new AAS; (4) the development of Aggett’s cyclical reflexive journaling process can assist in the preparation of a musical performance. This extension of the reflexive journal process included Mezirow’s (1991) levels of reflection (adapted Kember et al., 1999) applied to each of the steps as a means of identifying different levels of reflection. These levels may further assist singers in the practice preparation for any singing task; (5) recordings were found to be a valuable tool used to assist in performance preparation in all phases of the research, including self-recording, MIDI and where available, commercial recordings; and finally, (6) developing a reliable way/tool for grading repertoire, by adapting and developing the Ralston Repertoire Difficulty Index (RRDI), with the assistance of three ‘critical friends’, to research and validate the grades. Following the singing teacher’s study (Phase three), an eighth criteria, dynamics and expressive techniques, was added to the index. The diverse contemporary Australian art song repertoire of composers discussed in the thesis, which includes the works of 24 Australian composers, demonstrates the breadth of styles, genres, levels of abilities, beauty and variety in the repertoire. The thesis, therefore, aimed at introducing singers and singing teachers to this rich and rewarding body of works, discussing what it has to offer. Keywords: Australian art song, strategies, learning, teaching, performing, reflexive, performer’s analysis.
The true voice: an exploration of identity
2015
This thesis examines the concept of the true voice as a method for the exploration of identity. A revised Delphi approach was used to facilitate the open discussion of this concept amongst a group of specialists from various areas of voicework and singing. The primary objective of the study was to provide a framework of understanding from which to view a holistic approach to vocal development, with particular relevance to the singing voice, as well as lay the foundations for further study in this area through presenting a range of opinions on the true voice. The study gave definition to the concept of the true voice and revealed that it could be used as both a framework of understanding as well as an application to voicework.