Comments on: Modes of teaching music theory http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/ Roger Bourland writes about music and life Fri, 21 Nov 2008 10:02:57 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Roger Bourland http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22812 Roger Bourland Thu, 19 Apr 2007 06:02:43 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22812 4stage: Yeah, the problem is that the students all have different strengths and weaknesses, and shouldn't be made to sit through classes that cover material they already know. It IS fun to play Socrates and want to teach them EVERYTHING. 4stage: Yeah, the problem is that the students all have different strengths and weaknesses, and shouldn’t be made to sit through classes that cover material they already know. It IS fun to play Socrates and want to teach them EVERYTHING.

]]> By: music4stage http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22786 music4stage Thu, 19 Apr 2007 03:39:55 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22786 I've always had this utopian view that everything - harmony, counterpoint, ear training - should be taught at the same time, working up through periods of music history, with a focus on singing the material. Never having actually taught in the real world, I can see from these comments how impractical that could be. I’ve always had this utopian view that everything - harmony, counterpoint, ear training - should be taught at the same time, working up through periods of music history, with a focus on singing the material.

Never having actually taught in the real world, I can see from these comments how impractical that could be.

]]> By: Roger Bourland http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22646 Roger Bourland Wed, 18 Apr 2007 14:40:40 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22646 Blake, yep: that's our problem, the students' skills are all over the place and the modular approach seems the only way at this point. Blake, yep: that’s our problem, the students’ skills are all over the place and the modular approach seems the only way at this point.

]]> By: Blake http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22635 Blake Wed, 18 Apr 2007 07:30:13 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22635 I really appreciated the modular approach when it was used at Northwestern. It makes sense to me because students come to university with such different backgrounds. Many of our voice majors were excellent sight-singers, for instance, but lagged far behind instrumentalists in music theory. As a cellist, I had more experience with music theory but I needed a lot more work in aural skills. A modular approach maximizes learning while minimizing the time commitment--something that was always important to me since I was trying to put in a much practice time as I could. I really appreciated the modular approach when it was used at Northwestern. It makes sense to me because students come to university with such different backgrounds. Many of our voice majors were excellent sight-singers, for instance, but lagged far behind instrumentalists in music theory. As a cellist, I had more experience with music theory but I needed a lot more work in aural skills. A modular approach maximizes learning while minimizing the time commitment–something that was always important to me since I was trying to put in a much practice time as I could.

]]> By: Roger Bourland http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22580 Roger Bourland Wed, 18 Apr 2007 02:29:43 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22580 PB: Thanks for the tip, I'll take a look at the book. It's a pendulum I fear. You're swinging one way and now we're thinking about swinging the other. Robert Winter reminds me that our current model of teaching music goes back to Mendelssohn. We've been having interesting conversations about new models. Taking EVERYTHING off of the table and putting it back or not, one at a time. PB: Thanks for the tip, I’ll take a look at the book. It’s a pendulum I fear. You’re swinging one way and now we’re thinking about swinging the other. Robert Winter reminds me that our current model of teaching music goes back to Mendelssohn. We’ve been having interesting conversations about new models. Taking EVERYTHING off of the table and putting it back or not, one at a time.

]]> By: PB http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22504 PB Tue, 17 Apr 2007 19:25:12 +0000 http://rogerbourland.com/blog/2007/04/17/modes-of-teaching-music-theory/#comment-22504 Its funny you say that you are looking at moving away from a comprehensive theory program. Although not going as far, at CSUF we are discussing recombining theory and musicianship back together. Although I have not taught enough music theory to have a strong opinion on what the best methods are, I have spent a good deal of time this semester reading and thinking about where music theory and musicianship pedagogy came from. Have you read Michael Rogers Teaching Approaches In Music Theory? It's a great survey and discussion on the history methods of teaching theory in the university. He offers a pretty good overview of the positives and negatives of the most common approaches used today. PB Its funny you say that you are looking at moving away from a comprehensive theory program. Although not going as far, at CSUF we are discussing recombining theory and musicianship back together. Although I have not taught enough music theory to have a strong opinion on what the best methods are, I have spent a good deal of time this semester reading and thinking about where music theory and musicianship pedagogy came from. Have you read Michael Rogers Teaching Approaches In Music Theory? It’s a great survey and discussion on the history methods of teaching theory in the university. He offers a pretty good overview of the positives and negatives of the most common approaches used today.
PB

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