Nov 17 2009
Ways into Workshops 2009 part 3
I’m trying to get this written before I forget too much, but it’s tricky weaving it in and out of daily routines. Yes I made notes and did recordings, but sometimes action learning is the best approach and there isn’t an easy way to jot that down on the spot. There was so much going on for me that digesting it is only really going on now.
One thing that is always useful is observing good practice. This happened throughout. We drew up a workshop contract that focused the expectations of all participants, including the leaders. As a mindmap, it clarified our thinking about what we were agreeing to participate in.
All workshops should start with a contract of sorts and I was pleased to realise that mine do already. In some respects this is another way of expressing the learning outcomes and assessment criteria in a formal classroom setting that is now standard in teaching.
There were useful warm-up games and ice-breakers, which can sometimes make people feel self-conscious, but can do a good job if handled well. As part of a series of small workshops conducted by all of the experts, Rob Kitchen on Tuesday focused on some activities that would be very useful in schools. In particular, “1, 2, Let’s play Zoo” used invented rhythm, sounds, actions and remembering those of others. He ran a further workshop later in the day, but we had to choose between workshops and was forced to miss it; maybe next time.
Beccy Owen led us in some group singing that I wish I had recorded. She has an easy, natural way that is quite important in bringing the best out of people’s voices, particularly when there are so many strong singers already present. She played some voice games with us that produced some inventive responses and taught us a great song from Sweet Honey in the Rock, Digger Dog. Strong rhythms, easy to learn repetitive elements and a strong message about racial equality, friendship and neighbourliness. And dogs. Good for schools.
I was delighted to be reminded of this group, who I saw many years ago. Clearly their repertoire is worth revisiting for ideas, especially when so much music produced for children seems to have low musical and production values. Experience 101 was particularly recommended by Beccy and I’ll be looking this one up.
In a previous workshop, Beccy had us singing an Apache song (Ungawa) that lent itself to singing in rounds and I had first encountered during teacher training. However, I had forgotten it and this was a welcome reminder.
It was also interesting and useful to see the hand gestures of both Beccy and Dave Camlin when they conducted our singing. This provided a quick visual guide to what we were meant to be singing as we were singing it. I will be incorporating some of this into my own directions in future.
Dave’s own workshop involved technology and beatboxing and he developed this further later on in his optional workshop. I was keen to explore this as I have begun to base my songwriting workshops with the upper primary years on rap and a number of the boys in particular naturally break out in to beatboxing. I wanted to find a way to not only support it, but to incorporate it into what I do so that they become more engaged.
I have yet to listen to the long recording I have of this workshop, but from what I recall, Dave introduced us to a song called Concentration, which had been done by a rap group; however I didn’t catch all of the details. Having done some online research, my guess is that Jurassic 5 incorporated this children’s game song into a rap, which inspired Dave to do a rap/beatbox version of it. The Jurassic 5 version can be heard on Youtube.
Dave’s version was sung in a pretty jazzy style, with good beatboxing below it, making it more appealing. He taught us bass drum, snare, cymbals, high hat and bass lines as well as the lyrics and melody line. We then split up and sang different parts together. It was very effective and enjoyable. A nice teaching point is that as Dave introduced the instrument sounds, he also explained about the instrument that was being imitated. I can see this being useful in a school context; I just need to practice my sounds a bit more.
Someone requested looking at using loops in conjunction with this, so we did a version of Suzanne Vega’s Tom’s Diner based on the DNA remix, sang and beatboxed the parts and incorporated loops using Ableton Live software. This was the first time I had come across the program and could see how it compares with GarageBand, which I have used previously. The mix of live and recorded samples could make for an interesting project and I can see how Suzanne Vega’s observational lyrics could form a useful starting point for personal lyric writing.
Hugh Nankivell’s workshop that I attended had a more reflective element to it. He did one on songwriting that I would have liked to have attended, but Hugh intended his to be aimed at ideas for working with teenagers, older than my usual participants. As it happened, he demonstrated an idea for preschool song writing that I received details of from others and looks to be workable for me. I’ll be trying that out later in the month.
Using a technique from drama, Hugh got us to divide the room into two equally-sized spaces, creating a dividing line using leaves (it was Autumn). One side contained a piano and a box of instruments, we stood in the other. Our side was designated the “audience”, the other was the “stage”. We were then left to our own devices as to how we interacted with these spaces.
This was surprisingly provocative. A blank canvas with an audience looking over your shoulder would put off any painter. Here, responses were a mixture of playful and more serious. It was certainly experimental.
The stage was then divided further in two, the instruments on one half, the other a more obvious stage; almost a stage within a stage. Again, responses were creative and playful. Musicians reacted to “performers” and vice versa. Audiences reacted to both.
Hugh invited us to comment and reflect on what we felt about the spaces. In an obvious sense, it threw up the idea of roles and begged some questions that I find problematic on a personal level and as a community musician. Not in any particular order:
- An empty stage carries a weight of unclear expectation. Something will happen soon, but what?
- Do musicians, actors, dancers need an audience? Does the audience need them?
- What happens when you cross a line, one way or the other? When does a performance begin or end?
- Is it an equal relationship? Is there anything special about any of the roles? In the culture of X Factor, this throws up other questions.
- How does the role of musician as supporter to another performance differ from that of performer with or without support? There seems to be a different sense of performance when there is no third area. The musicians wear a different type of performance hat.
- How does the role of musician or performer change in a community setting? I am thinking of informal social situations, such as an Irish pub session with no microphone. Or music in a kitchen or other domestic space.
I can’t help thinking that, whichever way I look at it, a musician is a performer if they can be heard. Personally though, I’m not comfortable with that as it implies a special status that is primarily in the mind of the non-performer. This special status can be inspirational, but it can also be a barrier.
As a musician, I do not feel special or consciously assume any special status when I play. In front of an expectant audience I feel a burden that is at odds with how I feel when I play privately. I suppose that some people desire that, either as an audience or as performers; equally, others shun it.
As a community musician though, a barrier needs to come down. If people have been told that they are not musical or are denied opportunities for music making in some other way, then this barrier can be quite an obstacle, particularly for adults.
If all people can be musicians, then how can there be special status? I’m talking myself round in circles I realise and in all this of course there is the possibility that a musician can be their own audience and can create their own barriers. I’ll stop right there as that’s for another day.
More in part 4.
Ways into Workshops was a complete experience. At no point was I not learning, thinking, considering, reflecting, planning, evaluating, improving. There were organised activities throughout the day, but there was late-night music-making, sharing, networking and debate. No wonder then that I could barely sleep for being over-stimulated.
Chatting to a friend, fellow parent and teacher recently, I was put on to The Langley Schools Music Project (Thanks Pete!).
A music workshop aimed at professionals working with preschoolers successfully showed how picture books can be used to create a musical event.
I’m giving a workshop this Saturday in Port Seton to early years practitioners. Journey with Music aims to provide ideas for providing creative music opportunities for preschool children and I’ll be sharing what I do in my Notes on a Story workshops in Primary schools. I’ll also be providing resources, tools and tips so that those attending can feel confident to explore the format for themselves.
I was at the 
This Saturday’s Youth Music Forum day at the Brunton Theatre in Musselburgh has been postponed. It is hoped that that scheduling the event at the beginning of the autumn term would be a better fit with people’s priorities and diaries.